OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 53

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(Fkojc Our Own 1 Correspondent ; London, March 5. A. CRIMINAL APPEAL CASE. A criminal appeal case from New Zealand came before fche Privy Council a fow days ago. It was brought by a married woman aamed Annie Brown against the decision of the Court of Appeal, sitting in Wellington, New Zealand. Mrs Browu had been convicted by the Court of Appeal of performing an illegal operation, bus the jury further found that she acted under the control and coercion of her husband. An appeal was made on the ground that this rider constitute a virtual acquittal, and thi l question aro;e whether niarit*l control had no'u ceased under the new Criminal Code to bo a defence. The Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction, and the present apprai was against that judgment. The Lord Chancellor asked what evidence there was that the appellant was acting under the compulsion of her husband. Mr Mayxie, for tho appellant, said the evidence was that the appellant was living in the bouee with her husband, and waa subject to his control and influence. Without CAliing on counsel for tho respondent the court refused (.he appeal, but deferred stating the reasons on which this decision was -based, Lord Watson observing that ib was thought desirable thax the judges should have an opportunity of consulting before they publicly stated the grounda ot' their ■judgment. AN IMPORTANT CASK. The case of Friedlander v. ihe Shaw, SaviU, and Albion Shipping Company was heard yeste-day before Mr Justice Mafchew, sitting without a jury. The points at issue &ro of considerable importance to the commercial and shipping world as between owner* of goocis and carrying companies. The action was brought by the plaintiff as owner of goods against the Sl) aw, Savill, and Albion Company as owners of <hs s.s. Gothic for wrongful detention at the Victoria dock of a lighter containing plaintiff's goods, which consisted of 621 bags of beans and tares, consigned to plaintiff under two bills of lading. They were iv eight different pa-reels, varying in quantity, and distinguished by different marks. The goods were landed in bulk on the quay, and then were loaded into a barge by the labourers of fche ship. The lighterman kept no tally of the numbers or marks of the bags, and when he asked for the usual order to enable him to leave the dock, he was required to sign a receipt in which fche description of the goods corresponded in marks and numbers with the bills of lading. He admitted the numbers, but acting upon instructions from his masters, refused to sign for marks, the consequence being that the barge was not allowed to leave for several days, and the question was left for the court to decide. Evideuce was given as to the rules and practice at the dock, and fche representatives of a number of steamship companies gave evidence from their point of view as to the custom in such cases. Mr Justice Mathew, in giving judgment, said it seemed to him that there was.no evidence of any such custom or course of bueinegs an justified the defendants in demanding the receipt referred to. The fact that the question appeared now to have arisen between merchants and shipowners was strong enough evidence to show there was no such custom. It was said a decision against the defendants would disturb a convenient mode of carrying on business ait the ' docks, and would disable shipowners from procuring evidence whioh they were en ifcled to — that they had fulfilled their obligations under their bilh of lading. He did nofc see thakthafc result would follow. The defendant's contention was that the entries of their tallyman might reasonably be relied upo'u, and were bo accurate that ifc would be reasonable to regard them as binding on the merchant. If that were x ao they might continue with confldenoa their present syptem. They should be content to take from the lighterman a receipt for the total number of packages delivered to him. They need not insist upon further admission?, the accuracy of which the lighterman is not able or expected to verify, and which are not necessary for the protection of the shipowner. Judgment must therefore be for the plaintiff, and against the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, THE EDITOR OF THE SCOTSMAN ON NEW ZEALAND. In the Scotsman of last; Tueeday thera