MAIL NEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND "STAR'S LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ] London, June 19.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 61, 2 August 1884, Page 6

MAIL NEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND "STAR'S LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ] London, June 19.

Accident on the s.s. Florida. Messrs Shaw, Savill's chartered steamer Florida arrived at the Docks on the afternoon the last mail went (June 6th), after a poor passage of 63 days. The vessel started with 16,500 carcases of frozen mutton on board, but two days before sho reached Rio it was discovered water had entered one of the compartments, and that much of the meat was bad. Eight hundred carcases had to bo at once thrown overboard, and 2,000 more wore condemned on arrival. Besides this, a great deal of the sound meat got discoloured, and realised very poor prices, viz., Id and ljtl a lb. The best fetched skl in a bad market. The carcases gone wrong are all from Wellington, it is said. The Dunedin compartment arrived safety. The origin of the catastrophe appears (as is always the way in these cases) wrapt in mystery. A rigid examination, however, will be held, and I expect to be able to tell you all about it next mail. I could say more now, but it would scarcely be wise to repeat a vague rumour.

Personal Notes. Barry Sullivan, the popular tragedian, leaves England almost immediately on a tour of the world that will embrace Australia and Now Zealand. On his return Mr Sullivan intends publishing a book entitled "An Actor's Foot&teps, or Three Times Round the World." Those of you ■who saw Barry Sullivan when he was in Australia before must expect to find him much changed. He can still play " Richard III." and "Richelieu" fairly well, but in other parts he is only the histrionic shadow of his former self. Mi* J. H. Kerry Nicholls has timed the production of his book on "The King Country, or Explorations in New Zealand," admirably. It will be brought out next week {i.e., jubt when the Maori King furore promises to reach its height). It is by no means absolutely certain that Mrs Langtry will visit Australia and New Zealand next August. She favours the idea, but has not, her agent assures me, signed any absolute agreement. Your old friend, Fred Maccabe, opened at St. James's Hall on Monday. He succeeds C. H. DuVal, -n ho played a successful season of 500 nights. The Australian Eleven seem to be doing their utmost to revive the old prejudices against them. A correspondent writes to " Truth" stating that though they received the whole of the gate money (£1,344 17s) for the two great matches at Lords, together with free luncheons and every comfort that could be suggested, they never even said " thank you" to the Secretary far his cheque, and when asked for a subscription to the Benevolent and other funds, the M.C.C. patronise, avoided replying. Such meanness and lack of good breeding are surely much to be deprecated. Mr John Lysaght, one of the ex-High Sheriffs of Bristol, is contributing some interesting letters to the ss "Bristol Times" descriptive of "A Run Through New Zealand." Letter No. 1, dealing with the journey from Christchurch to Taupo, appeared in the issue of June 9th. Mr Lysaght was much struck with the pros perous, well-to-do appearance of the Christchurch folk. The following New Zealand gentlemen have been elected Fellows of the Colonial Institute : — Messrs W. P. Cowlishaw, Geo. Lloyd, Jacob Isaacs, and John Marshman, Mr Henry Labouchere, M.P., writing in "Truth," says: — "I have been trying to find out where Australian and New Zealand mutton is to be bought, because I am indignant at West End butchers calmly selling it for English mutton and at English prices. At Smithfield market both are on sale, wholesale, at about 6d per lb. But it is not everyone who wants a whole sheep or has time to go to market. At Messrs Buckingham Bros., in Thames-street, New Zealand mutton is sold retail. The price is lOd per lb for legs, and from 6.jd to S^d for other parts, and delivery is made within the Metropolitan Postal District at 4d not exceeding 181b, and 6d not exceeding 331b. This mutton, I can guarantee, is excellent ; indeed a good deal better than the average English mutton. Why New Zealand is better than the Australian mutton i's that in Australia they have a great deal of the merino breed of sheep, A\hereas in New Zealand there is a large proportion of South Downs, Lincolns, and others of our best eating breeds. The difference in price between English and New Zealand mutton ought to be about 2d per lb in favour of the latter. To many this i 3 a consideration. Why, then, do they not buy ' New Zealand ?' "

