ANGLO-NEW ZEALAND NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4212, 19 September 1874, Page 3

ANGLO-NEW ZEALAND NOTES.

(From the European Mail.) Mr. C. Thome has received the handsome silver medal awarded by the Interprovincial Exhibition, held at Christchurch in 1872, together with a certificate of high commendation. Mr. A. K. Forbes, of Arbroath, has also received the ticket of commendation awarded by the Executive Committee of the Exhibition. We are glad to note that these gentlemen’s efforts in promoting the use. of New Zealand flax have met with some recognition. A Fiji Committee has been appointed in connection with the Aborigines Protection Society for bringing about the annexation of Fiji. A deputation of the two bodies have memoralised the Earl of Carnarvon npion the subject. The Colonial Institute refrained from taking a leading part in this deputation, not from any diminution of earnestness in the cause, but from a belief that the Earl of Carnarvon would duly appircciate the arguments in regard to this matter which it urged upon Lord Kimberley last year. The Earl of Carnarvon, in referring to the report of the Commissioners,. said the islands might be erected into a Crown Colony under certain conditions. It is said that an agreement has been arrived at between the Post-office and- the directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company for a re-arrangement of their contract, under which the Southampton portion of the mails will, for the future, he conveyed through the_ Suez Canal. It also provides for an acceleration by twenty-four hours "of the Brindisi pprtion of the mails, which will be forwarded via Egypt as at piresent. Another of the Government expeditions for observing the transit of Venus has sailed from Plymouth for Christchurch, New Zealand, in the clipper ship Merope. The party consists of Major H. S. Palmer, 8.E., chief astronomer in charge; Lieut. L. Darwin, K.E., assistantastronomer and photographer; Lieut. H. Crawford, K.N., assistant-astronomer ; and three non-commissioned officers of the Eoyal Engineers trained in the use of the photoheliograph.