appears an article of two columns in length on •• The Agriculture of New Zealand." It opens with this sentence: "The old country is 100 years behind New Zealand in the application of labour-saving machinery to agriculture." This was fche statement made by a farmer of Scottish extraction to the writer of the article as he was journeying to Dunedin. «• Ifc staggered me," he says, "and I have nofc yefc got over the effects of the statement, which, als everyone will understand, was a shock to my patriotic pride. Subsequently I found the same idea of fche superiority of New Zealand was general, aud I confess I thick there is much to be said for ifc. The proof has been found in what I saw and heard afc Longbeach — a great farm, — everywhere in the colony spoken of as fche model farm of the world. Yesterday I was at Longbeach, and had ample opportunity afforded me of seeing most of fche work done upon it." An enthusiastic but well-deserved eulogium upon the Longbeach farm and upon its owner aud founder (Mr John Grigg) then follows. I need hardly quote fche description of the fai'ta itself, which would be something like " carrying coals to Newcastle," but some of the points touched upon are interesting. Great suprise is expressed at a performance mentioned by Mr Grigg of threshing 3300 bushels in a single day, and at the small use made of manure. He thinks he has " got afc one part of the secret of

.■* New Zealand farmer's suceese," and that is ' "'he is able to get more wock out of his men J than is got out of men at Home. Nc-xt come j labour - saving machinery and organisation. j Every machine is adapted to its special purpose. 1 The ploughs, I wan assured, are better than I those at Home. Tho harrows are greatly J superior. In every case there are four instead i of two horses to a team. Far more than double ' the acreage ploughed or harrowed at Homo is ' ploughed or harrowed here." : ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. \ Mr F. Biggs, the well-known Christchurch | chemist, who has been spending f-orne little time j in tho mother country, is sending out no fewer j than 40,000 willow cuttings to »■? planted iv J various places along the sides of the Avon. He gays bhab those willows grow very much more i quickly iv New Zealand than in England, and i thaii tae English makers of cricket bais liud ' that willow wood which has oome rapidly to ; maturity is much more stuitahlo for ttu-ir purposes than the timber of slower growth. The London makers say that 'foodsufiioienu to makes some 50,000 bats will be required this season aloye, so it is thought tbere is & chance of Ne>v Zealand earmng *n isoceit penny iv this ' diroct'on. Mr Lawrence Britchneli is sl'll engaged in tho endeavour to form a strong London syndij cite for tha, purpose of working the Taranaki . petroleum. Necessarily the present state of j the money m^kst is very much against him, ', S?ufe ha is tauguine of ultimate «uccess. • The Daily News compliments New Zealand ou fcbe "vary complete and thoroughgoing ia».m.\ar " in which yeryßat^' registry office?, ace regulated ia that colony. • On Tuesday next the Agent-geacral «.ad 2Sr j MaoEwAD, tba New Zoalaud dniry export, will I meet the representatives of tbo various shipping compaoifs trading to New Zealand with the objee'e ci" holding's, consultation an to what steps are necessary Tor improFetnenfc in fche system of ' conveying N<"-w Zealand produco. Mr Maclilwan ! will place before the rcjnvsen^tivoa of the j various sbigping companies the. result oi tho j tour be has ieo'n - ly made throughout the j dairy producing countries, and will explain i what iraprovfnianis he considers necessary in j connection with llvs ciU'riage oZ butte? and cheese. At the lloyal Coloniftl Institute nexli Tuesday evening, Mr S. Lowe (of Messrs W. Weddel aud Co.), formerly London dairy expers to the New Zealand Government, will read a paper gu " The Dairy Industry in rhe Colonies." From what Mr Lowe has told me in advance, I gather thab he will deal largely wirh the important itifluenca exeroised by the ever-present bacteria in the production of butter, and iv the variation of its qualities. Further, I understand, Mr Lowe will read to colonial nroducers a very instructive but plain-spoken leefcure on fche pieseut shortcomings, pointing out in how mauy 'ways the colonial yield of butter might be enlarged in quantity and improved in quality