[From the "European Mail."]

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 33, 19 January 1884, Page 3

[From the "European Mail."]

" Anglo - Australasian " writes :— " Sir John Hall is moving about among us, and seems resolved to see much in a short time. Several colonists from very opposite quarters 'tell me that they have quite recently seen the late Premier. lam glad to state that, according to my last news, he was in excellent health. The New Zealand mutton sent here frozen goes off well. It has sold very well indeed at Leadenhall Market, realising, for sides. 7£d per lb. The fore-quarter commands ~7d, and legs alone lOd per lb. Shoulders sell at B£d, and breasts as low as 5d There is now a dep6t at the London Bridge Railway Terminus, where New Zealand mutton is on sale, and where a very conspicuous legend sets forth its colonial! origin. This last is a great point, as the public at large still requires much " educating " «n this head before colonial meat is likely to be truly popularised in England. Next week there will be a grand cricket council at Lord's. Most of the country secretaries will attend, and the prominent item on the programme of proceedings will be the formation of the "colonial card." The Australian champions are expected to arrive in May, and already the Marylebone Club has granted the use of the famous ground in St. John's Wood for three matches. It is fully understood here that the Antipodeans will arrive in prime condition, and that their effective strength will be as great as ever. But several old cricketers have given me to understand that thes time, at all events, they will find their work is cut out for them. We shall see. We understand that in view of affairs in New Guinea it has been finally decided to make the command of the Australian Squadron a rear-admiral's command, instead of a commodore's, as at present. The .schooners Harrier and Undine and the screw sloop Pelican, with some of the vessels recently commissioned at Sheerness, will proceed to strengthen the squadron cruising in Australian waters, though it is probable that this may be delayed owing to the complications in the East. The scientific expedition to New Guinea, to which we referred in a recent issue, has been sanctioned by the Geographical Society, and, under the command of Mr Wilfred Powell, will shortly leave this country. The funds will be provided from private sources, but Lord Derby -will be asked to lend his countenance to the enterprise. The liberality of the brothers McArthur is well known. It will interest their friends in tho colonies to learn that Sir William has just given £10,000, and his brother Alexander £5,000, to the Wesleyan Metropolitan Chapel Building Fund, for the erection of additional chapels and mission rooms in certain districts of London. A large consignment of pure-bred Shropshire sheep has just been sent to the New Zealand Stud Company, Auckland The animals were selected by Mr Borthwick, of Liverpool, and Mr Thomson, of The Man r, Shifnal. Great care was taken to ensure uniformity in tho ewes, which include a selection of 50 yearlings from the flock of Mr Henry Pooley, Sibberton, a very level lot, and 20 yearlings from the flock of Mr E. C. Wadlow, Stud Farm, Stanton, whose sheep are particularly well clothed, being descended from the well-known flock of Mr T. Nock, Sutton Maddock. Some ewes were also bought from the flock of Major Brookes, Houghton, which are strong, useful sheep, in good working order. Some useful ewes were also purchased of Mr Dyas, The Wyke. The ten rams were most of them in plain store order, and were from the flocks of Mr Sheldon, Mr Williams, Mr Galbraith, and othei-s. Such a consignment of Shropshire sheep should make their mark in New Zealand, for there is no breed of sheep more likely to conduce to the success of the frozen mutton export trade than the Shropshires. They are full of flesh, and that is a characteristic which is highly essential in the mutton consigned to the London market.