MAIL NEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, August 14.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 69, 27 September 1884, Page 6

MAIL NEWS. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, August 14.

Personal and General. Major Te Wiieoro is by no means overwhelmed by the loss of his seat in your House of Assembly. He says he shall be able to get in again at the end of three years if he wishes, and meanwhile expects to find plenty to occupy him amongst his own people. The Major has a very poor opinion of colonial legislators, who, according to his ideas, spend their time talking and tippling, instead of thinking and working. Mr John Morris, a protean entertainer, whose miraculous changes of costume in the presence of an audience have gained him sonic renown, leaves London next week on a tour of the Australasian colonies. On dit that the proprietors of the "AngloNew Zealander " and "Australian Times" have started with enough capital to keep the paper going for 2 years. The arrangement for the visit of English cricketers to Australia in the autumn are nearly complete. The team will leave in the middle of September. Alfred Shaw, Shrewsbury and James Lillywhite will manage the trip, and \i ill take with them Scotton, Bates, Ulyett, Flowers, Pilling, Barnes, Barlow and Maurice Read. There, is a strong probability that the team will be completed by W. W. Head and E. J. Diver. I hear Barlow is avei'so to leaving England, so a substitute may have to be found for him. Sir John Hall will visit Washington, Philadelphia, Niagara, Quebec and Montreal on his way through America. He hopes to leave 'Frisco for Auckland by the mail|steamer of September 27. The Scotch papers are full of the discovery at Oamaru, New Zealand, of Lord Reidhaven, the new Earl of Seafield's son and heir. According to the Glasgow "Herald," His Lordship is not the only scion of an aristocratic house awaiting better times in your colony. Two brothers closely related to the Buccleuch family have, it is said, been working incog, on a farm near Christchurch for some years past. Mr Edward Hopkins, who spent several months in Auckland during ISSO, has been elected a Fellow of the Colonial Institute. Mr Sims Reeves will not after all pay a visit to the Antipodes. Duiing the past few months his voice has become very uncertain, at times leaving him altogether. The "Pall Mall Gazette of a recent date contained a par commenting on the great progress which the rearing of thoroughbred stock is making in New Zealand. Mr Archibald Forbes'*^capital article describing his coaching and mining experiences in "Westland, .New Zealand, has gone the round of almost every provincial weekly in Enj land, and will certainly be the means of attracting many new tourists to that part of the colony. The copyright of "John, Bull et Son lie" has been so seriously ' infringed in Australia and New Zealand that the author. Mr Max O'Rell, is making special arrangements for the protection of his forthcoming work on English social customs in the colonies. The first sinning newspaper that clips copious extracts will be made an example of. ' - « Mr R. Gardner, of Wellington, arrived herne by the Doric (s. ), and re staying at Wood's Hotel, Furniwall's Inn. I hope to see him shortly. Bishop and Mrs Hadfield will return to New Zealand in the Ruapehu (s. ), sailing 25th September. The Hon. J. Martin, Dr. Martin, Mr Martin, and two Misses Martin,will be passengers for Wellington by the Doric, and the Hon. W. S. Peter and the Hon. G. Buckley go out to Lyttelton by the same steamer. The Maoris received a letter from Lord Derby this morning stating that their petition had been forwarded to the N.Z. Government, and that as soon asareply was received he would communicate with them. The King, Patara, Hori, and Topia sail by the Potosi on Wednesday, but Major Te Wheoro and Skidmore intend remaining in London till the explanations of the Colonial Government reach Lord Derby. Yesterday the Maoris were invited to spend the day at Tidmarsh Manor, near Reading, the country house of Mr E. J. Hopkins, a young fellow who spent some months in Auckland a few years ago. The King, the Major, and Topia wouldn't go, but Patara goodnaturedly undertook to personate Tawßiao, and was introduced to to the Mayor of Pleading and the Berkshire county-families as that monarch. Pie spent a very pleasant day. Sir Francis and Lady Dillon Bell have gone to Scarboro for a holiday.