by greater care and judgment in the selection and breeding of stock, in the cultivation of pasture?, in providing adequate winter feeding, and otherwise. j The Field has an article on New Zealind ; sport, written by a Scottish sportsman wbo recently visited the colony. He gives some interesting details about the various kinds o'i sport in New Zealand, which would be no news to the people in the colony, but ho has also something to say about those people themselves. Tfiis is how the puts it : — *"' New Zealand is lovely. The people are extremely kind. Bat do not invest money in these colonies a'j present. The people are very cute, and there is a fair sample ot the scamp and the black sheep to be met with." The New Zealand Agent-general was the guest oi the evening at a recent gathering of the Anglo-Saxon Club held in Blanchard's Rooms. ■ About 4-0 guests were present. Si? Charles Dilke, M.P., who presided, proposed Mr Reeves's health in terms of high compliment both to Mr Reeves himself and to the colony of New Zealand. Sir Charleß remarked that New Zealand, above all others, was the colony that would always be linked in bonds of loyalty and affection to the mother country — a bond which in his opinion would never be severed. Mr Reeves made one of his usual felicitous j replies. Indeed, I hear from one or two sources that its felicitousnes3 wa3 even more j marked than usual — in fact, I am told he made an exceptionally excellent speech, which was much admired and applauded. Mr Reeves was the guest of the Article Club on Wednesday night, when the discussion of the evening was on the subject of capital and labour. This was a theme upon which Mr Reeves could easily have discussed at great length, in view of his past experiences as Miuister for Labour, but in his present nonpolitical ofnee he felt that it would be nioro discreet to confine himself to mere generalities and definite information. The Economist says of the New Zealand local loan : " It has leaked out that the Bink of New Zealand took, or had to take, £250,000, and that various Government departments had nearly £175,000 .allotted, while the public at large took only £8000. Thus the Government; itself, by its bank -and its departments, had to tike nearly 85 per cent, of 1 the totaL But ifc was desired to impress the English investor, who is no longer' to be allowedto drain the colony of interest— that is, until the Govern- ' menfc departments can absorb no more." i If these facts as telegraphed are trne, the j Government hss once more committed a gcave < financial blunder, for instead of impressing the j British capitalist with any sense of awe and of j dread lest bis days of fat, interest fcorn New ; Zealand were past for ever, the exposure of the silly little devicas fchab are said to have been , resorted to to make the loan appear to go off afc i ail has simply had the effect of exciting derisive j laughter. The result is cerbainly the reverse of ; a. score for the New Zealand Government, j PEHSONAL NOTES. i The Most Rev. Archbishop Redwood, the

Roman Oafcliolic Primate of New Zealand, has arrived in London, and preached lnsfc Sunday at St. Anue's Ohurch. Underwood street, delivering a very eloquent sermon, which was much admired by those who were able to be present. Mr C. Y. O'Connor, formerly one of the chief i Government engineers for New Zealand, and j now engineer-in-chief for "Western Australia, arrived in London on a business mission a few days ago. Ifc will be remembered that Lady Omlow, wife of the ex-Qovernor of New Zealand, was a daughter of the l&te Lord Gardner, who died 14- years ago. A curious circumstance has attracted attention in connection with tho Gardner family. The present Lord Gardner is Lady Qnalow'g cousin, and he has for some reason abstained up to the present time — that i=t, for 14- years — from sending in the necessary certificates to prove his title. It is alleged that he married a black girl said to be a great granddaughter of tho late King of Delhi, and it is suggested »a a. possibility thab the nezb Lord Gardner may be — as Lord Salisbury once very infelicitoualy pufc it in the osae of tho first Indian member of the Houae of Commons — «' a black man." It will bo remembered thai; about 10 years ago the gentleman who is now Sir Edmund Lechaiere, and who was then barely 20 years of sgo, married a, Ghristohnrch young lady (Miss Alice R&nouels), who seems