PERSONAL & GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XI, 12 March 1904, Page 47

PERSONAL & GENERAL NOTES.

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, January 30.

Nobody seems to know the origin of tlie report that German shipping firms received private invitations to tender for the West of England steam service to New Zealand. It was cabled to the colonial papers, however, and thus necessitated a public contradiction here. The .Agent-General for New Zealand states that he did not issue any private invitations to tender. His circular of December 30 to shipowners merely stated that his Government were calling for tenders, and gave certain particulars in respect thereto. Moreover, so little was that circular intended to be private that a copy of it was sent on the same date to Lloyd’s and to the Baltic Mercantile and Shipping Exchange for the attention of members and subscribers of those institutions. This explanation should effectually dispose of a rather •tupid and quite unfounded insinuation.

Mr Palliser, of the Agent-General’s Department, who represents the New Zealand Rugby Union in this country, is delighted with the guarantees promised by the Home unions and clubs for ..>e New Zealand football team. “They are splendid terms,” he remarked to me, “and if they are not good enough then a team will never come Home for better guarantees it would be impossible to secure.”

"n The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Bill will probably make its appearance before Parliament in the course of the coming session. I notice the bill is amongst those which in the opinion of the examiners of Standing Order Proofs have complied with the regulations of Parliament.

The report of the Union Bank of Australia, Ltd., for the half-year ended 31st August last, to be presented at the meeting in London on February 1, is a document calculated to give shareholders a warm and comfortable feeling even in this chilly, foggy weather. After providing for doubtful debts, the accounts exhibit a net profit of £151,065, inclusive of £ 19,793 brought forward. From this the directors have appropriated £4OOO as a contribution in aid of the bank’s guarantee and provident fund, £ 10,000 in reduction of the bank premises account in the colonies, and £37,000 as provision for depreciation in investments, the bank’s holding of Consols having now been written down to 85. From the balance remaining the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, equal to £l5/ per share,, which will absorb £ 75,000, and leave £25,065 to be carried forward.

Mr W. H. Wanklyn, the secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, arrived in London this week by the Shaw-Savill liner Athenic. The sea trip was undertaken by Mr Wanklyn for the benefit of his health, and I am glad to say that he is very much better as the result of the voyage.

Mr R. B. Brett, cousin of Mr Henry Brett, of the Auckland “Star,” and advertising agent in London for several of the New Zealand papers, met with a painful accident some days ago. Be slipped on the stairs of the station at Herne Hill, while hurrying to catch a train, and was unfortunate enough to break his right arm. Mr Brett is now progressing favourably, but it will be some time yet before he can recover the use of his arm.

Mr C. H. Reynolds, the general manager of the Pacific Cable Board, arrived by the P. and O. steamer China from Australia, and has resumed his duties at the London office.

Colonel W. L. Fleury, late of the 50th (Queen’s Own) Royal West Kent Regiment, retired Staff Paymaster, who served in the New Zealand war from 1863 to 1865 and received the New Zealand medal, has died at Melview, Clonimel, County Tipperary, at the age of 6£. He was transferred to the Army Pay Department in 1880, and retired aS a lieutenant-colonel in 1898, but was temporarily employed during the South African war, and In October, 1902, was granted the substantive rank of colonel.