OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 55

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(Fkom Our Own Coriifspondent. )

London, June 10.

MEETINGS OF COMPANIKS.

On Tuesday next tbe annual general meeting of the New Zealand Trust and Loan Company will be held. The report of tbe directors states that tbe net profib, after payment of all debenture interest and er itiary current expfnssa, »nd including £1827 brought forward, is

dE34,C60. Of this amount there has bren appropriated to payoi'nt of an inUrtm dividend of 2i 6J per share iv December last on the ordinary snares £5000, and dividend cm preference shares, due 1 t January, 1898, £12,500 — le&ving a b*lacce of £16 560 ; but ifc will be observe d Ihst the revenue account has not been

charged with proviaic-n for the preference dividend ?ix nKouths in s.dvanc?, as hitherto. The dire.f ors rsetmmend that a further sum of £5000 ba now appropriated for the p^ycQent: of a dividend on tbo ordinary shares ot 2s 6J per rtmv, free of income t»x (making, \\i h the intfiim dividend, 5 j.er ceut. for tbe year), and leaving £11,£60 ti ba carried i'orwaid. Al! debentures which h&ve fallen due since the last meeting have been repaid, and uo frer-h debentures h*ve bien issued. The hid h^s been reduced during the jear by £121,250. The expends both at 11->ms and in the colony haw-? been materially reduced, but as the reductions did not come into operation ULfc.l lsf; July ia London and Ist October in New Ze-iland, I heir full iff ecfc is not shown in tha accounts. The directors regret fcLat the Hon. Tascce Charles Gl yn has v s'gned hia office as » director of the comp&ny. 'lhe board consider it ULnecessary that'tbis vacancy shculd bs filed up. On Tuesday next the hslf-j early meeting of the- P. and O. Com^at>y will take place.

Tbe dirtctors recommend the pajment of the usual dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, on the preferred stock and 7 per ct nf\ on the deferred stock. If confirmed, it will be payable on and affer tbe 2 1st insfc. The fn ighfc returns are, on the wholr, less favourab's than in fche corj-c-eponrling pern d of the previous year. Beside the cu!n;ss in the Indian trade, Auctralian business h»s thrunk to seme extent both homewaTd and outward. The Cbiua trade has, however, rc-roaircd normr.l, and cutward freighti have bean maintain? tl generally at fair rates. There has been a strong advance ia ii.meward r»tes of which tbe btn &'•> fhould ba reaped through the current financial year, but the coal till must be considerably enhanced owing lo lie cr>al stiike ?nd other causes. On the other band, tbe paseeng r lr-fHc has expanded even beyond the high point which it reacbtd lasfc year. Two old 6tc»mers of the P. aud O. fleofc, formerly well known in the Australian trade -the Hyda!»p"B aud Bavcuua — have basn sold, and a erntract has been entered into with Bfpfisrs Cdird and Co. for two new 7COO-tou twin screw Bteflrr-eiv, which v;ill be nfim.d the A^saye and tha Sobraon. The two Mediterraiu&n express etesniers — the Isis and tho Osiris— are stiil ur.fiaisbed, the wotk Laving been greatly delayed by the ergineerb' strike. Ifc is stated that tbe liull of tbe strand' d (-learner Cbfns, which has been on the rocks at Purini for more thf.u two itioi the, still ren'ains sound ia ppiie of txceplioually bad weather, atid hopes aretutertained that Ihe splendid iteamer may yet ba saved. Her sister t>bip, the Arabia, the last of the new quartet, has ju':t n-rde with complete success Lei- fiff-t voyage to li.dia. j

On Tuesday last the Btatu l ory meeticg of Me'lin's Focd Company for Australia atd New Zealand was held; Mr E. C. Bliss p-.asidirg. The Cbairmau stated thai the capital in hand would make the seciuity of the company one o : the strongest in tbe indusliial market. Ti e dirtcrors were convinced that the sbarebnliltrs bad a really excellent invv^tment in the properly. They had beui successful in obtaiuiug tbe s rvicesef Messrs G-'llin a: d Co., of Melhourni', Sydney, Adelaide, and New Zei-lai-d, who wire perhaps the very b'ggest people in the line of business thfy conduct! d, and who also knew the market aid could handle proprietary ai tides in thc*e rolonief. So convinced were Messrs tfollin aud Co. as to the future ea'.es that they bad backed up tbeir opinion ro the cxfcf life of guaranteeing to double tbe business in those markets wiibin 12 months.

