ENGLISH ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1770, 22 October 1879, Page 2

ENGLISH ITEMS.

[By Teleoeaph.J AUCKLAND, October 21. [Per Auckland “Star’s” Correspondent in London.] LONDON, September 10. Within the last month no less than 2000 souls have left the United Kingdom for New Zealand, and the rush still continues. The New Zealand Shipping Company's fine ship Wanganui, which sails in a day or two, will take out over 200 second cabin passengers, almost all of whom are middle class farmers. I saw several of them in Captain Ashley’s office the other day, and noted with satisfaction that they appeared fine, sturdy, and eminently respectable men. The majority have capital to start with ; in fact they will, from every point of view, bo most desirable acquisitions to a colonial community. Numbers of men who have two or three thousand pounds want to emigrate, only they don’t know where to go or what to do. The Government agents are, I am sorry to say, distrusted, and very naturally too, for the majority of these good men pile on the agony so tremendously that educated people become incredulous, and not only incredulous, but distrusting. Any agent who would confine himself strictly to facts, and not attempt to paint the colony in absurdly rosy colors, might do a good business. Emigrants naturally expect a certain amount of toil and trouble. They are quite prepared for it, and in ninety-nine cases out of one hundred would not be deterred from leaving the old country even if they knew what must befall them. The lecturer who eulogises the colony extravagantly may possibly catch a few, but almost always ho loses the very men who are worth having. At the general election, which will probably take place soon after Christmas, Sir J. Vogel stands for Falmouth, and, I am told, has a very excellent chance of being returned, though, in my opinion, his increasing deafness may prevent him taking a prominent position as a debater. A cablegram which appeared in the London dailies, announcing Mr Stout’s secession from the Grey Ministry, was absurdly mixed. The printers unanimously gave the name as Stone, instead of Stout, and no one took the trouble to correct the error. One may be a very great man in New Zealand without the majority of well informed Englishmen knowing anything about you. When out dining the other night I mentioned Sir G. Grey’s name. A gentleman near me said to the host—“ I remember him well. He used to be one of the worst speakers in the House of Commons, but I thought he was dead. I did not know he had emigrated.” Alderman McArthur, M.P., has been putting his foot in it at Lambeth. Ever since the good old man came back from the colonies he has been able to talk of nothing but his travels. The Fijis especially are dragged into all his speeches, and he seemed to think his constituents are very culpable for not being equally interested. The other night when called to account for having been absent during the winter session, the Aiderman said he had thought it right to pay a visit to the colonies—[Laughter and cries of “Fiji”],—doing that which he believed was a service to the borough of Lambeth. [" Oh,” and cheers.] Yes, because these colonies were most important to the country. How few members of the House of Commons took an interest in the Colonial question. In the Parliament of New South Wales he was received as the M.P. for Lambeth, and a deputation of both Houses waited on him and asked him to dine. [Great laughter.] He had expected to have been back sooner, but while away he had always regularly paired, and had served them faithfully in the past and would in the future. In Australia he had got the most valuable information on the land question, of which he would make good use. He did not doubt but that the electors of the Borough would return him triumphantly.” [Cheers.] That great and good, if not very discreet person, Capt. W. T. Barry, has been at it again. On Monday, at the first public meeting held at Horne’s Assembly Room, Kensington—wherever that may be —this “ Great Emigration Agent,” as the “Englishman” styles him, related his fifty years’ experience of colonial life in Australia and New Zealand, his meeting with Castro and Orton, his visit to the claimant at Portsea prison and their mutual recognition. After Captain Barry’s address, in the course of which he announced that he knew Tom Castro and Arthur Orton, and that he recognised claimant as the former, a resolution was proposed by a certain Mr John Demargon and carried, pledging the somewhat sparsely attended meeting to make the Tichbourne case a test question for the next general election, and to prevent any candidate being returned unless prepared to vote for an enquiry into the matter. According to the “Englishman,” Captain Dairy has

boon requested to repeat his lecture in almost every town in the Kingdom. I hope, for the sake of lev Zealand, the statement is untrue. The effect would be to bring the colony and those who reside thereinto ridicule. Captain Barry styles' himself “a representative colo-ni-t,” and certainly the fact of his being Emigration Agent gives color to his assertion. The appointment, if ho really received was a gross blunder. Talking of the claimant and his friends reminds me of Mr Ahmed Eenealy, son of the famous doctor. He has got into trouble; It appears he was desirous of bringing his name before the public again, and in order to-do this effectually he forged a number of tde* grams announcing his own suicide, which wore duly transmitted to various- daily papers. Most of them, however, smelt a rat, and declined to publish the news without confirms*-' tion. By and_ by Ahmed was found to bo alive, and within a week the police had tracked the bogus messages to him. He is now in' durance vile, and will in all probability havo to pay somewhat heavily for his joke. A Eoyal Commission is to be formed to to examine and report upon the question of colonial defence. Lord Carnarvon is chairman, and amongst the commissioners are Sir Lintott Simmons, Sir H. Barkley, Mr Childers, Mr Brassey, and Sir Bf. Holland. Sir John Coode is at present engaged in superintending extensive improvements in the Harbor of Douglas in the Isle of Man.