ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2231, 3 December 1896, Page 53

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) London, October 16. Can you inform the Royal Geographloal Society why that lake on the West Coast of the South Island is called Lake Brunner P Bec&use the society want to know. One of the officers of the Royal Geographical Society called at» the New Zealand Agency - general yesterday to make special inquiries on the subject, and learned that the -Brunner after whom the lake was named was a New Zealand explorer of former days. But apparently fuller information was desired. Such, for instance, as whether Mr Brunner was in the employ of the Government, or whether he explored "on his own hook." Perhaps some of the society's numerous fellows ia New Zealand can furnish the desired information. In reply to an inquiry sent to tbe Scotsman as to the inducements offered by N«w Zealand to intending immigrants, a correspondent signing himself "Pluto" writes in a most discouraging strain of two years' experienca of New Zealand. He says :: — •• I travelled on horseback and on foot through both islands, and visited all the principal towns. I can assure him that I found nothing but stagnation everywhere in all trades and occupations. As to labouring men, they are simply not wanted. Their name is legion. There are hundreds already who, even during the harvest time, do not receive a single day's 1 work, although they may have been camping out for weeks before, waiting for the chance of work. In Wellington; Christchuroh, Auckland, and Dunedin, the charitably-disposed citizens subscribed to as to prevent the working class in their towns during the winter from Buffering actual starvation. I have seen want in Canada and in the United State?, bub never anything equal to the destitution of New Zealand." The directors of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company (Limited) have declared an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum for the first six months of 1896 ou the A preference shares of the company. The accounts for the half year would have quite justified a similar iuterim dividend on the ordinary shares also, but since the shares hive been divided into preference and ordinary, the directors are advised that dividends on tile ordinary shares can only be paid once a year. According to a statement which has found general currency, a recent Governor of New Zealand is about to receive very high promotion indeed. I refer to Lord Onslow, who is j slated to have been designated as the next Viceroy of India. Although the report has not ' vtfc been officially confirmed, there are strong reasons for believing it correct. When to Lord Onsloff was allotted the office of Secretary for India, it was understood that this was preliminary to his further advancement, and he is regarded as one of the most promising peers on tho Conservative side. It is now said that the allocation to him of that post in connection with India was intended mainly as preparatory to his receiving the higher Indian appointment— that, in short, it was to serve as a kind of intermediate grade in his Indian education. Lord Onslow is very highly thought of in the London County Council, where he leads what is known as the " Moderate party," and those who have acted with him there anticipate that should ha become Governor-general of India his career will bear worthy comparison with that of auy of his predecessors in that sphere. Mr Reeves was a guest at the recent dinner of the Hosiers' Company, of which Mr Wolfe Harris, whose name is well known in New Zealand, is the present master. Daring the course of the evening Mr Reeves delivered a speech on New Zealand, and some of those who were present tell me it was a distinctly brilliant and successful effort. Last Sunday Mr Reeves opened the lecture season of the Ethical Society at South place, Finsbury, with a lecture on New Zealand, illustrated by magio lantern slides and limelight. The lecture was very interesting, and was well received. Another lecture on New Zealand delivered by

the Agent-general was given on Sunday even* ing as one of the three popular lectures at the Working Men's College, Ormond street. Mb Reeves tells me that he finds fn all eases that there are three points in connection with New 1 Zealand which excite the chief interest on the 1 part of his hearers. These are i the Maoris, the goldflelds, and female suffrage. Having made thisdiscovery, Mr Reeves of course gives due prominence to these features, bat at the same time he makes use of them* as the " jam " with which to make his hearers swallow a great deal of useful and instructive information about colonial matters, including the various product^ epeoially meat and dairy produce. Major Arthur Pole Penton, R.A., the newlyappointed commandant of the New Zealand forces, leaves Plymouth for New Zealand to< morrow in the Rimutaka. I think lam war* ranted in predicting that the new commandant will prove a great suocess in his official caps/ city, and will be extremely popular personally. He has a peculiarly agreeable manner, and that! pleasing appearance which, as a great write} once said, is the '• best letter of introduction." He is the sort of man who is sure to be known, in New Zealand— as he is in England-— as a thoroughly good fellow; while as to his professional qualifications, his English chiefs declare that he is perhaps tbe best man they have ever sent out, tbe most capable and lnoßb '• thoroughly qualified for bis new post. Lieutenant Madocks, also of the Royal Artillery, accompanies Major Penton &b his staff office^. He, too, seems an exceedingly nice fellow, ma, like his chief, bears excellent qualifications'. By-the-bye, you must call him Maydox, and not Maddox. This is important. With reference to the lamented death of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Jenner, formerly Bishop of Dunedin, writes from Preston Vicarage, Wingham : •• It may be iv« teresbing to note that since the burial of Cardinal Pole in the year 1558 there have only been two of the episcopal order laid to rest in Canterbury Cathedral, The first of these was James Wedderburn, Bishop of Dumblane, who died in 1639, and lies in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin (commonly called the Dean's Chapel), near the Martyrdom. The other, William Grant Broughton, the first Bishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of Australasia, was buried in the south nave aisle on February 26, 1853. Being myaelf sacrist of the cathedral, it was my provinoe to attend this funeral." At a certain bird fancier's shop in London the tenant of one cage is an English starling that is stated to have "gone out to New Zealand and come back with an orange beak, for reasons best known to itself. But (remark i one paper, commenting on the ourions fact) all colonists tend to become Original." The Manchester Guardian fears that serious consequences to New Zealand will ensue fron the competition of whose 'land, i> says, is s " worth 30 times that of the land o» rabbit-stricken New Zealand," wad where " tin Government respect any engagement with th squatters in a more honourable way than f c Australian and New Zealand Governme t do." Messrs James" Carter and Co., the we'!;known seed merchants, write' to The Tin* • strongly condemning the quality and cond'Hi»> of much of the grass seeds which are sent f r*in some of , tbe colonies. At * meeting of the Eoyal Colonial Institute > held on Tuesday last" (Admiral Sir Anthouy Hoskins, G.C.8., in the chair) no fewer thai) 53 gentlemen were elected fellows of the institute, making a total of 281 tines January 1 last, as compared with 224 during the corresponding period of last year. Among tfae newly-elected fellows were Dr Charles H. Haines, of Auckland, N Z., and Mr Thomas A. Hunter, of Dunedin, N.Z.