ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Te Aroha News, Volume 1, Issue 47, 26 April 1884, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Sailing of the British King. j The British King sails for Auckland, Wei lington, and Canterbury on March 15th. She takes no saloon passengers, only second and third. This is the last voyage the British King will make jfor the New Zealand Shipping Company. Mr Horton, of the "New Zealand Herald," expects to leave England in about six weeks' time. The New Zealand friends of Lord Pembroke will be much pleaded to learn that he is considered out of danger. Dr. Kingsley has been with him since the commencement of his illness — indeed, it is mainly owing to his friendly ministrations that Lord Pern! broke has pulled through.

More Government Immigrants. The Agent-General informs me that he is despatching 250 Government immigrants for Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury, by the British King; 200 by Aorangi to Otago and Canterbury on March 28th ; and 200 by the Victory to Otago and Canterbury on March 24.

Frozen Meat Dinners.— The Project Crushed. It was with unfeigned regret and indignation that I learned from Mr Kennaway, ef the Agent-General's office, that the admirable scheme for inaugurating a series of frozen produce dinners at the coming Health Exhibition has fallen through. Sir F. Dillon Bell and others applied to the commissioners for space in the building for frozen meat diningrooms, and were continuing all necessary preparations when a letter reached them declining to accede to the request. No reasons were given for the refusal, but it is understood the Commissioners viewed the idea a8 rather a gigantic advertisement for a clique of butchers than as a colonial show. For this ultimatum we have probably to thank enterprising Mr Stimpson, who audaciously interjected a wagon -load of frozen carcases from New Zealand into the Lord Mayor's show last November. I do not blame the Health Commissioners for poohpoohing the dinner scheme on this account, but I certainly think the various Agent-Generals and merchants interested in the frozen meat trade sadly wanting in enterprise for not pushing the matter further. These dinners would have done more to popularise colonial produce, and remove the last remnant of prejudice against frozen mutton, than a century of lectures and articles. The beet plan now would be to carry out the scheme in oneof theshopsadjaconttothe Exhibition, but I fear there is no chance of that. With the exception of Mr. Larkworthy, no one to whom I have spoken seems to care enough for the scheme to pußh it.

The Frozen Meat Trade. The whole of the mutton brought home by the Tongariro has been sold, the only New Zealand meat now left in the market beingthat recently arrived per British King. TheTongariro'smuttoncarcasesfetchedfrom 5d to 6d per pound -wholesale, and the lamb realised 7d to 7£d. Such of tne British King's meat as has been sold fetched s|d, It is in better condition than the Tongariro's, but prices are bad (1) because of its being Lent; (2) because there happens to be a glut of English meat in the market just now; and (3) because the River Plate mutton shows signs of improvement. The butter per Tongariro proved far better than any previously received, and a portion of it sold at 84s per cwt.

We understand that the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon leaves Auckland on Tuesday week by the 'Frisco mail steamer on a visit to his relatives in England. The impression somehow or another has been obtained at home that the Baptists here have not been treating him well, but Mr Spurgeon has done his best to remove it. He expects to return in time for the opening of the new Tabernacle.