COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 2824, 7 March 1872, Page 3

COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

“ Anglo-Australian” in the European Mail writes :

Messrs Spiers and Pond have nearly completed the “ Criterion,” and they intend opening it early in the new year. At their head offices I see many old Victorians who are Eermanently engaged, and they all seem very appy in being able to serve those they have known in former years. Some idea of the extent of this business will be conveyed, when I inform you that there are something like four hundred young ladies kept employed as barmaids for their railway station refreshment rooms. ... Dr. Featherstone is busy in the interests of New Zealand, and as no man knows better what those interests are, you have a right to assume that his efforts will be attended with success. He is now sending out a lot of railway material for Canterbury and Otago, and shipping the girders for the bridge that is to span the river Waitaki. Then, the result of his labors in Norway and Sweden is shown by the despatch of a capital selection of Scandinavians per the good ship England for Wellington. They are all young and active people, and if properly treated will return the colony handsomely on the outlay. It must be remembered that from the instant they land they contribute their share to the colonial revenue, and, in more ways than I have time or space to enumerate, contribute to the general wealth and progress of the districts in which they may be located. When I tell you that there is not a man amongst them but can manufacture from the raw material every article of clothing he requires for his use, and that he is equal to any kind of manual labour, you will see at once that you have got hold of the right sort of people. As the season advances you may expect to get some emigrants from Scotland and the North of Ireland, where, I hear, Dr Featherstone is going to recruit. I am glad to note an improvement in New Zealand flax, which now sells at from L3O to L 35. I have seen some capital specimens of twine, rope, and matting on view in the city, which, I understand, Dr Featherstone has had manufactured in Scotland from this article. The Titanic Charcoal Iron Company is the title of the concern to which Mr. Chilman has sold the business of the Taranaki Ironsand Company. Mr W. M. Akhurst’s burlesques have been very successful at the Royal Alfred and Astley Theatres. The November New Zealand mail, via San Francisco, reached I.ondon on December 26. A meeting has recently been held in London of a company called the “ Food Preserving Company,” at which some Aberdeen meat preserved by Jones’ patent was exhibited, and pronounced all that could be desired. The chairman stated that it W'as their intention to commence operations on the Hunter River, and .probably in New Zealand. There is a fair trade doing in Colonial butter, and if the quality is kept up, I am certain it will be able to successfully compete with the home article.