Shipping and Passenger Gossip. Once again the Tongariro can boast of having achieved the "fastest pa&sage on record." This fine vessel arrived at the Docks on the 13th inst., having made the run home in 37 days 20 hours 32 minutes, which is iust exactly eight minutes faster than the Ruapehu's wonderful time. The Tongariro left Lyttelton on May 3, and reached Rio on May 24. She sailed again May 25, touched at Madeira on June 7, and entered Plymouth Sound on June 11 ; passengers all well. The Tongariro brings 15,000 sheep, said to be in fine condition. The Chimborazo, sailing for Melbourne | and Sydney June 11, took the following through passengers for New Zealand :— Tho Rev. J. McKellar and Mr Andrew Young, for Wellington ; Miss Todd, for Port Chalmers ; Mr R. G. Stavely, for Picton ; Mrs Hammond, Mr Trivett, Mrs Hurley, Mr J. A. Hurley, and Mr H. Gordon, for Auckland. Mr W. A. Bailey and Mr Sidney Rathbone, two young gentlemen going out to join Mr Harry McMurdo and study bush life on the Kaipara, will be through passengers by the Tongariro to Auckland. Mr A. Collier will be a through passenger to Auckland per P. and 0. steamer Ballarat, sailing this afternoon. I see the name of Charlie Weightman amongst the arrivals at Naples, per s.s. Cuzco from Melbourne. Can this be ' ' everybody's friend," the " man fish?" Mr W. P. Ritso, the London agent for several of the projected railways in New Zealand, who has been "just about to start" for your part of the world ever since April last, is still uncertain as to the precise date of his departure. Mr Vesey Stewart says the Rotorua Railway scheme will fall through altogether if they do not spend £25,000 on it before September. The following is the full list of saloon passengers per s.&. lonic, which left Plymouth to-day for Auckland direct : — First Saloon — For Auckland: Messrs S. Grant, Bond, and Cooper, Miss E. Riley. For Napier *. Miss Hood. For Otago : Mr C. Nicholls. For Lyttelton : Miss Abernethy and Mr E. T. Rhodes. Second Saloon — For Auckland ; Mr and Mrs R, H. Harris

and family, Mrs E. R. Hickson, Mr and Mrs E. S. Hickson, Mr and Mrs D. Hipkins and family, Mr and Mrs J. C. Long, Mr and Mrs D. Y. Shandam and two children, Messrs Davidson, Dunlop, J. E. Long, Mills, Neave, and Simpson. For Wellington: Mrs Reynolds, Messrs Avery, Bowor, Buchanan, Howio, Tyler j and Wilson. For Lyttelton : Miss C. ; Whyto. For Otago : Mrs Douglas and Mr D. Kean ; also about seventy third cabin passengers. The following passengers are booked pov Pleione, which leaves for Wellington on June 20 :— Mr and Mrs Key noil, Mr and Mrs Henderson and two children, Messrs Horace King, John Lambert, Robert Alderson and Louis Thomas, and twelve ■teerage passengers. Mr C. Kent, a Now York gentleman, leavos for Auckland to-day in the Ballarat. Mr Gardiner, a fruit-grower, who imagines he has discovered a special process for tho refrigeration of fruit, potatoes, etc., goes out in the lonic to start business in Auckland. Mr Green, a wealthy Gateshead merchant, and his wifo are going to Auckland in the Tongariro on July 3rd. Mr S. Grant, of Grant and Fostor, goes out on behalf of the Auckland Agricultural Company in the lonic. The steamer which Messrs Blackwood and Gordon havo been building for the Northern Steamship Company (of Auckland) leaves for New Zealand (via Suez) on loth July. Captain Braddick, who formerly had command of the emigrant ship Oxford, goes out as captain. Mr Graham, a son of tho manager of the National Bank of New Zealand, will sail for Auckland in tho Hermioneon July 30th.

Postscript. London, Juno 10, 5.30. Mr A. G. Uorton, of the " New Zealand Herald," entertains a party of Colonial friends at the ITolborn Viaduct Hotel this evening. There w ill be a great assemblage of Now Zealandcrs in London at the great soiree of the Colonial Institute at South Kensington this evening. Two famous bands have been engaged, the Guards (Grenadiers), under Godfrey, and the Ked Jlungaiians. The latter play dance music almost as well as the Straus&'s or Gungl's band. I hear Mr G. M. Keed has arrived in London, but I haven't seen him yet. Miss Strudwicko, the new mistress of the Normal School at Dunedin, goes out per Aorangi on May 31. The Maoris have been v aiting anxiously for the help and assistance of Bishop Hadfield, ■nho arrived in the Tongariro ; but, though the steamer came up several days ago, the Bishop has made no sign. Sir John Hall says the reverend gentleman doesn't mean to have anything to do with them. The New Zealand grill at the Healtheries (as the Exhibition is now styled in contradistinction to the Fisheries) has proved a palpable hit. They now sell from 800 to 1,000 chops daily. The butcher's shop is also doing a roaring trade ; in fact, many residents at South Kensington have taken season tickets to the Exhibition, solely in order to be able to buy mutton thero. The freezing chambers are now lit up with electric light at night, and crowds flock round the barrier and gaze through the glass. The takings at the butcher's shop average £100 a week. Sir John Hall has returned from Dresden, and is staying down at Stroud, m here he has taken a very comfortable house. I have heard nothing more as to the probable date of his visit to New Zealand. Messrs Ward and Stimson, the big wholesale butchers, who were the founders of the frozen meat trade, have invited the Maoris to view their refrigerating warehouses and other establishments. The Agent-General tells me the Florida, sailing June 20th, will take out 57 emigrants, mostly single women, for all ports. The cause of the disaster to the Florida's meat is still wrapt in mystery. ShawSavill blame the refrigerators, the Refrigerating Company blame the ship, and the Unden\ riters don't care so long as they can fix the blame on one or t'other.