ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND "STAR'S" LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ] (Via Brindisi and Sydney.) London, March 6.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 3

ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ] (Via Brindisi and Sydney.) London, March 6.

Personal and General. The Hon. Mr Gisborne, who is well-known throughout New Zealand, takes an active interest in the question of Imperial federation, and is one of the most hard-working members of the newly-formed League In company with Capt. J. C. R. Colomb Mr F. F. Labilliore, and other enthusiasts, ho has been addressing public meetings ir the various metropolitan suburbs, and in several provincial cities, indicating the object of Imperial federation, and urging the formation of local branchos of the League. In tho March number of " Longman's Magazine," Mr Arthur Keyser, whose name will be familiar to Colonial pressmen, describes with considerable vivacity the circumstances attending tho hoisting of the Union Jack in New Guinea. The article is worth reading. Mr Anderson, who has just been appointed the Master of tho Melbourne Mint, is the Member of Parliament who was responsible for the Act which put an end to ready-money betting in England. He is a very strict Scotch Presbyterian, and strongly opposed to sport of every kind You will nave heard by cable that a permanent Gorman Australian naval squadron is in course of formation, and will sail shortly. It consists of the frigate Stosch, the corvette Marie, the cruiser Albatross, and the gunboat Hy*ne. A crowded and enthusiastic audience, which greeted all the familiar points of "Jo" with appreciative applause, assembled at the Strand Theatre last Saturday evening to greet Jennie Leo on her return from the Colonies. Tho old piece went as well as ever, and will, I have no doubt, run an- | other 100 nights at the Strand. Mr Alex. D. McArthur, son of Mr Alex. McArthur, M.P., was married to Miss Georgina Christie, daughter of Mr Robert K. Christie, of Kilburn, at St. Mark's, Hamilton Terrace, on the 17th inst. The New Zealand mail, via San Francisco, which left Auckland on February Cth, arrived in New YTork la«t Saturday morning, and being within two hours transferred to the R.M.S. Britannic, is expected to reach London on Monday next, only thirtythree days from tho colony. Thanks to physical strength of the Australians and New Zealanders, who form so large a proportion of the students, Selwyn College, Cambridge, ia taking a good place on tho river this year. At the Lent Races, last week, Selwyn made a bump every day. "Punch" would like to know whether Lord Derby does really mean to meet the patriotic enthusiasm of our colonies with a chilly douche of unsympathetic dawdling, ending with a practical " declined with thanks." If so, declares the representative comic journal, his characteristic administration of cold water to "my boys," will get him into hot water with Mr Punch, who is proud, and with the English people, who are fond of them.

Always the same Derby, my own ; Always the same, and as cold as a stone. But if ho offers a stone of official callousness instead of the bread of sympathetic thanks to our our boys in Australia and elsewhere, Mr Punch prophesies that we shall soon " lose the Derby " which, though a prodigious misfortune, of course, would bo a far less one than failing to win the blue ribar d— or in other words, the affection and confidence of the British race beyond the seas, Sir Francis Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., and Sir Saul Samuel, attended the levee held at St. James's Palace by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on Monday, March 2nd. The Orient liner Austral has made a phenomenal run from Adelaide to Suez, at which port she arrived no less than six days before she was due. There wa3 a steady demand for kauri gum at the sales last woek, especially for the better gums, which brought full rates. Out of 3,820 cuses offered, 2,400 were sold. William Binnio and Co advertise that there is a continued strong demand for well dressed qualities of Now Zealand hemp, which, being very scarce, arc eagerly competed for. Professor Strong, of University College, London, lectured to the St. James's Literary Society at Birkenhead on March 3. His subject was " The Australian Colonies as a Field for the Emigration of Energetic Young Men." Mr Andrew LoarmonthJJhas subscribed £1,000, and Mr Donald Larnach, Mr Thomas Holb, and Sir Goorge Macleay £500 each, to the N.SAV. Patriotic Fund. Sir Saul Samuel givc3 £100. Mr J. O. Williamson leaves for Australia, via the States and 'Frisco, immediately after the production of Gilbert and Sullivan's new opora at the Savoy on the I2bh inst, He hopes to pick up Boucicault en ?-ouie.

Shipping and Passenger Notes. Miss Morris is a passenger for Dunedin by the P. and 0. steamer Sutlej to day. Mr H. Hoare will be a through passenger for Lyttelton by the P. and 0. Clyde on March 26th. Mr and Mrs A. H. Fisher and party are through passongors for Auckland by the Orient liner Lusitania sailing to-day.

