ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4672, 16 June 1893, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[FROM OUR LONDON COBBBBPONDENT.J London, April 28. The late Lord Derby was believed by most people to entertain a distrust amounting almost to dislike of the Australasian Colonies, yet we now learn that he quietly bought. Australian and New Zealand Government stocks till he became the largest single holder in the world. Obviously, therefore, despite his indecisive language in public and Bevere criticisms in private, the noble earl must, at the bottom of his heart, have firmly believed in the resources and stability of our Antipodean possessions. At the Colonial Office be was, of course, a melancholy failure. As one of his biographers sayß:— "The question of Australian Federation came up to find him, it not absolutely indifferent, at least all prudence and reserve when he should have been half enthusiasm. He snubbed Queensland on the question of the annexation of New Guinea in a despatch that w&b well described ftß a perfect shower-bath." The Westminster reminds ua thatitwaß Derby's dilatorinesß enabled the Germans to setae the greater part of that island, and the Pall Mall Gazette considers his forcing the Federal Council Bill on the Co'onies seriously aggravated the deceased's unpopularity with antipodeans. On the whole, I am afraid. $h§ apt tf fco?3 Dwbj': at the Colonial Office *hich becamd him best was his leave-taking. The Agents* General collectively went to pay the usual formal call to the departing Minister with small zeßt. He, however, surprised them. Instead of the cold, cautious, hesitating Minister the Agents had grown to dislike, they found a friendly colleague, who expressed himself with a sympathy and understanding, and a felicity fairly astounding. Lord Derby was enormously wealthy. The annual rental of his Liverpool properties alone totalled 4J300.000, and, as I have said, he was the largest living holder of Australian Government securities. What city men are now rather anxiously wondering is whether the new Earl (the GovernorGeneral of Canada) has equal faith in the financial stability of the Colonies, or whether his predecessor's accumulations are likely to be unloaded on the present highly sensitive market. Tn some quarters it is said Lady Derby inherits the Australian bonds as well as the Fairhill property near Bromley, Kent, with remainder to her sons Lords Sackville and Lionel Cecil. Lord Derby's personal tastes were simple to the verge of asceticism, his sittingroom being the plainest furnished room in lordly Knowsley. He waß very methodical, had all his letters and papers beautifully arranged, and conducted most of his correspondence himself. Few more charitable noblemen lived than the beetle-browed forbidding looking Earl. One trusted almoner alone distributed over J510.C00 a year, and applicants who were not afraid to submit their claims to assistance to Lord Derby's searching criticism seldom approached him in vain. Like Mr Gladstone, Lord Derby was an ardent booklover, and Knowsley Library is one of the show (private) collections of Europe. 7>EATH OF MB BALLANCE. News of the death of your Premier, Mr Ballance, reached London yesterday afternoon, and caused the Agent-General (who almost at once left the offico and went homo), Sir Walter Buller, Sir J. Yogel, and other of the deceased's old friends, sincere concern. la London Mr Ballance was hardly known at all, never having viaited the old country (so far as I am aware) since he became a leading politician. This explains the very inadequate obituary notices in this morning's papers, which merely outline the deceased's career and offer no comment. THE BELWTN SCANDAL. The whole of the wretched HughesHallett— Selwyn scandal was raked up in the Courts yesterday in the course of an action for libel brought againßt Fassmore Edwards of the Echo, for an alleged slander which appeared in the Weekly Echo. A playful Echo scribe, in referring this time last year to Colonel Hughes-Halletf s candidature for Rochester, and Dilke's for the Forest of Dean, remarked that 'twas a pity Providence had wiped out Sodom and Gouiorrab, as the honourable gentlemen referred to would have admirable represented those progressive constituencies. Colonel Hughes-Hallett couldn't see the humour of this suggestion, and brought an action. Mr Edwards paid 40s into the Court as the outside value of the damage done to Colonel Hughes-Hailett's reputation. His couneel, by means cf George Lewis, raked up the savoury particulars of the Miss Selwyn Scandal. The gallant Colonel did not adventure into the witness box, and will not, I imagine, get much satisfaction from the jury to-day. SIR FRANCIS BILLON SELL. Sir Francis Dillon Ball is in much better health and spirits than he has been for some time. He surprised his friends tbe other day by announcing that he meant to return to New Zealand, not permanently, but for a visit, and proposed to leave almost at once, before, indeed, tbe opening of the Imperial Institute. Sir Francis will travel by a Mefsageries steamer, probably the Mancbe, sailing on May 14. The old gentleman electrified Westminster Chamberß laßt week by putting in an appearance there for the first time since ho returned from your part of the world, and calling upon Mr Perceval and Mr Kennavray.* Both were delighted to see him, the Agent- General initiating his predecessor into the mysteries of the Information Bureau, and the other modifications introduced sinca his time. From what I can learn Sir" Franois offered j no comment either approving or the re- 1 verse, but probably, like the historic parrot, he thought the more.

