PERSONAL GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4751, 23 July 1883, Page 3

PERSONAL GOSSIP.

THE DIBUCT STB AM SERVICE. ENGLAND'S VAST ARMIES OF UNEMPLOYED. COLONIAL HOPS IN LONDON. NBW ZEALAND'S PRO9PEOTB FROM AN KNGLIBH POINT OF VIEW. Our London correspondent writing on June 14, vid 'Frisco, says : — The passing of the second mdr'qg of the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill haß been naturally hailed with the liveliest satisfaction by the At)glo>Colonial community in London. There werenumbers of Australians in the Strangers' Ge'leiy on the night of, the debate, the Agents-General for South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria boing all present. I did not see Sir F. D. Bell, but I am told he meant to be there. The minority have not by any means given up the hope of blocking the Bill in Committee. It is said that it will not be possible to bring up anything like the same number of peers to take part in a division as voted in the second reading. If. however, the attempt to defeat the Bill fails, an amendment will be proposed to deprive it of any retrospective operation. The telegraphed announcement to the effect that King Tawhaio (or "Tawhio" as the Times calls him) meant to pay a visit to England, has not excited muoh attention. I do hope that if his Majesty comes the affair will be arranged in decent fashion, and that foelieh people will not lead him to expect a "command" to Windsor. The Queen tees no strangers now, and even if her health were to improve, I doubt if she would consent to receive Tawhaio. People have not got over the ridicule piled upon them in connection Taiwhanga's mission; and "natives" from your part of the world (no matter what nominal titles thoy hold) will be very doubtfully looked upon for sometime to come. Sergeant Major Malingr, late of the Soyal Engineers, who I informed you in my last meant to settle in New Zealand, is one of the most eminent men in his profession. He has been on an important mission for the Government in Canada, the Slates and Egypt, and only leaves England now on acoount of Mrs Malinss'a health. The other day (aftor he had booked his passage by tha Waikato) Mr Maling was sent for by one of the Undersecretaries of State at Whitehall and offered very considerable inducements to remain in this country. He haa also, I am told, had by do means an unsatisfactory interview with Sir F. D. Bell. Mr Maling takes a letter of introduction to Bir W. Jervois and other Wellington notables, and co will make for that city first. His furniture is, however, being sent to Auckland, from which it seems fair to conjectura that he will abide in the North eventually. Tho other passengers for New Zealand per s.s. Potosi were Mr James H. A. Lee (sohoolmaster) and hi) wife, and Mr and Mra Jansea Migg. Mrs Foldship (Auckland) and Mr Walter Holdßhip, have booked a passage for the Colony by the P. and O. Bosetta, leaving on the 18th. The other young Mr Holdship remains in England to prosecute hiß studies at Oxford, The New Zealand Shipping Company are elated at hearing of the fast run out made by the louic. The lowering of freights has had the happiest effect ; the Catalonia sailed quite full, and tho British King is loading fast. I have written bo muoh at one time and the other about the direofc steam service to New Zea'and that I almost dread to recur to the subject, lest some good-natured person should aceute me of prejudice. The realtruth, though, is that all Anglo-Colonial? who know anything of business feel strongly on the question. They say, " Onlookers see most of the gjine ;" and in this particular instance I think the proverb hits the mark. The other day, whilst travelling down to the docks, myself and another gentleman interested in the Colonies came across the Managing Director of one nf the largest Indian steamer lines. The conversasation turned on shipping matters, and after we bad gore some little way! tried "drawing" the gentleman re the New Zealand experiment. " I do not know," he SRid, "or profess to understand the policy of the New Zealand Company any better than my neighbours; theyou^ht to know the possibilities of the trade accurately ; and it is, of courae, on the cards that what now appears to outsiders nther rash, may eventually prove to be farseeing and wise. Nothing but success could justify the chartering of such large and expensive eleamora as the lonic aad Catalonia, where cheaper boats are to be had. The prospects of the trade when the engagements wore made scarcely seemed bright enough to warrant any very extensive outlay. My own ideaa as to the proper manner of conducting the direot steam line are as follows : — In the first plttce the boats should be neither large nor expensive to work, unlosß it is possible to undercut the Melbourne lines by offering speohlly attraotive freight rates. Direct steamers will never fill up regularly. Now and then they may get a spurt of custom, but the trade will not be fit to rely on. As to passengers, no money should be spent in attempting to catch thofie who want to travel luxuriously. Even if you were to put on floating pahcea you would never get them. I should fit up my steamer rather with a view to attracting many hundreds who wish to travel comfortably, but to whom eoonomy is the primary consideration. The Melbourne and San Franoisoo routes, with their splendid steamers, frequent stoppages, and plentiful amusements en voyage, will always carry the bulk of really first-olass passengers, the sort of folk who will not go in the saloons of sailing ships. I would hold out special inducements to Colonists to take the trip Home. The entire policy, in fact, should be precisely similar to that adopted by the small*" Ir'lien end China Companies, which without interfering in the' least with the P. and 0., manage to fill up regularly both with cargo and passengers." I have given a brief outline of this gentleman's remarks, because they coinoide exactly with the opinions I have from the first advanced myself. Chartas Warner, the actor, is not, after all, goiag to Australia at present. He bad absolutely concluded engagements with Melbourne, but has managed to cancel them temporarily. Wi'.kie Collins new drama, "Bank end Riches," in which it was hoped Mrs Lingard would make a bit} has proved a fearful fiasco, On the first night tho audi«ne9, after goodnaturedly deriding the utter ohildv^.nesoof tho openitx; act, empirat'CjVy d.rrn-_;'-1 :hd p' 7. J In::ead of acsepting the verd'er, the n?n-sger came before fie cmia'n e-'d upbraided those who had biwsd "that great man, lbe author." He further informed tuem that " Miss Linfcard wa9 qmto prostrate." This, cf course, mcto the matte** much woree ; in fact, the majority of the onlookers at once left the theatre. The Daily Telegraph i&ya :— " Miss Lingard's anxiety rre.% painful to witness, and {pva re? ailbp r wooden monotony. Tho uclncky lady, wdobo self-conceit must have received a severe shock since she came toEngland, ended by faintjng awa- ;n th<s gresn-room." Luzcombe Searell's " Estrella " has been pro* cinccd fct Foley's Dramatic Theatre, vice " Prince Methusalem," but does not draw. Tbi papers have again been sadly cruel to tV-s great r Fanoy cal'icg h ; u itueic "stse fa:r&7\ or h? 1 ? '-rgotten nothings." ' ?«'■ • k -'-v-> Wrrd >im en b Co!on"al i-jvr id Ausr.su w £er)tembor next, and will be <* f?-e?.f; chow for Not ZealeTiderj. Sir F.D.'i'onP:'! '" ■/.< ILj •:• :ou-> of dirirg V7 % h *'-.* Lzrl Miy? r~id s.or Majesty's Snip-?- ofeSto S^itm •? :■ Zuco en June 6; Bir .£-•'■*_•• 3 :Iso of {"-.; c:mpr-.y It has transpired f r~vh ITciern Society ' *bat 480 legs ±t .' i 0 H.ti.a Kzg'a New Zca- >' i - n rr-'-IT, p"7'"-”- : Tc?.>ahfUrar,rket rt 91 ■-.'. -,?-eru -o : 7 tin ar.'stcc Mic mr n- r - .■■ 1 • 'ji.:.-sr. : .:. F.-:~ .r.C r. r. 35 uj lsvfib, atl'l' 1 ] '"b I ?ut>f o-e you w : ll have heard by oab!o that S'"r Hercules B:bi~s?n in z 1 probably succeeds Lord Norman by ts Governor of V?.ct-*:a. Em ; 7P.' J !'; ■> Lsa^ufl c? making great efforts la inauce Governmojt to give assisted paa'tf.g?; to pec la ? --nir..". I Sir F. D. Bell is a supporter of the scheme. At a mata meeting the other (Jay the following resolution was adopted: — "That this meeting having heard that 4000 labourers applied in vain for employment at one dock gate on one morning

during the present week, and knowing thin state of things prevails in the country, believej Her Majesty's Government Bhould undertake the emigration of there vagt armies of unemployed to thoee Colonies rcquhing their labour." More than once lately referonce hss been made in Home papers to the excellent quality of New Zealand hop 3. Land and Water of Saturday hst contained *'ie following para* graph: Of a cargo of 325 bales; of hops which Jatsly arrived in Melbourne, all are found f d be in capital condition, end superior in quality and colour to any that have previously been impoited from that Colony. A 'ew bales or'y hs.ve been received durirg the paifc faw year?, the Hngl'Bh murkot having hi f herto supplied Austra'ia with this, neeesßily. Within the past bi'x ycrrs, however, the spirit of emigration ha 3 eefc in amongst the Kentish hopgrowers, end has scattered them over the face of the globe. Pome have settled m Tasmania , and in New Zaalehd, and their prooHvitiis being naturally "hopp/," they hare commenced their b'.tter tirmng ?i tbeßß distant 1 Coloyiea. Boi'a and situations favourable > for hop cultivation were soon found, especially in the North Mand of Now , Zealand, both the Nehon end M?nawatu , districts producing remarkably fine specimens. The hop roots or "sctsj" as they are c&'Jed, were cent out from England, together i with other anpKances necessary for hop cultivation, end it is a fact that in Tasmania, i Nelson, and Manawatu, hop gardens in com- ; plete cultivation, poltd with straight poles, , and with kins for drying, are to be found : almoit equal to r «ytbrcg existing in the old hop counties of Kent and Siuebx. The remarkable feature so far is that in the Colonies no destructive insects have e3 yet presented themselves. Th6re is neither aphis nor red spide/, nor are they eve? troubled with hop flea?, bo often recorded as deatroyirg one of the most valuable agricultural crops in England. She excessively high prices reached by hops in ou? market, end still more so in Neureznborg and New York, aro due to the fact that the hop crop in tlie Northern hemisphere was a fa'lure. In Australia, however, the season has been good, and thus we find a speculator bold enough to bring into the London market a large parcel of Australian hops of the 1883 growth. Unfortunately for the speculator, the market pricasare much lower now than when the hops left the Colonies ; and as p. ices are very high in Melbourne, it is ft question whether any great amount cf money will ba renlieed by the venture. There is, however, something gained. English plantau now know that New Zealand and Tasmania can prow hops as well as themselves, superior in colour, though perhaps not so strong in flavour. Ibe jouiael of the Society of Arts, recently issued, contain*! an adm^able c.id exhaustive article on New Zjxland timber by the United States Consul at Auckland, Mr G. W. Griffen. W. O. Long, an Australian sportsman, was present at the sale of tbe Warden Stud yearling, and bought a very handsome colb by Craig Mi He?, out of OotubTaj which he hes named Olarendon. The Thousand Guinea youngster, Philoropber, whiob. Mr Long purchased last summer, bes grtwn into a very handsome animal, and was muoh fancied by the stable, who could eoarcely believe their eyes wten he failed to get into" the Ascot first three. The Directors of the Well'igton-Manawatu railway have placed their unallotted shares on the London market with gratifying success. Immediately the list was opened they obtained as many applications as they wanted. Figaro had remarked on tho busineßß :— " We expect that the debeetures whiob. it is proposed t? offer for subscription later on will soon be taken up in the Colony. In thit oudtry the idea of investing in New Z -a'siid railways I requires consideration. The financial record of JKfew Zealand will not quite bsar the strictest investigation.." The Colonies and India of Juno 8 contained an article on the harvest in New Zetland, from which I extract the following: — "Although tho-o is ample rom for l»¥ge supplies of labour in all parts of Ncx Zealand, and though conside-abl'j owes of vivgin land still remain to be taken up, egriculturd in New Zealand has reached a high state of efficiency, which Manitoba oannot bo expected to obtain till her rich prairie lands have begun to exhauit themselves as thoy inevitably must under tbe simple process of ploughing, sowing, and reaping wheat year after year, to wbion they have been subjected many years. Unskilled but patient tmd regular labour is a 1 ! the North-west asko for. Tbe present supply of capital need not bo large to enable a lamily to Bub'isfc end grow rioh on the produce of the allotment which the country inviteß it to take up. Tho same ie true, though in a lesser degree, in New Zealand. An earnest and willing worker, with nothing but strong arms, a clear head, and a willing heart to call his own, need not fear to face a start ni New Zealaud any more than in Canada. But whil e New Z.nland will welconae men of such a type, the position ehe ha 3 made- for herself is such that skilled agriculturists, able to utilise judioiouely a moderate amount of capital, are what she parfioularly invites. The returns of the late harvest, brought by the last meil from New Zealand, show of what sort this country is which thus hoMs its arms to welcome the British immigrant. The latter part of March and the greater part of April were devoted in New Zealand to the garnering of ono of the most bountiful harves's which the Colony haa ever seen. Borne of the yieldo which have been recorded are enormous." Speoifio instances are then given of various large yields. " Such an abundant blessing will stimulate enterprise in the Colony in every direction. Now Zealand is not dependent on the wheat harvest alone. Her wool exports amount to over 50,000,0001 b per year ; she is rapidly taking up the culture of the vine, tea, eilk, and other articles, both for home consumption and for export ; her exports of moat are likely to increase vastly, and her trade in frozen mutton is expected to rival in extent and valuo that in wool and wheat. In the introduction of the refrigerating system New Zealand sees an opportunity of vastly increasing her resources. Hitherto eve<-y year thousands of sheep have been boiled dowu for the sake of the tallow, which was nil that could be made out of them. Under the new system sheep can be killed when fittest for tho market, and the carcasses sold freeh in London, as soon as the arrangements on this side for receiving them are oomplete. This will enable New Zealand sheepowners to make the moet profitable use of their flocks, end will lead to an onormouß increase in the number of live stock kept. The capabilities of extension possessed by the Colony are enormous. A New Zealand paper Btateß that while in Australia sheep-owners will have one sheep to five or cix acres, in New Zealand one aero carries five or six sheep, and there aro some cases whore eight or ten are borne to the acre. In fact, from it* natural formation, the whole country is readily accessible to ports of ship--1 ment. tf ew Zealand has advantages possessed I neither by Australia nor by its great rival the 1 Unitnd BlAt''B ; and io the antipodes we may I eafflly Jonk for a largo proportion of our j future meat."