COLONIAL ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4306, 9 February 1882, Page 4

COLONIAL ITEMS.

The Committee on Colonial Defences having determined to institute a complete inveßtlgaton of the capabilities of defence of foreign harbours, Lieutenant-Colonel W. Grossman has proceeded on a tour of inspection, with a view of making a report as to the best means of effectually defending our foreipn possessions, both by fortifications and submarine torpedoes. Colonel Grossman's visit will extend to the following stations :— Bombay, Sydney, Barbados, Jamaica, Bermuda, Capetown, Mauritius, Tricomalee, Hong Kong and Singapore. Attention has been drawn to the fact that the Quilla saponaria, or soap-yielding tree, is fast disappearing from the forests of Chili, and as chemical science haa not yet discovered a more efficient substitute than tha bark of this tree for dressing Bilk and wool, its growth is recommended in Australia and New Zealand, the climate in some parts of these Colonies being very similar to that of Chili. The Earl of 'Dartmouth unveiled the monument to Bishop Selwyn the other day in Lichfield Cathedral. It is a recumbent figure, carved out of a beautiful block of Derbyshire alabaster, and is certainly a marvellous likeness of the well-known features of the great missionary Bishop. The whole figure is admirably rendered. The hands are placed together as in prayer, and the pastoral staff rests by the side of the figure, which itself reposes most appropriately on a beautifully-carved Now Zealand mat. The little chamber itself is enriched with frescoes and coloured tiles. The west wall is decorated with a series of shields, arranged after the fashion of a " Jesse," so as to represent the successive births of the New Zealand Church from the parent stem, where is to be eeen a shield containing the late Bishop's arms impaled with the arms of the original Diocese. On the wall facing the spectator from the Lady Chapel are two pictures, the one westwards, representing the light of the Gospel breaking upon the Maoriea, and the other eastwards, indicating the same light bleßsing the Staffordshire colliers. On tho eastern wall are interesting pictorial representations of the two missionary vessels, the Undine and the Southern Croßs ; also of a New Zaalander in his savage condition and of the same man after being brought under the influence of the Gospol. Other representations may be seen illustrative of the life of Bishop Selwyn and his great and noble work. Belwyn College, the second part of the memorial to the late Bishop, is now rapidly rising at Cambridge.