anally out of the doctor'H bands next trees. He cannot, m yet, be definitely certain whether the second operation on bis ey« will be as successful us the first, bfffc is informed there eeetna every reasonable* prospect of its proving bo Mr SelhBmitta s present intention is to return toNew Zealand by the Biavutaka, Bailing on May 2o » A moj»gßt tie arrival* by the Himalaya on Saturday last wasr Dr Pennefather, Professor ot Literature at Adelaide University, and erstwhile Private Secretary to SirW Jervoia. The Doctor, who ha§, you are no doubt aware, beon at work for some time on "Murray's Handbook to New Zealand," cornea Homo to see the second volume through the press. Lord Glasgow's son, the Hon Edward Boyd, and Sir Georgia— l beg pardon, I mean Mr George— Giilington, were also passengers by the Himalaya. They are going to travel on the Continent tor come time to come. Mr Arnold Izatd baa also arrived, en route for Cambridge, where m? ame I 8 dowu at Trinity Hall. The Hon Walter Rothschild, who ia a very keen ornithologist, has recently presented to the British Museum a beautifully mounted pair of Aptaryst JSulleri, the North Island species of kiwi.. Ot this remarkable bird, there are several living samples now in the Zoo Gardens, Regents Park. The 201 b New Zealand trout (it is a trout by the way, not a salmon) haß been entrusted to the tender m«vcies of Mr Rowland Ward, the famous Naturalist of Piccadilly, who has promised to have it stuffed in time for the opening of the New Zealand Court at the Institute, where it will be exhibited together with photographs of some phenomenal " takes." The New Zealand B-mks toave bo far not suffered seriously from the Victorian failures, and it ia hoped their depositors will remain etiunch. The failure of the Harpers i< being a good deal talked of. The new arrivals from the- Colony are full of if, and great bitterness seems to be felt against Mr Leonard Harper, though not against his brother George. Mr Leonard Harper was, when I last heard of him, recruiting in Wales, but may now be back in London. He does not exhibit much, inclination to meet members of the Press, and I imagine will give both them and New Zealanders a wide berth for some time to come. Lord Glasgow has let Kilburne Castle, his place in Ayrshire, which commands fine views of the Firth of Clyde, to Mr William Allan, of the Allan Line of steamships. Mr Edward O'son, of Tar&naki, arrived in London last week en route for Chicago, where he will act as correspondent to several New Zealand journals. Mr Olson, has gone up to Scotland for a brief tour, but returns to town in time for the opening of the Imperial Institute. Before leaving > these Bhores Mr Oleon intends to enquire ! specially into the dairy produce question at this end " with a view to finding out what consumers really want." He seed not go far for his information on this particular point. Consumers want the beat of everything at the cheapest poßaible rate. But there are sundry little points it will pay Mr Olson to enquire into. If for instance, whilst in Scotland he could ( quietly size up Glasgow as a market tot New Zealand cheese, he would not be wasting his time. A few weeks ago 500 caßes of New Zealand cheese which had been consigned to a Glasgow agent were sold in Tooley street, and the man who was commissioned to Bell them was in such: a hurry to get the stuff off hie hand*, that he knooked down prices 2s per hundred in leas than twelve hours. Verb sap. Dr Honeyman, who arrived Home occe again in the Himalaya, has greatly benefited in health by the voyage. At present he. and Miss Honeyman are staying at the Langham Hotel, but the doctor's medical adviser insists upon their residence in town beir>£ made as brief as poßßible. He has orfer?4 M* Honeyman away to. Bournemouth, and presdrioes a long c"ou7s? of the masßage treatment as the only possible method of getting back to perfect health. Mr F. V. Siedeberg, of New Zealand, has been elected a Fellow of the Eoyal Colonial Institute. I nnderstand that he leaves London in a few days for Germany to undergo a lengthy course of electrical engineering. A. NXW ZEALAXD ALBATROSS CAPTURED. The question of the possibility of bringing the wandering albatross(which is never found north of the line) to England alive, has at length been settled. Oaring the last homeward trip of the Shaw, S*vill liner Arawa something went wrong with her machinery, and the engines were stopped for an hour or bo. This happened in the South P&oifio, and the passengers amused themselves during the brief detention by hooking albatrosses, a number of which were hoisted aboard. In the hope of bringing a pair alive to England, the Captain had a seawater tank prepared and fitted with a windsail. The captives were liberally supplied with fat pork, but one of them died two or three days after leaving Bio de Janeiro, presumably from over-feeding. The remaining bird was landed alive and sent to the Zoological Society's Gardens, Regents Park, where it lived a fortnight. NEW ZEALAND COURT AT THH INSTITUTE. The appearance of Sir Walter Buller on the scene has made a great change in the aspect of the New Zealand Court at the Imperial Institute. Pending his colleague's arrival, the Agent-General did not oare to take any very decisive step, but now both gentlemen are throwing themselves determinedly into the work of preparation. Mr Perceval, of course, leaves the superintending of the decoration of the Court and arrangement of the exhibits chiefly to the experienced hands of Sir Walter. It will not, it appears after all, be necessary to fall back upon a temporary show for the opening. By dint of special efforts on the part of Shaw, Savill's men, the cases containing the exhibits were delivered in South Kensington on Tuesday, and by Wednesday the unpacking was in full awing. The Queen does not pass through the Australian Courts on May 10, and by May 17, when the soiree takes place and the Prince of Waks makes a formal progress, your Commissioners expect to have their division, if not in applepie order, at least presentable. 818 Vf. BULIAB. Sir Walter and Misa Buller mean to stay for the present at the South Kensington Hotel* which possfS3es tbe advantages of being smart and yet quiet, comfortable and cent^ 1 * During the early 6uminer Sir W a^ er W 'H devote himself to developing the New Zealand Court at the Institute into a first-rate advertisement for the Colony, and in September he thinks o f viai^ng Chicago for a few weeks. His three years' absence have not materially altered your Commissioner's appearance. The loss of Lady Buller no doubt accounts for the extra tinge of grey in her husband's hair and beard, and for his somewhat subdued manner. Sir Walter has no inclination to re-enter the hnrlyburly of City life, or dabble further with Companies and Company promoting. "It seems to me it*a like this," he remarked, "if your Company is a euecesß you get little credit. The shareholders say you couldn't help succeeding. If, however, through come unforeseen possibility or contingency it fails, all blame is promptly laid at your door." This, by the way, reminds me that the Blue Spur Company hold a special meeting this afternoon ten welcome their old Chairman home, and thank him for all he did to put the concern in the right way. " I would have done the came for the Antimony Company if they would have let me, but Naidley and Co. were too strong for us,'*added Sir Walter, volunteering the prediction thab money would be made out of this mine some day even yet. Miss Buller, it Eeems hyper-superfiuous to state, comes back to the world beautiful and piquant aB ever.