Current Topics.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9027, 26 March 1898, Page 1

Current Topics.

Among the things not generally known is the fact that Mr Gladstone was once the founder of a colony—the defunct colony of North Australia, which covered the territory that now forms the northern half of Queensland. The intended metropolis of North Australia is now the flourishing town of Gladstone, the terminal port on the' Pacific of the Australian trans-conti-nental railway system. None of Mr Gladstone's biographers up to date have dealt with this interesting inci-. dent in his versatile career, but it is to be fully described in a forthcoming, volume of 300 pageß, entitled "The Gladstone Colony," by Mr J. P, Hogan, M.P. A letter from Mr Gladstone to Mr Hogan, giving hit recollections of the founding of North Australia, consticutes a valuable preface to the bock. Major deWinton, who was in command of the military detachment that accompanied Mr , Gladstone's pioneer settlers, who 50 years ago hoisted the British flag oa the spot where the town of Gladstone now stands, and who is now a retired veteran, living in London, has also furnished an interesting budget of reminiscences. Lady O'Oonnell, the widow of the late Sir Maurice O'Connell, who was for some time Government Resident at Gladstone, has placed her husband's correspondence at Mr Hogan's disposal, and this has furnished material for a very interesting chapter on the perils and privations of pioneer colonists.

* # # * " John Hunter ; Man of Science and Surgeon," by Stephen Pag^ (Unwin),, is the title of the biography of the great surgeon of the seventeenth' century. Here is a specimen of Hunter's t company manners :— " On returning home late one evening he un-' expectedly found his drawingroom filled with musical professors, connoisseurs, and other idlers whom Mrs Hunter had. assembled. He was greatly irritated and walking straight into the room, addressed the astonished guests pretty' much in the following strain :—' I know nothing of this kick-up, and 1, ought to have been informed of it be-' forehand j but, as lam now returned, ■ home to study, I hope the present company will retire.'' ;: