MAIL MEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [BY THE AUCKLAND " STAR's" LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, May 23.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 57, 5 July 1884, Page 3

MAIL MEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [BY THE AUCKLAND " STAR's" LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, May 23.

Your readers will be interested to learn that Rev. W. E. Rice, late of Colne, Lynne, Essex, sailed from here by the steamer Lusitania for Auckland. The rev. gentleman goes to take charge of the Baptist Congregation in Wellesley-street during the absence of Rev. T. Spnrgeon, and he may be expected to reach Auckland in the second week of July.

Shipping and Passenger Notes. The New Zealand Shipping Cos. lonic (Captain Cameron) arrived at Plymouth on May 10th, after a fairly good passage of 40 days 4hrs. 43mins. steaming time. She sailed from Lyttelton on March 29th, touched at Rio on April 20th, and Madiera on May sth, reaching the Docks on the 12th May. She brought 13,000 carcases of mutton, which were landed in capital condition, and a chamber of cheese. Amougst the passengers I noticed the Hon. J. Maitin, M.L.C., of Wellington, looking all the better for the sea voyage. Shaw, Savill's new steamers aie to be fitted with "Glow" Swinburne incandescent lights by the Hammond Electric Light Company. The sailing vessel Lastingham, which should have sailed for Wellington a month ago (on April 30th), is still here, nor does it seem likely she will get away for another week or so. The Coptic sails for Hobart and New Zealand on Monday next, the 26th in&t. Besides Sir Henry Loch (the new Governor of Victoria), his family, and suite, who will leave the ship at Hobart, she carries the following :— First saloon passengers : For Otago — Messrs C. P. Butterworth and John Thomson. For Wellington — Messrs Harold Masterman and William Balline. For Nelson —Mr Malcolm Jenkins. Second saloon : For Otago — Mr and Mrs James Thomas, Messrs J. Hamilton, W. Reed, Richard Nanstone, G. Parry, A. H. Behrman, G. Castledine. For Canterbury — Mr and Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Bell and family (4). For Wellington— Mr and Mrs G. Y. Cox, Mr N. W. Arrowsmith and Mrs Codd. For Timaru— Miss Taylor. For Nelson— F.Sher- j wood. For Auckland — Mr and Mrs George Wright and family, Mr and Mrs Walter Stead and family (S), Mr and Mrs David Kinghorn, Mr and Mrs A. J. Tracey and child, Mr L. Williams. The following saloon passengers are booked to leave per Ruapehu on the 29th inst. :— For Auckland— Rev. W. Dv Rieu, Messrs E. W. and C. W. Bucke. For Lyttelton— Messrs G. J. A, Richardson, W. Buckley. For Wanganui — Mr and Mrs Foreman. For Dunedin — Dr. Robarts. Eight seamen belonging to the N.Z.S. Company's chartered sailing vessel Nairnshire were committed to Dorchester prison seven days ago for refusing to obey the lawful orders of the captain. It transpired in evidence that the men on two occasions refused to work the ship unless the captain promised to put into the nearest port, ti»eir excuse being that she was seriously undermanned, they being the only eight able seamen on board, the others consisting ot the officers and four boys. The men were sent to prison for eight weeks, but directly tiie Board of Trade heard of the case their release was procured, the authorities agreeing that the Nairnshire really was undermanned. The vessel meanwhile had proceeded on her voyage with eight men substituted for the offenders.

Personal and General Notes. Mr Howard Vincent, C.8., who so successfully re-organised the Detective Department of the Metropolitan Police, and has for several years been the " chief" at Scotland Yard, leaves on July 3rd for an extended tour in Australia and New Zealand. Mr Vincent has resigned his office under Government, and means to stand for Parliament at the next general election. He is making this expedition to the colonies because he considers that every would-be legislator should know something personally of Britain's antipodean possessions. The papers warmly applaud Mr Vincent's resolve, more than one of them remarking that it would not be a bad idea to make an acquaintance with Canada, India, and Australasia compulsory on candidates aspiring to Parliamentary honours. Mr Vincent will be accompanied by Mrs Vincent, a charming heiress whom he recently married Mr J. Henniker Heaton, of the "Sydney News " and " Town and Country Journal," whose name will be familiar to many of your readers as the author of a biographical dictionary of colonial worthies, is doing his best to promote a public meeting of Anglocolonials at St. James's Hall to protest against the shipping of convicts to the Pacific, and urge upon the Government the necessity of cautioning the French that England will resist the continuance of the custom. A Liverpool man, who left that city last year for the antipodes, sends the Southport " Times "a glowing account of life at Wellington, New Zealand, and prote&ts against the fallacious statement, so frequently dwelt upon by "ne'er do weels," that the colony is "played out." He says he has, as a working man, nothing to complain of save the difficulty of obtaining permchnent employment. There are great hopes that the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill will get safely through the House of Lords this session. Lord Dalhousie, who has been requested to take charge of it, is one of the rising lights of the Liberal party, and the last man in the world to associate himself with a failure. The " Athen^um " says there is no truth in the rumour that Mr Herbert Spencer purposes paying a visit to Australia and New Zealand. His health is far too delicate to permit of his doing anything of the kind. A friend of mine who has been down to Bristol for a few weeks says there a\ as a very gay Avedding at Clifton on the 30th April, when Mr R. J. Turnbull, J.P., of Lumburn, Otago, New Zealand, married Miss Annie Sweet, second daughter of Mr Sweet, of Bristol. The newly-married couple will, it is anticipated, return to the colony shortly. Prior to the production of "Called Back " at the Princes Theatre, Miss Lingard, who plays the half-demented heroine Pauline, visited several private lunatic asylums with a view to comprehending the manner and movements of a girl whose mind has been impaired by a great fright. At first her metaphysical and psychological studies were not very successful, but after a time she found a patient who had passed through a paroxysm, and it is on her observations of this case she has based the role entrusted to her. Could realism go further ? For the second time W. H. Lingard 's scheme for producing "The Rajah* at a London Theatre has fallen through. Last week the management of the Avenue definitely announced its first performance for to-morrow night (May 24th), but on Tuesday the advertisements were torn down,and another piece selected.

I Mr John Russell Larkins, son of Mr Larkins. of Messrs Me Arthur and Co., Auckland, has carried off a scholarship of £80 for three years at Exeter College, Oxford. This fact reflects some credit on the Parnell Grammar School and St. John's College, where Mr Larkins studied whilst in New Zealand. He is now at King's College, but will go into residence at Oxford after the long vacation. The Aborigines' Protection Society are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Tawhiao, but if that dusky monarch is at all welladvised he will decline to be made a tool of by Chesson and Co., and once for all refuse their "charity." At a recent meeting it was decided that the Society should "do all in its power to make the visit of the Maori King \iseful to himself and beneficial to his people." Mr Eden Connal, P.W.D., has been elected a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers. One of the gold medals struck annually by the Geographical Society has been granted to Dr. Julius Haast in consideration of his explorations in South New Zealand. The Society have also made a money grant to Emile Boss, the guide who was so useful to Mr Green when he ascended Mount Cook. The new Governor of Victoria (Sir Henry Loch) was banqueted last night in London, Lord Rosebery being in the chair. I will send full particulars in the postscript. The " European Mail " of Friday last contained a letter from Mr Vesey Stewart describing the safe arrival at Tauranga of his passengers per Northumberland, and how they found their houses ready waitiig for them and everything most comfortable. Strange to say, this scarcely tallies with a parapraph in the Auckland Stah, ia wl«ol some of Mr Stewarts passengers averred they had been misled and deceived ; in fact, brought out on false pretences. Walking down Bishopsgate - street on Monday afternoon last, who should I meet but Mr Arthur Morison, a young fellow who spent sevei*al months in Auckland during the summer of '82, and was very popular with a certain set there. On his return to England, Mr Morison went into residence at Oxford, and took his B.A. degree. He has now set up as a Civil Service " coach," and ' ' crams " youngsters for their entrance examinations. Hard work has not worn away any part of his ample figure. Mr G. M. Reed, the well-known New Zealand journalist, is expected in London during the next few weeks. According to report, Mr Reed thinks of starting a paper devoted to colonial interests in London. Several such have been tried, and one, "The Colonies and India," lingers still, but they have none of them been very lively properties. Mr Kennaway has not as yet found a suitable person to fill the post of mistress at Christchurch Normal School. Mr Richard Laishley, junr., writes from Rome that he intends to get back to England not later than the first week of July, and will leave for New Zealand, via America, so as to be in Auckland at the beginning of September. Mr Burton, of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, Auckland, is expected in London early next month. The Sorata, with Tawhiao aiid the New Zealand mission on board, passed Suez on May 18th. She is e-xpected at Plymouth next Thursday or Friday. 1 shall endeavour to catch the vessel at Gravesend. Miss Lingard has made an unmistakeable hit as the heroine of the new play, " Called Back." For the first time since she came to England, the critics unanimously eulogise her acting.

Another Fastest Passage on Record. The N.Z.S. Company's magnificent steamship Ruapehu arrived at Plymouth from Lyttelton on May 14, after a run of only 39 days from port to port (or 37 days 20 hours 40 minutes steaming time), the shortest homew ard voyage ever yet mado. Captain Crutchley reports leaving Lyttelton on April oth, and arriving at Rio on the 27th. He left again on the 28th, called off Tenerifte on May 9th, and anchored in Plymouth Sound on the 14th, at 2 in the afternoon. The Ruapehu's record beats the Tongariro's by G hours 25 minutes. The distance run over on this pas&age was 11, SSI miles, which she negotiated at an average of about 12V knots an hour, the highest speed being 14 knots, and the longest day's run 324 miles. Variable weather is recorded by the log, but the winds were mostly contrary, and but little use could be made of canvas. The figures, &c, go to show that a much faster passage than this will probably be recorded ere Ions; in fact, it is quite likely travellers will be able to calculate with certainty on getting from JS T .Z. to England direct within five weeks by this time next year. The Ruapehu brings 7,520 bags of wheat, 2,122 bales of wool, 3,420 bags of grass seed, and 74 passengers. Amongst the latter may be mentioned Mr Smyth, late Chairman of the Invercargill Harbour Board ; the Miss Hobsons, of Auckland, one of whom intends entering as a student at South Kensington or the Royal Academy ; and Mrs DeLias, widow of the late manager of the Theatre Royal, Auckland. After a brief stay in London, Mrs DeLias left tor Konigsberg, in Northern Germany, where she will reside with her relations for some weeks. The passengers by the Ruapehu presented Captain Crutchley and his officers with the customary address of thanks and congratulations, &c.

The Frozen Moat Market. The New Zealand mutton per lonic is fetching s;ld to Grl in a poor market. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile are holding theirs till the .small lots go off, in the hope of being able to command better prices. This they will almost certainly do, as the next meat ship due, the Florida, won't be here for ten days. There can now be no doubt that the Fenstanton did not land all her meat in good condition. It is difficult to ascertain the exact number of carcases that went wrong, but I am given to understand about 100. They were apparently right whilst frozen, but became what butchers call " tender " when thawed. A gentleman interested in the trade says he saw 30 hanging up at Smithfield which were liable to be condemned as unfit for human food the first time the Inspector passed. One doesn't know who to blame for these little contretemps^ but shippers can scarcely over-rate the mischief they do the trade. A single unsavoury piece of colonial mutton exposed for sale will prejudice those who see it irreparably against the meat. They at once jump to the conclusion that all frozen mutton smells like that before you cook it. I was rather disgusted at the Exhibition the other day. Mr Tallerman has two frozen sheep (Australian) hanging up in the main corridor, and from one of them a distinctly tainted perfume exuded. I didn't, however, feel much surprised thereat when I noticed that an almost tropical summer 3un had been shining full upon it most of the day. The cheese per lonic is good in quality, and realises the same price as the previous lots— 62s per cwl. Mr Jubal Webb, of High-street, Kensington, exhibits two nicelooking specimens of N.Z. cheese at his butter stall in the Exhibition.

The Health Exhibition.— The New Zoaland Grill. The more I see of the great International bazaar (for it is little else) at South Kensington, the sorrier I feel that there should

be so few Australasian exhibits. New Zealand alone could have added materially to the show, and greatly enhanced public interest in the colony by doing so. As it is, the display of interesting antipodean articles of food and dress, and of machinery, sanitary appliances, educational facilities, furniture, house fittings, &c, is nil. A trophy of Australian wines, one ditto of Tallerman's preserved mutton, and the New Zealand Frozen Meat Grill, make up the sum total of the contributions from your end of the world, and a wretched sum total it seems when one comes to consider what might have beon done. The New Zealand Frozen Meat Grill has not been arranged quite in the manner^.l expected. The Grill itself is at the far end of Bertram and Roberts's Queen's Koad refreshment buffet. There is nothing to attract special attention to it save the legend, "Australasian mutton," printed on a card attached to the wall. Moreover, the shed stands so close to the furnaces of some machinery in motion that I fear only very curious people indeed will be tempted to try a chop there during hot summer days. On the morning of my first visit our party (there were four of us) meant to lunch off frozen mutton, but the heat, the noise, and the general discomfort drove us to a cool grotto in the Horticultural Gardens. Before leaving, however, wo looked around for Haslam's engine and the refrigerating chambers. Neither the waiters nor the grillman had even heard of such things,nor could the Exhibition attendants advise us where to look for them. Later in the day, whilst groping about in quite another part of the building, we came upon a butcher's shop with a email freezing chamber attached, and one of Haslam's engines working alongside. There is a window about 3ft long and one broad in the chamber, through which a sheep's carcase can be seen hanging up, likewise a thermometer, which at noon on the day I saw it registered 36 deg. Fah., or 4 deg. above freezing point. The butcher attending the shop seemed neither to know or care a straw about the process. I asked him one or two questions, but he was far too intent on gossiping with an attendant belonging to another exhibit to pay attention to my remarks. All this sounds very unsatisfactory, and, no doubt, would be so if one were to judge the success of the experiment by such an experience. In justice to the promoters, it should, however, be stated the Exhibition had only been opened two days when I first went thero, and things were scarcely in working order. Now the " Pall Mall Gazette Guide " has been issued, you can find your way at once, both to the Refrigerating Chambers and the Grill, and I understand the latter is doing a tair trade. Still, the venture will not, I fear, be the great success some of us anticipated. For one thing, it is surely a mistake to call the mutton Australasian instead of N.Z. The Australian and N.Z. meats should have been sold separately. Apart from the fact of their being more than one penny per lb. difference in the wholesale pricevS of the two, the latter has the reputation of being the most popular as well as the best, and to renamei t is simply to undo much of the good that has been done. I say this of course presuming that the promoters of the Exhibition scheme are interested mainly in N.Z. meat. The foregoing was written on the day after my first visit to the Exhibition several days ago. Since then I have been thero twice, and on each occasion found matters vastly improved. There is now a large froezing chamber open, with two spacious windows through which a number of carcases are visible, some hanging up, others packed as on board ship. The thermometer within registered on Tuesday evening last 2 degrees below zero. The butcher's shop is doing a thriving business, considering the extreme awkwardness of carrying the meat »V3V, The daily take in cash averages £13 to £15, and moreover, quite a number of regular customers from the aristocratic and adjacent neighbourhood of Queen's Gate, Princes' Gate, and Princes' Gardens, are growing up. The Grill has developed into an unmistakable success. The attendants now cook upwards of 500 chops per diem, and it is noticeable that persons who lunch there once genei'ally repeat the experiment. The machinery which made the buffet so smoky, hot, and uncomfortable during the first day or two, has been boarded off, and the waiters appear civility itself. All these alterations are mainly due to Mr Allsup (of Johnson and Allsup), who, with Mr Paull, of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile, takes tho warmest interest in the exhibit. The only protest the most critical could now raise is against the mutton being called "Australasian." Why not "New Zealand' *t once frankly ? Many scarcely notice the difference between ' ' Australasian" and "Australian," and one possible outcome of the arrangement may be that the Australian rather than New Zealand meat will be popularised and asked for in future.