ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11487, 21 January 1903, Page 9

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

(FROM OPB OwST COEBESPOKBEKT.)

LONDON, December 12.

Another of "The GlobeV "turnover"' auricles is devoted to New Zealand. This time the subject is "Shearing in New Zealand," the account of whrieh is brightly and readably written. The scene is apparently laid in the North Island, as the shearers axe of the Maori race. In the House of Commons Mr Joseph Howard, M.P. for Tottenham, aeked the Postmaster-General Whether he could explain why the New Zealand and Australian mails were kept back at New York, and sent by a New Ytrk line of steamers, and also whether he would make representations to the United States postal authorities of the inconvenience caused by this means to British traders, and point o\it the importance of sending on the mails by the first available steamer. Mr Austen Chamberlain stated that he had no knowledge of any such detention as was described in the question. On the contrary, the mails in question were understood to be sent en fiom New York by the steamer which would secure their earliest arrival in this country. During tho present year, he said, the Australasian mails h:id been brought to this country from New Yolk more titquentiy by the British steamers of the Cunard line than by those of any other company, but they did not always reach 'Sew York in time fur the Saturday despatch. There did not appear to him to be any case' to represent to the United States IV»st Oftitv.

This la*t San Francisco mail was five days late in reaching London, and the previous one was nearly as bad. It is quite the exception for the New Zealand mail via San Francisco to bo delivered in London anywhere near the dus date, and great inconvenience and annoyance are caused by the vexatious delays.

"That the memory of the five thousand colonial troops who fell in South Africa, should be ineffaceably ( honoured in the Cathedral of London," says "Lloyd's News,' ,

"is a proposal that will appeal to every loyal heart. The task of promoting suoh a worthy object has been taken up by the Committee of the Colonial Troops Club, which lias Loixl Roberts as president, and Mr Chamberlain and Mr Brodrick as vice-presi-dents, while MUs Brooke-Hunt is the secretary. This club, established temporarily for the, benefit of coloni&hs in London for the Coronation, no longer exists, but a balance of several hundred pounds remaiius, which is to go towards the erection,of a monument. Th.9 promoters have obtained the permissioai of the Dean and Chapter of St. ; Paul's to place this lasting symbol of Imperial unity 'in<the Cathedral."

Somebody calling himself " Paterfamilias " wrote to the " Daily Chronicle " «n Tuesday, as follows: —" I have on more than one occasion recently iwtioed a joint of mutton (bought ac Canterbury. New Zealand) hanging in the dark, to be all aglow with phosphorescent light, and I am anxious if any of your readers can tell me (1) whether this is due to natural causes, and (2) whether the consumption of meat of this description is likely to have an adverse influence on anyone's health? I may say that in each instance the mpat was perfectly 'fresh,' both' Srhen bough* and booked.'*'"

This promptly brought out the irrepreesible and indomitable Produce Commis'eioner, who—instantly discerning the chance o f a good gratis "advifr" for New Zealand meat —replied thuswise: —"The letter published under the heading 'New Zealand Mutton,' in to-day's iseue of your paper, has oome under my notice. In reply to the question aeked by your correspondent, I am directed by the Agent-General to inform him that "New Zealand mutton hits no peculiarity, such as that described in his letter. It is, in fact, so undistinguishahle from English mutton, both in character and appearance, that, as was proved before a Select Committee of the House of Lords, it is largely retailed! here as Home-grown at top market prices. From exhaustive tests made by the ' Hospital' experts it has been proved conclusively that the nutritive qualities and d'igeetibility of New Zealand mutton stand even higher than English. Yours faithfully, H. C. Cameron 2 Produce Commissioner for New Zealand Government."

Another correspondent adds the following information, .which I fancy ' will be new to many readers, as it is to me. He rays:—"ln answer to your correspondent ' Paterfamiliaa's' questions, respecting hie remarks as to his having noticed a joint of mutton hanging in the dark to be all aglow with phosphorescent light, I offer the following solution to hia two questions (1) Whether this fe due to natural causes? The (answer is yes; but what your conresj pendent, I believe, saw, wae a leg ot mutton and not any part of the forequarter. (2) Whether the consumptiou of meat of thoe description is likely to lmve an adverse influence on anyone's health? To this I say, the Jewe are well known to have their meat from healthy animals only, and are not allowed to eat of one that i« in the least attacked with disease of any natrare. The ecclesiastical authorities, who appoint mien who moke a study of the animal's lunge a profession, also forbid the eating of the hindquarters of animals, unless certains portions are removed. The leg of mutton, before coming to the table of an orthodox Jew, is literally turned inside out, and the bone that runs through the leg, certain portions of the fat and sinews, are ne moved. These removed portions in a. dark place will be 'all aglow with phosphorescent light.' Your correspondent oould see this for himself by subjecting a shoulder of mutton to the same process a* the lep or hindquarter, and he will see the difference. A scriptural reason is given as a prohibition for the non-uee of the hind-quarter. But, in my opinion, a more subtle reason might be given." |