ANHI.O-AJII'I{ICA.N SENTIMFNT

If bir-quetiug and the tslkiug ok sertimenfc could eimira an alliance between Great Britain and Ireland and America, then thht muchdesired consummation wcu'd ewn now be attained. At tha Anglo-Arii-ericaa ADiance banquet, held at U.e Ilortl Cecil la^t vresk, "The Queen* and "Tbe President," " Our Kin 8.-yotd the S' a" and " The Old Connliy " wire practically bracket* d toasfcp, the streams of <J quince as to which converged at the pro-•p"-?'-tion of "Our C'.uncon Language and L c 'i< vs," this leing represented by an approj rbtely-namfd gentlemen, Mr Georpe Washington Cablr. ''God Bsve fie Qu*en"ftnd "The SUr-rpsngled Banner "' were the mus'cal efforts of a joiufc patriotism represented at the head < t the grand ball by a fcropby of English and Ameiicasi banners surmounting a shield made up cf flags of the two nations, ai,d rcpros^ntiiig what was hoped to be "the flag of the future " lo wave over countries or places that might come within the sphere of a dual protectora'e. Lord Brassey "in the name of tbe colonifs could coufititnlly say that tbe eentimen's which were findlo£j pxprc£f.ion in that hail would be wpvmly reciprorated by these members of the British Empire who dwelt beneath the Southern Cress," a statement received with Joud cheers. The members of tbe London Colonial Club, who were dining together in another room, sent fraternal greetings, with "a federal hope that the fiiend.'>hip between EvgJwl and America would be firm and lasliag." ]A New Zsnlander, Mr J. H. Withtford, was present, and one cf the best speeches of the evening waa that delivered by the R- v. Dr Cliffird, who is well knowu in tbe cul/ny. A prac'.ical te»fc oF tbe rea'iry of growing bi'uthfrJiriQPS has ben supplied by the speed az which n^rf-eroent has teen come to over old-str-nding English and American d'fferpnces.

ANOIO COIONIAL NOTES.

That veteran Sir George Grey, win still resides at the Norfolk Hotel, South Kensing ton, remains much about the same, but receives comparatively few visitors new. Lady Grey, I maa nleased to learn on calliac recoctlv, had

I improved in health, having shaken off the cold from which Bhe suffered for some lime. Sl.S 1 . me what better, too, is Mr Justice Williams, who, with Miss Williams, continues &fc Waratah, 5 Tecßpleton place, Ejsri's Court. Flis Honor'a future movements are jet E^ißtwhxt indefinite. Mr J. P. Maxwell, late commissioner of New Zealand railways, is fetill staying in the neighbourhood of Epsom, but intebd3 leaving shortly for the South of Eugland, where he wili recaaiu for come little time. A young New Zealand singer, Miss L, Hassell, who came Home from Timaru last year to study, made her public debut on Monday last. The concert was given by Signor Riff.ielo Parzani, formerly an associate of Madame Blarchesi. Miis Ila3sell was seb down ou the programme for two soDgs, the singularly beaufcitul and pathetic "If thou weit blind" (N. Johnson) and Cowon's "A3k nothing more." Although manifestly suffering at ficst from nerve usness, Miss Hassell pulled hersalf togette-, and her beautiful voice and arti3tic singing produced a marked effect. She sang with much charm and wiih genuine expression, winn'ng great applause and a determined recall. 1 heard many pleas .nt atid appreciative remarks made about her by critics who were pnsfeut, and she may fairly be congratulated ou hiving scored & distinct success. Another lady, In.owii in Wellington and Auckland as Madame Guldens' edfc, but who prefers to appear in London under her former nama of Madame Staxmton, made her debut at an exceptionally «' smart" concert giwn at the Duchess of Su.hcrl&i.d's houre in aid of a beuevolont institution, of which H. 11.11. rrincefs Christian is the active patroness. Themigniliceut marble hall of Stafford House was QUpil in ivory part, although the pries of fi'-kcts of admission wa3 one guinea each, and I may re-iiaik, par paiw t!i~'Sf, that tliee.-yiicert re-uked in a cle>.i of over £100 in aid of fio in.st:tulioo. Tbe audk-nco was of an oversvhelmingly sivoll character, aud the other artistes were all in (he fiortfe rank. Madame SUuuton not Ojly had a cordial r«c?ption on her aniv.il, but received at (he conclusion of her song certainly the most eathu-iaatic applaure oi >he r.ftfinocn. She cho c for this Qcst a^pearknee in Londou Schubert's wvll-known trying song, "Die j'Hige" Nonue," which sing very fintly, hr-r Hiipcrb toues tel'in^ out with peculiaily rich tff^ct in lint b fty txpmse. She had the lulvau'&gi of being sec Kflpanied by H-jijry Bi.d, who, <xceplMg only Horr Henschel, is quite ths most perfect acaoynpanisb living. I had a tburt chat with Mr Bird after Ilia concert, and he expressed the warmest admiration of Ma-iame Stsuatou'a voice and .singiijg, predicting for her a grout future in the iaa?ic»l world. A London cltbut in such circumstances and with such urjqual lied succt>?s shoultJ mean a great d^al to M'ulaoie Stauaton \n] her ardst'c future. Diirtug z.u afternoon call in Bcuf.h Kwibiugton a few dnys } go I met Wisß Ifajj if Ge.-a'l-dine, Miss Sruith, of Cnri3tchoicb, erd Mi-s Hait, of Timbru, who are all on a vVt to England. Blrs Hiles, of Duued'ti, hw been sta^ iag i'cr seme tima in Fi-auce, her f oa, Sir "H.il s, -who cont.'nuf s fo make g>>od progress as an ait-'sr, Lf.3 again obtained ib.3 distinction of having a pictaro accepted for the Paris Salon, where he exhibits this year, as lasfc. As the pictures sect in to the Salon- authorities for sulectfoa were kv<.n mor; numerous (h's Tear than ipual, tie acceptance of tte New Z>^alindi r's paini ng waa a compliment all the move gi-aUfj-ing. Hies Cns&ance Ilr-r!, of Timatu, is at present! staying «iih Mis II*!o?, who vras formerly Miss Marion Hay, of Timaru. Miss Hart has recently returned to London after a pleataat sojjum iv B Jurne'iivTuth.