Peers v. People. Three months ago, when the new Franchise measure was in embryo, and the present session of the Imperial Parliament had barely commenced, I was enabled — through special sources of information— to tell you that the Government expected their Reform Bill to be thrown out by the Loi'ds, and that they intended to make their defeat the basis of a destructive campaign against the Upper House, as at present constituted. Since then the first part of this prophesy has been carried out to the letter, and during the coming autumn the second part— the great fight between " People v. Peers " — will commence in earnest. John Bright has already buckled on his armour, and when he storms an injustice with indignant eloquence he generally carries the day. You are specially interested in the present denouement, for there can be no duubt that in a reconstituted Uppei Chamber many distinguished antipodsoans would find places. The idea of this Government is (as I think I explained to you before) to abolish, not the House of Lords, but hereditary legislators, providing instead an elective body composed entirely of men experienced in the administration of national, provincial, county or colonial affairt. Notables like Sir Edward Stafford, Sir Charles Clifford, Sir John Hall, and Sir F. D. Bell, would be eligible for election as members of the reconstituted chamber ; in fact, the present notion is to qualify all ex-Ministers of such important colonies as Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand.

Vesey Stewarts No. 5 Party. Mr Vesey Stewart, who, I regret to say, is at present ill in bed suffering from rheumatic gout, has issued a circular and pamphlet announcing that his "fifth party " will leave for Auckland by the Northumberland on November 15th, and that he means to go out in the ship himself and "personally conduct" them. The pamphlet contains a glowing reference to the magnificent prospects of the fruitful lands surrounding the Bay of Plenty, and refers in affectionate terms to the rapidly rising city of Tauranga. The Rotorua Railway (and the extraordinary effect (which it is going to have on the districts it passes

through) has of course been touched upon. The "No. 5 Special Settlement Pamphlet " is indeed fully equal to its predecessors. Of Mr Stowart one may say, " Age cannot wither nor custom stale tho infinite variety " of his rosources. I fear, though, our English fish do not rise to these dainty colonial baits as freely as in tho good old days of the Katikati No. 2 | party. Mr Stewart has beon a long time ' at homo, and yot done nothing very startling. Last time I saw him he appeared | worn and ti-oubled. This No 5 party looks I like an expiring effort on the part of the veteran emigration agent. I should like to see it succeed, for with all his faults Vesey Stewart has done New Zealand " yeoman's service," and deserves well fiom his brother colonists. I'm afraid, though, there is not much chance of his getting together many settlers. At present I can hear of njne. The Northumberland will, in all probability, bo full, for the passago rates are specially low, but thoso who voyage in her will not be bound for Tauranga.

The Vagaries of Hugh Shortland. The vagaries of Mr Hugh Shortland, the unfortunate Auckland barrister whoso wife died under such suspicious circumstances a few months ago, continue to excite the liveliest nppiehensions of his friends. The poor fellow's eccentricities grow more and more pronounced-everyday. He recently published a statement declaring that he saw his deceased wife the other day, and heard her beg him to cea&ehuntingdownher murderer. Prior to this the poor man had raved continually about the apathy of the policeandthe lack of assistance he received in his search for further evidence. He came up to town with the pronounced intent of seeing the Home Secretary, and begging him to order the exhumation of his wife's body, but when he got here he changed his mind, and never went near Sir William Jlarcourt. The Devonshire police watch Shorthand's behaviour in grave silence. You cannot get a word out of them, but it is tolerably -well understood that he is still secretly supervised. We shall, I fear, hear of his being placed under- restraint before long. Another distinguished service reward of £100 per annum has been placed at the disposal of the War Office by the compulsory retirement of General W. C. Trevor, to whom it was awarded in recognition of his valuable services in New Zealand.

Frozen Meat Ships. Messrs Shaw, Savill, and Co.'s s.s. Victory arrived at the docks on August 7th, after a long passage of 57 days, from Port Nicholson. Her dates were : Wellington, June 9th ; Rio de Janeiro, July 9th ; Gravesend. August 7th. She bring 1 ; between nine and ten thousand carcases of fro/en mutton, which have so far been landed in tatis factory condition. I am not, 1 regret to say, able to give yon any good ne« s about tho frozen meat trade. The market continues sadly depressed, the ruling rate at piesent being only 4 t 'd. Shippers are, I hear, losing at least '2o per cent, on their consignments, and no improvement can be looked for till October, when prices usually rise somewhat. The s.s. Poiic arrived at Gravesend yesterday afternoon, after a passage of 39 days from port to port. Her dates are : Lyttelton, July 4th; Kio, July 25th; Madeira, August, Sth ; and Plymouth, August l'Jth. She brings about SO passengers, and 10,000 carcases mutton, lepoited to be m i'.iir condition. A bii th took pktcu dm ing tho voyage — Mis Caslin, an lush woman in the steerage, pre-euting her husband with a daughter.

