ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES [Via Brindisi.] [From the Auckland " star's " London correspondent.]

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 87, 31 January 1885, Page 3

ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES [Via Brindisi.] [From the Auckland " star's " London correspondent.]

London, December 12. Although all the authorities from the Agent-General downwards are confident that the R.M.S. Aorangi, leaving the Docks on Wednesday next, will beat to-day's Brindiei mail, I think it safest to send you a short summary of the few items of interest (Anglo-Colonial and otherwise) which have occurred during the week. The mignonette Case. The captain and mate of the ill-fated Sydney - bound yacht Mignonette were brought up on Friday last before a Court of five judges, presided over by the Lord Chiet Justice of England, and (to the surprise of tho public, but not the lawyors) pronounced guilty of murder. On the following Tuesday a solemn farce (soverely reprehended since by almost the entire press) was enacted. Lord Coleridge asked Dudley and Stevens if they had anything to say. The pair throw themselves upon the mercy of the Court, upon which the Chief Justice (without assuming the black cap) formally ordered them to be hanged. The dire sentence had not been pronounced half-an-hour before the men wero respited, and there can be no doubt tho men's sentence will be a light one. Public feeling is much less favourable to them now than at liret. People are beginning to see that, regard it how one may, the taking of Parker's weak, defenceless life was a crimo, and a cowardly crime too. He had as much right to his chance of recovery as the others, and who is to say that, supposing lots had been drawn, and tho death sentence fallen upon Dudley, Paiker might not have lived to be savod ? Tho axiom laid clown by Dudley and Stevens, viz., "sacrih'co the weak to savo the strong," sounds strange in the mouths of British sailors, hitherto supposed to be models oi chivalry and staunch upholders of fair play. The inhabitants of Parker's native village propose, with doubtful taste, to erect °a monument to his memory in the churchyard. Various Notes: Parliament rose on Saturday without any further questions being put on tho recidivist question. The autumn session was a great success, more real business being got through during the short six weeks than during four months of tho summer. The Roy. Thomas Spurgeon bade farewell to his friends at the Tabernacle on Tuesday ovening, and .sails for Auckland, via Melbourne, to-day. Ho has collected £2,500 for his now chapel. Dr. Macdonald, of Glasgow, is coming to London to assist the Agent-General in finally selecting from the 100 odd candidates tho new master for the Ounedin High School. About 200 emigrants aro to be sent out to the colony by the Doric. The Northumberland has sailed for Auckland with about 100 passengers. A^esey Stewarts No 5 party is on board. It conbists of six persons in the steerage. An enterprising American speculator has concluded arrangements with Madame Clovis llugues, the heroine of the detective •shooting case, to "star" through the United Slates as Lady Macbeth, on her acquittal, which is looked upon as certain. Lord Derby lias written to Mr Gorst assuring him that To Whcoro's departure from England will not affoct the objects of Iho Maori mission prejudicially. A largo number of country folk are up in town this week for the Cattle Show. The Christmas numbors of all the illustrated papers, &c, are out. The most remarkable is (as was tho case last year) the Paris "Figaro " extra, a superb number, costing 3s 6d in London. A great success has also been achieved by " Yule Tide," a portfolio of six excellent phototypes, originally cost ing Is. None can now be had under 2s. Thore have been no novelties at theatres or other places of amusement during tho week. Everyone is preparing for Christmas. The stceplechasing season has commenced unusually biilliantly. Though the stakes aro small, the fields have been large, and tho sport good, At Sandown Park' Count Kinsley's Kilworth won the Grand Annual, after a good race with Mr Cannon's Jolly Sir John and Mr C. Archer's Dog Fox. The latter is mentioned as likely to carry off the Grand National next March. The death is announced of Macgregor, who won the Two Thousand Guineas of IS7O, and started tho hottest favourite for the Derby ever known, odds of 5 to 2 being laid on him in a field of 10. He ran nowhere, the race being won by Kingcraft (20 to 1), Palmerston second, and Muster third. Mr Merry always believed Macgregor was got at and poisoned. He could nevor be trained afterwards. As a sire the horse proved a failure. A commission of €500 was invested on Paradox for the Derby last Monday at 7 to 1. The "British Australasian" comments vory favourably on Sir Julius Vogel's new financial proposals. George Augustus Sala, who is so soon to bo amongst you, has just issued a volume of vory readablo short stories, entitled, " Dead Men Tell No Tales, but Livo Men Do," as a shilling annual. Those who desire to make acquaintance with his style should buy tho book. It teems over with tit-bits of odd information. Mr Baden Powell read an interesting paper on "National Unity" before the Colonial Institute on Tuesday. Several Anglo-New Zealanders were present. New South Wales has already formally guaranteed its proportion of responsibility in the great exhibition of the year after next. The Prince of Wales is said to bo much pleasod with tho promptness of this colony's roply. An "article of a most gloomy and damaging character has appeared in the " Scots man " about the New Zealand frozen mutton trade. Vesey Stewarts latest venture is " The Year-Book of New Zealand," a descriptive, statistical, and commercial volume, edited by himself, and dedicated to the AgentGeneral. . Somo merino sheep carcases have been sent Home from Australia for comparison with the best English mutton. Ward and Stimpson pronounce the merino mutton far too fat for butchering purposes. Prominent amongst the guests at the Colonial Institute on Tuesday were Sir William Fox, Sir Henry Buckly, Sir Rawson W. Rawson, Sir Richard Temple, and Professor Bonamy Price.

Shipping and Fassengor Notes. The B.s. Doric passod Madeira on Sunday, December 7th, and reached Plymouth on the 12th. She will leave again for Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago on January sth. Great satisfaction prevailed at the London office of the New Zealand Shipping Company when the message announcing the fast passage of the" Kaikoura to Port Chalmers arrived. The New- Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Rimutaka is also very nearly finished. She wilHeave Messrs Elder's yard in the first week of January. She is announced to leave on January 15th, a fortnight before the Tainui. '