ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 21

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(Fbom Oup Own Coerespondent.) LONDON, July 18. *' The one section of the mining arena," .days the Financial Times, "which has been a continual and persistent disappointment is that associated with New Zealand. It is not that there is any loss of faith in the mineral resources of that colony, but the mining laws distinctly discourage the attention of capitalists. Changes in legislation are constantly being effected, and not only is the result confusing, but the burdens imposed are very onerous — more so than those of the Transvaal. A yearly tax of Is per cent, is imposed upon trading companies, and is applied to mining companies because their articles give them power to trade, although their operations are actually confined to mining. A 5 per cent, duty is imposed on all mining machinery imported. An annual ground rent of 5s per acre is charged for the first year, and 10s per acre afterwards, and the labour requiremeals are much more exacting than those of West Australia, one man having to be employed for every three acres for the first two years, and afterwards one man for every two acres. Then there is not only an export duty of 2s per ounce on gold, but also a yearly income tax of 5 per cent, on all profits, whether distributed in dividends or not. There is also a tax on cyanide, the Government having acquired the rights of the Cassel Company. Some of these exactions have been imposed since the diversion, of capital to New Zealand followed the collapse of the Kaffir boom, and those financiers who thus transferred their attention find they have jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire." It is announced that the Welcome Gold Mining Company has been registered by C. Rawlins and Co., 66 Gresham House, with a capital of £110,000, in £1 shares. The object is to adopt and carry into effect an agreement expressed to be made between a company with a similar title (incorporated in New Zealand), for the acquisition, by purchase or otherwise, of the business, undertaking, stsets, and liabilities of the said old company, and to develop, deal with, work, and turn to account tho same in such a manner as the company shall see fit; and, further, to acquire any mines, mining rights, etc., in any part of the world, and to carry on the business of a mining, milling, and smelting company in all its branches. The first directors are the directors of the Consolidated Gold Mines of New Zealand Company ; qualification, £100. With a capital of £150,000 in £1 shares, Humphrey's Hydraulic Sluicing Company has been registered by Clarke and Co., 66 Gresham House. The object is to adopt and carry into effect an agreement expressed to be made between Humphrey's Hydraulic Sluicing Company (incorporated in New Zealand) of the first part and of this company of the other part, for acquisition of all or any of the property, assets, and liabilities, etc., of tha said company, and to deal with the same in such manner as the company shall see fit; and, further, to acquire any other mines, mining, water and other rights, etc., in any part of the world, and to carry on the business of a mining, milling, smelting, and trading company in all its branches, etc. The first directors are the directors of the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand Company; qualification, £100. Mr and Mrs Keith Ramsay are still in London, but intend crossing to the Continent in a day or two, not returning to this country before October. A recent arrival is Mr Thomas Brydone, of Dunedin, who has taken up temporary quarters at the Euston Hotel. Several New Zealanders have engaged berths for their return to the colony. Mr and Mrs Patrick and their daughter intend sailing in the s.s. lonic in October ; possibly the Rev. Dr Elmslie will proceed to New Zealand in the same steamer. Mr Henderson, of the National Mortgage Company, and Mrs Henderson, have also secured passages by the lonic. To-morrow a garden party is to be given by the London District of' the Institute of Journalists for the purpose of meeting colonial and American journalists temporarily resident in London. The Hon. W. P. Reeves and Mrs Reeves have with the other Agentsgeneral and their wives been invited to be present. Mr Charles R. Valentine seems to be in for a good thing with his patent "Valtine" meat globules. That they are most convenient as enabling a cupful of excellent soup to be made at the cost of about Id in a couple of minutes, I can certify from personal experience. But they are being widely taken up and sold by all leading chemists and grocers. The latest idea is to have them at hand beside that remarkable lamp in Leicester square, which, by dropping 'a penny in the slot, provides boiling water in quantity. Cups and globules and an attendant being at hand, the temptation of such a cheap 'jDick-me-up" proves irresistible to numbers of wayfarers every night. Miss Therese Sievwright once more scored a, marked success last Monday afternoon, when she was one of the principal singers at a concert given by Mr Sydney Barraclough at the Salle Erard. The Rev. John M'Neill, the Presbyterian preacher, well known in New Zealand, was married at the Belgrave Presbyterian Church yesterday to Miss Millar, only daughter of the manager of the Charing Cross branch of the Union Bank of London. Mr Reeves has been fortunate in securing for the New Zealand Parliamentary Library at the cost of a few shillings, a very rare and interesting and valuable little book. It is a French geographical -atlas, bearing the date 1762, and inscribed as published by the order of the King. In the map of the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand is indicated merely by two semi-circular cut lines, forming a sort of letter S. But the curious part of the affair is that Poverty Bay is shown as the Bay dcs Assassins. Now this name was given to it by Crozet but not until the year 1774-, or 12 years later than the date of this atlas. Here is, apparently, an inexplicable anachronism. The only possible way of accounting for the ■discrepancy seems to be by the assumption that the figure "'6" in 1762 has been accidentally inverted in the printing, so that in that case the correct date of issue would be 1792. However, doubtless the New Zealand bibliophiles will exercise their wits upon the question, when the interesting little brown leather-covered volume reaches the Parliamentary Library at Wellington. Mr James Ritchie, of Dunedin, arrived in England last week by the s.s. Gothic. He comes entirely ou a trip of pleasure. After staying a month in England, he will visit friends in Scotland and Ireland, arriving in the latter island in time for the Dublin Horse Show. He leaves on his return voyage to New Zealand in the s.s. lonic on October 26. Mr Robert Fenwick, of Auckland, arrived *fc Liverpool last week by tho White Star Bteamax: Teuignjo, from. Nes g&adu >*•

Fenwick spent a month in the United States on his way. After visiting Vancouver, he crossed by the Canadian-Pacific railway, diverging to Chicago, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Niagara, and then on to New York. Mr Fenwick leaves on Monday for Larbert, in Scotland, and after a short stay returns to London, visiting various manufacturing centres in the Midlands, including Sheffield and Birmingham en route. Mr Fenwick appears thoroughly to have enjoyed his trip so far; he tells me the Atlantic Ocean was like a mill pond all the way across, and not thu faintest approach to a citch or a roll could be detected on the part of the Teutonic from first to last. Mr Thomas Brydone, Southland manager of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, was a fellow-passenger with Mr Fenwick. They travelled together all the time they were in America, and Mr Brydone will accompany Mr Fenwick to Scotland next week, A third New Zealand fellow-passanger was Mr James Smith, the eminent baiTister, of Dunedin. I understand, however, that Mr Smith remained behind in America, and will spend some little time in the States before crossing to England for a visit of probably a year's duration* Other well-known New Zealanders who have arrived in England during the last few days are Mr Kankin, of Messrs Neill and Co., Dunedin; Mr Harry Beswick, of Chriatchurch; Mr Money Wigrain, also of Christchurch; and Mr C. Y\ O'Connor, C.E.