An acetylene gas p<teafc has been secured by Mr Brooke-Smitb, ol Tdraoaki, vrho raestas lo expleit id in the colony. MrSawle, fro.a Southland, has just arrived in London, having travelled by way of America, and coming on from the United Stakes b? tbe p.s. C'.ruria. Mr Sv.vle, who has bc.n a l<rge shippw of sheep j»nd l&mbs from tlie colony, intends investigating ih-i neat trade in England.

Faces of cno or Mvo Mew Zealandeva were seen at tbo annual locating of tbe Gardeners' Royal Baievolent Suciefy, an institution tbo ol'j c1;c 1 ; of which 13 eufficiehtly explainod by its title. That the followers of the profession of Father Adam are not kfb unprovided for in their old age may bs gathered from tbe fast that a subscription list handed round the table totalled the au'q of £3200.

Under the heading '• Antipodean Visitors" the H-gli'aLd Newa says : — " We had ihe pleasme of meeting this week in Inverness tyro rnomb?rs of the great els»n Maokenzie from the far-distant coloi'i.s of Victoria and New Z^atand. The so were Mr R. M'K-jrzie, cf the O&3H Hotel, Duredin, n, native of Ba.'lstre, lloss-E-h're, but who was for a number of yevrs residt'nt in Itiv«i'cars,ill, which he lef J; 17 years ago <o take up hte abode in Duuedin." Mr II K^i,zi3, like most Highlanders who go forth into the world, has prospered in his new h mis, and has come to revisit the scenes of his earlier days. Mr M'Kerzie is an eiilb.ussa-.tio Celt, add is vice-president of tbe GUtlic Society of Dancdin, as al?o a director of the Caledonian S ciety of Ofago. Tae other gentlcnun who favoured us with a visit is Mr J. Mickst z:e, of Gillieston, Tatura, Melbourne."

There was a numerous congregation on the afferncon of Tuesday last (June 8) at tbe Church of St. Mary Abbott, K-n'ingtou, wj en Mr Hugh Winfk-ld Roll, of Oamaru, was married to Misi Helen Violet Jay, daughter of the late Mr Stephen Oetavius Jay, of Yorkshire. The ceremony w»s performed by the ll* v. Canun Pcnncfather, D.D , vicar of the parish, who was assisted by the Rsv. A. Honfe. Mr H. R. Bird prended at the organ. After the ceremony the wedding party drove to 10 Evelyn Gardens, the residence of the bride's sister (B2rs Low), whore the reception was bold, and where congratulations and heartiest wishes for future happiness were extended by the many friends and gueeta present Ltter in tha day Mr and Mrs Roll lefb for the Naw Forrst and the Channel Islands, there to spend the honeymoon. The presents wcra many and costly.

Il is announced that an interim dividend ab the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, free of fcsx, for tbe six months ended April 39 has been declated by the New ZeaUrsd and Itiver Plate Land Mr >■' gage Company, Ii will b» payable on July 1.

Arrangements are being made for a New Zealand dinner to bs held in London on July 4. It may be remembered that wb.Pi> the first ol euch dinners was given lasb year the intention was announced of trying to make an annual affair of it. Accordingly Mr Thomas Mackenzie, has taken the nutter vigorously in baud, ar.it h.ia b^en sippomted chairman of tha cammi'ica, Mr X, O. Ukokvou holding thf position of honor.) ry Fccretary. Lord Or.ulow has been a-l^d and has promised to preside on ths occasion, but the piece where the dimier is to be held bus not yet been definitely fixed. The Spanish-American ""?r i« >i»vin«f porno rffoct — but only indirectl-' - i.>" . it ?>< Zealand shipping trade, t!j-u i .'!i !•'<-<-, , scare on the parc of eit i< < , <-wr ■'' shippers. The lonic sailed \ l lr >!>! > . ! i' ii i nob her full complement eith... o o-< . r ;iiu >.

cargo. Her co&!iag arrangements, however, have beena.little up«et, I Isam, in cotnequence of fuel bc-iog contraband of war, aud she has therefore to call at hi. Vincent instead of Timer ffe. On Monday laht from 70 to 80 colonists and others int-?;e^ted iv the cjlouies of Australia and New Zealand oiet, for tha purpose of further considering the esLablishmenb of an Australian and New Zoalandclub foj this city. Mr Geddes, of Sou'.h Australia, w*s iv tho chair, and moved that tuc'a a club be formed. Mr Thomas Mackenzie supported the suggestion. It might, he said, be contended that tho Imperial and tha Colonial Institutes met t'je rcqnirrmsnts of colcnift=i. But as a matter of fact they did not, and the two might well be merged, for tbeir objects were similar. What was wanted wa? a ptace at the West End like the Imperial Institute, and also a c!ub in j tbe City. Gi.cumsfcanccS relating to colonists in London had completely altered. Hitherto, as a class, they were of tho retired and lettered orders ; bu*; owing to the great, development in the pi\,duc'ivpne^s of Australia aud INTcv Zealand, the produce of tho?e places uo^ greilly exceeded theif own req^ireffir-nV.. Business mc-ti were, th^reforcj, seuo to L'tcdon, nr.d tb?y j wa'i(,<d s- ma plsic^ whjrs they could me t aud [ cx^^angr Udtrs, sod where colonists ould be] sure ot a hearty welcome and inlodmtiions to further their interests. Victoria and Sou'h Australia had recently opened (ffi-.ea in the City ; tbe other Agcncies-ge-ni-ra.l diu4 soon j ft'l'ow. C uomercial and financial rather th'AU diplotnatio and politick would be tbe character of thr-s typ3 of Ager.ti-general of the future. Me Mackenzie alluded to colonial represent \- ti in at We*t:niu*ter as alcaosfc s neccsu's corollary to the appjiuttncot of c. mmercial coiisul?, aud the strength of the conation for the cub ws.9 empbasiai d by t> a fititeaieut th^fc Iho voluraa gi tndf. from An - , tra'ia and Now Z^nland w-*s now mHli-.n; in cxcms of the. entire fctade of G:oal Bduin and India c^mbfntd at *he be^ituiti>g of tbe Victorian fi\i. Iv fi%s evei)tual'y decided to form

tbe club, three representatives being selected

from each colony. For New Zetland, the lion. W P. lteevr>3 r-n3 Mr Thomas Mackenzie were cboißU, tha third seat to Lv fi led later on.