to have been oordially welcomed by Lor husband's people in Worcesterishue, where they have owned property ever since tua Conquest, and where 'they are justly uoteemed an among the oldest English families. L%t]y Lechuiore died some time ago, and now tho young baronet, who is fiea.TC.ely 30, has married ior a aficonn fctni3, his bride in Shis cue being Misu Kilhaiioo Paytou Wright. I .vngret to record the death, which occurred a. few days ago, wf Mr William Henry Picked, who was luriiu-ily a purser on i.txe Shaw, SaviU, And Albion Company's steamer Taiuni. Mr Pickott uici very suddenly at Romford, ia Essex, where, ho had beeti staying. Tho deceased gentleman was in his fit's? -fourth year. " Not much has been heard oi Sir Julius Vogel fov some years past," remarks Hie Sbar, "and his name in tho list of contributors t»tho current number at l.ho ' Nineteoatb Century ' is a reminder o? -oho \leissitud<?s of public life and the backwash of s-xtravagavifc popularity. Time was wheu a* Prime Minister of Now Zealand he wai almost; idolised, and iho cardinal feature of his policy — the development of the resources of the colony by enormous and continual loans on the London market — was hailed as a heaven-born inspiration. All went merry aa a marriage bell whilst the big loans lasted, but there were wry faces when the interest bill wa3 handed in. New Zealand was almost crushed under the huge weight of the fiuaaoiul responsibilities contracted under the Vogoliau regime, and although her treasury has been carefully nursed during the last decade, her recovery is not yet complete. From being the most popular of Prime Ministers. Sir Julius Vogal became the most detested^ of public men. Ho quitted tix't colony id 1887, and has lived quietly in London ever Bince." And then the old story is reproduced of Sir Julius Vogel bsiog elected almost by accident when present as a reporter at an election for which there were no candidate*, lie it referred to in conneefciou with this incideufc as " Iho haudaome young Jewish pressman." How far the Star is correct in aasertirjfsthat by the time Sir Julius left New Zsalan'l he had became " the mo3t deteated of pub'.io men " it is nob for mo to say, but, so far as vay personal knowledge goes, I should be incline \ to characterise that as a very grave aiisstatemont. Mr Edward J, Reid, formerly manager o? the Colonial Bank of New Zealand in WelliuKbovi. has entered into business in London as «. fiuancier and stockbroker, and I understand by has 'every prospect o? success iv his new undertaking. Mrs Harrison-Daviß's new play was brought out in the provinces a few days ago, and appears to have met with a very favourable reception. I have seen some exceedingly good notices of it in the provincial papers. Ifc ia entitled " A Life Policy," and I need hardly aay it consists in the dramatisation of Mrs HarrisouDavis's novel " l?or So Little," which was founded upon a shocking domestic tragedy in South Canterbury some dozen years ago. Mr Henry Harcwright, who was formerly in the New Zealand Government Audit Office, and later held a position in the same department of the New Zealand Agency-gensral in London, but who retired on a pension some years ago, has just brought out a new historical work entitled "The Story of the Honse of Lancaster." In this work the adventures and fortunes of the House of Lancaster are narrated at length in the form of a descriptive story.

— Afc Venice when anyone dies it is the custom to fix a placard before the dead pereon's houso, as well as in adjacent streets, ao a sort of public notice, stating his name, age, place of birth, and the illness from- which he died ; affirming also that he received the holy sacraments, died a good Christian, and requesting the prayers of the faithful. Pat • Ah, Biddy, me jewel, I love ye, It's you thaVs the sweetest colleeu ; "Why is it ye trafce me so coldly? Shure, yerself justj ust like thi3 I've ne'er seen. Don't be biding yev face in your apron, Don't saifil'J a.3 though ye were sad, And yer voice is so hoarse I don't know it—" Oh, Biddy, yer driving me mad I Biddy: Bad luck to ye, Pat, to come wooing A maid in a manner go bold, When her face is swelled out like a pvaty With the divil's own taste of a cold ! Take your arm from my waist, or you'll make me Just cough till I'm shakin' the flure • Pat : Whist! now, O'ill be back in a minute Wid Woods's Great Peppermint Cubh