ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2164, 15 August 1895, Page 51

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's new •teamer Rakaia is to start on her maiden trip to Queensland on the 3rd prox. She will be able to carry 120,000 sheep ia her refrigerating ohamber*.

Lord Glasgow's eldest sen, Vicount Eelburne, came of age last Tuesday, and the event wai celebrated in Large with great local festivities. The Artillery Corps paraded at noon and fired a calute, and afterwards anjourned to their hall, where luncheon was held, and Lord Kolburne's health was proposed by Lieutenant Barr, the hca'th of Lord and Lady Glasgow subsequently being proposed by Lieutenant Hill. Both toasts were honoured with the utmost enthuaiaim. In the afternoon the Burgh Commissioners met in the Burgh Chambers and indulged in a feast of cake and wine. The provost (Mr M'Lcan) presided, and proposed long life and prosperity to Lord Kelburne. Telegrams of congratul&t : on were forwarded to Lord Kelburne, at Greenwich, and to Lord Glasgow in New Zealand. Arrangements are being made for a presentation to Lord Eelburne in honour of the occasion.

Sir John Thurston has been very ill, and this will delay his return to Fiji until the end of September. He will travel via Vancouver, and ther.ce by the Hudd art-Parker line.

Lord . Harapden, the uewly - appointed Governor of New South Wales, has beon for 14 years, aud is still, a director of the National Mortgage Company of Ne v Zealand. I believe that this is the extent of hi} colonial experiences. He is said to have a very governing wife. Their family consists of three daughters. He was the eldest son of the Lord Hampden who was Speaker of the Hoi.sa of Commons before Peel, and who was raised to the peerage on his retirement from that office. One of his ancestors nearly ruined the family in connection with the South Sea Bubble. Perhaps he goes out to pick up a few crumbs like some other colonial Governors.

Mr T. Harrison Davis has resigued his position as London manager for the New York Life Insurance Office. Pressure of other business engagements hag forced him to take this «tcp, though I believe the appointment brought him ia something like £1500 a year. But Mr Harrison Davis has now a finger in many profitable pies, and thtee make large demands upon his time and energy. Moreover, he has some new enterprises in view, which facfc renders it still more necessary that his action should not be hampered. He is certainly one New Zealauder who has emphatically "made his mark" in financial London.

The death is aunounced of Ann Stapley, "for 58 years the devoted servant and friend of tbe family of the late George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop of New Zi aland and Lichfleld." Her death occurred at Richmond last Thursday.

Mr H. A M'Gregor, inspector of machinery to the New Zealand Gv/rernment, who arrived in London last week after a very pleasant voyage by the b.b. Orient, called on me yesterday. Mr M'Gregor is spending his wellearned six months' holiday, after 20 years' unbroktn public service, very characteristically ia examining everything in the way of machinery which m*y possibly afford him any fresh " wrinkles " on his ratarn to Now ZeaUnd. At present be has been chiefly in London, bat he leaves on Monday for the north, and will visit not only Scotland, but also all the chief English manufacturing towns and inspect all the newest mechanical devices. This afternoon Mr M'Gregor is attending a special trial of a new horizontal hand-saw, which has been brought oub by Messrs Ransome, the famous makers of machinery. Mr M'Gregor thinks that thib saw, if it accomplish all that is claimed for it, will be very useful to New Zetland sawmills. Mr M'Gregor leaves London finally on the 9th August on his return to New Zealand.

Sir George Grey has been staying for some time at Tewkesbury, in which famous old town several years of his boyhood were epent. Mrs Ballance is actively preparing for her return to New Zealand. She leaves very shortly.

Mrs Fitchett is at present on the Continent, and has been staying latterly at Aix-les-Bainß. She returns to New Zealand by the next trip of the Gothic.

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