M«Dy !>re tbe bonelitsof adyi'rtising, the New Zealand mfiat trade bei»;j about thn latest instanc*. No L - long since a wholesale butcher ia ore of ohe busiest parts of provincial Britain asked for come a«i-tauce toward advertising e'enenjw. Tlireu^h Mr Thomas Mackenzie th j mitt- 1* was brought under the notica of lbs Ajivr-t g-iueral, who, aftec examining into it, fell in wi h fie suggCKtion. Since that time ihd di^-iict referred to has been the scene of a ftliike, which of course «?JOF.nS a great fallii g oft' in tha wages fund ; yeS ia the sis weeks tbst have elapeed sinca tha adverlijiein?nts bcj;an to appear the sale of New Z^lnnil lbmb has inoro than el^ubleJ, and fha dealer reports that ifc is now findteg its way Ju?otbfi h>gher and rcidd-!e c'ass funv'li'-s, where p^judie© gfu^rwly has its stroiighold.

Oa being questioned the wholesale irmi referre'? to kind he had not approaehe-1 the AusIralidn c.ii t Ruthorilies, as when he advertised he liked to have something in tbe way of quality to ba*k 't ip, and the lamb from either of the two l.sfc-oamed places did not posne-ss the same fl*v<:ur as that from New Zealand-,-

What a great pi ; y ie :s: s fclaafc shippers of mw 11 dps do not tflki greater c«e to cend pcod.?eo to Lindon in tho bes^; possible condition ! Tha s.s. Piirthshu'-j bremgb*-, on her last trip, 5000 cjreasis of frozen rabbi '.s. Those were cpeaed out this week, but the consignment was so bad that nearly 80 psr cent, h^d to be rej'ctid d,3 unfit for hu-jnin con> - ump ion. InHlia eaxa of rauny it was evident this they had beau "bicwt'," and tbafc decomposition waj far advanced before the fr2tz-;r had been reached, while the packing was (Kno in such v style that the animals were cruhed out of shape — they had b i -en jaiimed two duzea in a cape — and would, by reason of thab, have been unsaleable, even had tbe flesh be?» good. Bu*", as I hiv? sikl, it wasn't. Yesfctnlay the lieal'h I'fHcers 'n-p-;cfced the roa'ignmsn^, and the nTi^U from a po*tit>o w^is, to siy lha leatfc «f ift, offdt.si;e to more than a "high degreo. By tbe people of AuitTilia a much better way of packii g frozan rabbifs is adopted. They lay th 3 bunny apart from hi.i fellow, so that KeiLher ii disturbecf, space bsin^ al o left for air to pass through.

" IL is a little astonishing," s&js Mr Edward A'nolii, in a review on Mr L : cnel To-lcmache'ij " Talks With Mr Gladstone," " to find the late statesman credited as latterly as 1891 with s'vyirg', ' I have si ways maintained that we are bound by ties of honour and conicle r cj to our colonies. Bu*; tbe idea tbafc the colonies add to the strength of the mother csuntry appears to mo to pc »s d*tk a superstition as any that cx ; sfcjd in tbe M ; d<ile Ages.' "

Professor Black's permanganate gold recovery process rereivss attentiou in Industiif:s ar.d Iron.

Peculiar applic.\lion3 ars soosetimca received by the Ageu',-gen<irfi}. The Isteab i;i froai a would-be scttle-r, who desirsd to know wbcther the Ne-.v Zealand Governrnpnfc would give him a c-i3h b^nus on rirrivd.

A lrcojit vi >ii/»r to the colouics (Colonel Brand), who sr;a jo.s'j be^u round th<3 world, avers, iv tLe Wef.l Sj<s?.x G-ze'te, that "the be^.t S'i lion cheese ha bad ever eMen w?,s m-;fls in Now Zt^ian 1 !."

The Jabiles of Ofcago still is recounted at length in tie Scottish papers.

Last month there were four accidental deaths in the colony, all al Auakla'-d, an-.l two suicides, a woman by poison and a despsr by shooting himself.

Says the Sydney Bulletin : — "Tbe 3;bel lav." is a quaint animal, lo JVFnoriJrnd the Otpgo Daily Times au'd Chrielcburch Press published tbe Fame jilleged libel in the same words. Ono jury elecirled if; n-as a libel, nud gave damages anel costs against the Times. Another decided that it wasn't, and discharged the Prc-s without an ink-blot on ils character. The Times appealed for a new irii>] on the ground that the Press verdict phowed the paragraph was not hbellojs. Plaintiff appealed against the Press lerdich on ihe ground that the Times verdict proved tbe paragraph was libellous. Both appeals woro dismissed with costs hy (he Full Ooiut, so l!>& Full Court decides tlmL the same pnragra])h is libellous in the Times and not libellous in the Pro? 0 . And (he paper from wliijh both those organs borrowed the paragraph wasn't prosecuted at all ! "