Demonstration Against the Australian Eleven. The termination of the return match between the Players of England and the Australian Eleven at the Oval was marred by a disgraceful scene somew hat similar to that which occurred at Sydney during the visit of Lord Harris's team to the colonies. The circumstances of the case, which I will, in the first instance, detail without comment, were as follow : — At the close of the English innings, about half-past one in the afternoon, the Australians had only 28 runs to get to win the match. More time than was necessary (or is usual) elapsed before the players turned out to field. Bonnorand McDonnell went in'first, and scored 17 runs in 13 minutes. Bonnor was then bowled, and, though it yet wanted a few minutes of 2 o'clock, the ordinary time for the luncheon adjournment, and notwithstanding the previous interval and that but 11 runs were required to end the game, it was decided to adjourn again. Naturally, the crowd were intensely indignant. That these professional cricketers should deliberately elect to keep several thousand persons idly waiting for three-quarters of an hour rather than postpone their luncheon time for five or six minutes, seemed simply incredible. Loud shouts of " Play " echoed through the grounds, increasing in volume as the fielders (the English men) appeared uncertain whether to make a move or stay. Emmett, meanwhile, went to the pavilion, and asked Murdoch to send in his man. The latter, however, obstinately declined, observing that "they had the afternoon before them, and might as well take matters coolly." When the people learnt that it was the Australians who declined to consider the public's convenience in this trifling matter, their exasperation passed the point of prudence. VVith hisses and yells they crowded round the pavilion, calling for Murdoch, and demanding either an apology or the immediate resumption of play. Half an-houi passed thus, and then the bell rang for the continuation of tho match. The crowd, however, weie disinclined to be beaten. The most complete revenge they could take over the colonists would be to stop further play, and thus render the match drawn. A ring-leader amongst the roughs suggested this disgraceful expedient, and in two minutes the rope barriers were broken down, the stumps drawn, and tho wicket trampled up by an excited mob. The more respectable amongst the onlookers now began to regret the scene, and urged their angiier brethren to let tl'e match come to an end. Tho English cricketer?, too, did their best to throw oil on tho troubled wateis, but without avail. The majority of the rioters were implacable, and it was not till two hours elapsed, and a large posse of police had been fetched to the Oval, that the ground could be cleared and the match resumed. No reasonable defence can, I fear, be urged for the Australian captain in this matter. The lunch was cold, so could not possibly have suffered by waiting the five minutes which, bar a series of unheard-of accidents, must have concluded the match, and the Englishmen were ready to continue fielding. A professional I gossiped with yesterday about the matter, and who furnished me with the foregoing account, said it (Murdoch's action) was all of a piece with the general conduct of the colonial team. "They seem," he observed, "to consider themselves a lot of autocrats, to be welcomed, admired, enriched, but, on no account, thwarted. Their way of doing things is the right way, and those who don t like it must lump it." The team most certainly appear to make more enemies than friends. Especially have they given offence by their niggardliness in subscribing to cricket benefits and charities. It is felt— and with reason— that considering the large sums they take away ) from every town they visit, they might spare a trifle for the legitimate charities of *

the profession. When boldly "bailed up" 1 for a subscription they sometimes givo one but never voluntarily, or without grumbling. Since writing the foregoing, I learn that the extreme bitterness of the crowd was due to the fact that they thought the game was being protracted in order that more money might bo taken at tho gates. The executive, however, state that no one was admitted during the luncheon hour, though whether this was due to their own sense of fair play or to tho riot inside, seems doubtful. Condor, a three-year-old belonging to Mr W. A. Long, tho popular Australian sportsman, was a prominent favourite for the Stewards' Cup, at Goodwood, in which, however, he never showed at all prominently.