AUSTRALIA'S MOTHER.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 97, 11 April 1885, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S MOTHER.

( 'England stands alone without an ally.") "She stands alone ; ally nor friend hath she," Sain Kurppu of our England— her who bore i?rc;d<'m'b own captains, tva'mor-queen who ■\\ ore Th ' glaive of conquest but to make men free. Then out from Summer's homo came o'er thu sea, j By many a coral isle and scented shore. An old-world cry Euoope had heard of yore From Dover cljils : " Keady, aye, ready we!" And England smiled : "Europe forgot "my boysForgot how tall, in yonder golden zone Neath Austral skies, my younneat boys had j grown (Bearing brave swords and bayonets now for toys); Forgot, mid threatening thunders— mainly roise— The sons with whom old England ' Stands alone !"' Theodore Watts, in the " Athenceum."

Tawhiao's Landlady Complain*. Accidently meeting the proprietress of the boarding-house in Montague Place, at which Tawhiao and his chiefs Btayed when in London, I was surprised to find the good lady full of grievances. It seems that during the time the Maori chiefs were her guests Mrs Saintsbury paid out all sorts of expenses on their behalf under the delusion (which she cays Skidmore en courugfd) that either the Colonial Office or the chief a themselves would repay her. When the natives went away Mrs S. pent in her little bill to Mr Fuller, of the Colonial Office, with what result may be imagined. I must say I think it altogether wrong that Mrs S. should have been let in thus. The amount due to her is, she avers, far from trifling. It includes every conceivable item from multitudinous cabs and camagts to burreptitions brandies and sodas, and small suma lent Skidmore. Moreover, poor Mrs S. has not benefited as she expected to benefit, from the fact of having received under her humble roof the Xin (2 of New Zealand. Instead of that monarch's white subjects following his example and flocking to Montague Place when they com© over to England* they

appear, she fancies, rather shy of the locality. This adds insult to injury.- Let me, however, once more assure intending tourists that they will find Mrs Saintsbury's establishment very well-managed and comfortable. It is, indeed, much more like a colonial boarding • house than ordinary London " apartments." The residents all dine together, and are quite a happy family. ,

Personal and General. Amongst the officers going out on the staff to the Soudan are several who made great names in the New Zealand war, Sir John McNeil, V.C., was one of the gallant Camerons most trusted comrades, and absolutely gained his Viotoria Cross in the oolonial campaign by saving the life of one of tho troopers of hia escort. Equally familiar, too, to Northern ears should be the name of that excellent all-round soldier, Sir llichard Greaves. After leaving New Zealand he was Wolseley's right hand in Ashantee, and now he will not improbably resume that coveted position in the Soudan. Mr George Darrell left for Australia by the Orient steamer Garonne last week. His trip to England and appearance in London would have been tolerably successful but for tho unfortunate accident he met with whilst playing in the "Sunny South " at the Grand Theatre, Islington. Darrell is a man who might do fairly well as leading man at one of the cheap East End theatres, where they like " blood and thunder," and plenty of it, but he would have to sacrifice those rotten plays of his own. Jem Mace is now giving exhibition "spars" at the South London Palace Music Hall. He has come down very low. The Queen has approved of the appointment of Mr Harry Marriot AYood house as Consul in Australia and N.Z. for H M. the Shah of Persia. Tho stirring verses, "Advance Australia," by Andrew Lang, which appeared in the " Daily News" of February IC, havo been sot to appropriate music by Mr Angelo A. Asher, and will be sung with the war songs at tho promenade concerts next week. Arthur Clayden's popular " Guide to New Zealand" ' was published last week by Wyman & Sons — a fact which makes me think it must be & private spec, of his own, as this firm seldom mi anything. The book is a readable enough compilation of well-known facts. Mr Claydon has naturally not scrupled to draw largely on the Government Handbook, Consul Griffin's Report, Judge Bathgate's "New Zealand as it is," Brett's Almanac, etc., etc. He usually acknowledges hia indebtedness, so there is nothing to complain of, only one wonders what is the precise raison d'etre of this '• popular " guide. It certainly doesn't tell the intending emigrant anything fresh •r specially usefal. Mr William James Allsup, tho wellknown importer of frozen meat, has been elected a JPello-vv of tLe Colonial Institute Frozen mutton from New Zealand having been introduced into the city of Bath, a number of the local butchers banded themselves together to ' ' boycott " it by selling the best English at a penny per pound less. They had, however, to confess themselves beaten when several of their customers averred a distinct preference for New Zealand mutton, 'and announced their intention of buying it even though it might cost a little more than English meat. The " Iron Trade Circular " of the 14th inst. contained a very ilattering report of tho first annual meeting of the N.Z. Iron and Steel Company at Auckland. The " Circular " thinks the Company havo a prosperous future before them. The Rev. H. T. Dudley, of Brad well, near Derby, delivered a lecture in his church school-room on the 14th iust., on " New Zealand in the Olden Time." Mr Dudley was for some time a missionary in the colony. Brevet Lieut- Colonel Robert de C. Coveny, of the Black Watch, who was killed at the battle of Kirbekan, in tho Soudan, on February 10th, is, or rather was, a son of Mr Kobert Coven y, of Glanworth, N.S.W. Mrg Campbell Praod, whose stories of town and country life in Australia and New Zealand are so popular, has just completed a novel, entitled "Affinities," which will be published immediately by Bentloy. William Horace Lingard, of whom nobody had heard for some time, is, I learn, travelling about the country with Mr Alex. Hendersons " Falka" company. W. H. L. plays the " Burgomaster." Your old friend and Governor, Sir James Ferguson, has just been appointed Knight Grand Commander of the Star of India. " A Journey Due South : Travels in Search of Sunshine, " is the title of George Augustus Sala's new book just published by Vizetelly. It was partly written on his way to Australia. The death is announced of Mr Thomas Kelaey, of Redhill, Surrey, father of Mr Thomas Kelsey, of Christchurch, New Zealand. Mr Frederick Young, the Secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute, read an interesting paper entitled " A Short Sketch of our Colonies " at the Crown Coffeo Palace, Knightsbridge, on Tuesday last. Capt. J. C. 11. Colomb, a perfect enthuaiast on the subject of Imperial Federation, has been delivering addresses in the leading cities of the kingdom urging immediate action. I hear from an American actor who professes to be well up in theatrical matters that Lawrence Barrett has given up the idea of visiting the Australian colonies for tho present.