The Absconding Bankrupt, Townshend. —Ho Attempts Suicide. Mr George Townshend, of Birstall, a Leicestershire gentleman of considerable landed property, was arrested on board the Coptic the other day just as that vessel was on the point of sailing off fot Auckland, New Zealand. He had a bankruptcy petition filed against him the previous week,on the ground that ho had left his residence and was about to proceed to New Zealand. Immediately afterwards a warrant was issued against Mr Townshend, on tho ground chat he had taken passages on board the Coptic, not only for himself and hia wife and family under assumed names, but also for several friends and relations, besides taking out a very large quantity of goods. Two constables boarded the Coptic at Plymouth, and found prisoner's wife, children, and friends. Just as the vessel was About to leave Plymouth.

i Sound a small boat approached, and was - found to contain Mr Townshend. The p officers arrested him amidst some excite- • raent. His friends at once handed out a I large sura of money to clear his liabilities, i but the officers, whilst taking the money , told the debtor he must go back to Leicester. i When about a mile from the shore, Mr Townshend made a deliberate attempt to > commit suicide by throwing himself over- ; board. Afterwards, howeyor, he expressed regret for the act, and said he thought he had quite sufficient surplus at his real i estates to satisfy his creditors. MrTowns- : hend is now in gaol. When his affairs are arranged he will carry out his intention of emigrating to New Zealand. What a boon j such a man will be to the colonial tradesmen ! All the goods shipped on the Coptic have been stopped, and will be brought back to England unless Townshend can appease his creditors without them.

Accident to a New Zealand Vessel. The barque Braemar, 1,030 tons, which left Glasgow for Port Chalmers, New Zealand, on the 20th February, was dismasted, and narrowly escaped foundering in the series of gales which prevailed with such extraordinary violence in the Irish Channel last week. The Braemar sailed from Greenock on Friday morning under the command of Captain John Caw, and carrying twenty passengers and a general cargo. On the following day she encountered a terrific gale off Tory Isle, which carried away tho main mast. At five o'clock on Sunday morning the foretop gallant, mast was blown to pieces, and the wreckage kept smashing against the side with frightful violence, but was cut away in tho aft. The spankor-gaff was also carried away, and in its fall destroyod the saloon skylight and injured the Captain, the second oilicer and the man at the wheel. During all this iimo tho unfortunate vessol was at the mercy of wind and wavos, and driving rapidly northwards. On Wednesday ovening, whilst oft the Butt of Lewis light, the captain spoke a crew of fishermen, but they were afraid to come alongside owing to tho heavy sea running and the wreckage. Next day another fierce gale sprang up, and tho Braemar, forced to run before it, made Cape Wrath light. On Friday the wind moderated, and tho vessel tacked for Lowisland, which was made- at seven on Saturday morning. Off Jumpan Head a crOvV of fishermen ■nho were setting long lines went on board. Owing to the fearful experiences of the week, captain, officers, and crew wore quite cxhaustod, and vory glad of their help On Saturday afternoon a tug towod the disabled vessel into Stornaway Harbour, whonce she was subsequently returned to Glasgow. Tho passengers speak in the highest terms of the courage, g:od temper, and endurance displayed by Captain Caw and his officers during this fearful week. At tho most trying times they never forgot to re-assure the women and children, adn see to their having such comforts as were possible. The Braemar is a ve3sel of 1,03 d ton.s register, built in Dumbarton, and was on her maiden voyage. Her owners aro Messrs Thompson, Dickie, and Co., of Glasgow.

Ashbys Special Party. Captain William Ashby, the well-known shipping and passenger agent, ia busily engaged endeavouring to promote a email special party of promising emigrants to fake up between them his block of land in the Kaipara, near Auckland. The advantages of the site, the fertility of the country, and the beauties of the scenery are glowingly dwelt on in an attractive little hand-bill the indefatigable captain has sown broadcast in promising districts, and so far the results have been most oncouraging. The party when complete will consist of about IUO persons, who are to be sent out by special arrangement por sailing ship The Captain is as likely as any man I know to carry through a scheme of this .sort successfully. His capacity for "blarnoying " pcoplo into business is unlimited Auckland folks have special causo to know this, for ho has talked over scores of emigrants who first of all meant to settle in Victoria, in New South Wales, or in cheerless, windy Wellington, into giving the preference to North New Zealand.

Salmon Ova for Chrlstchurch. Mr. S. C. Farr returned from Scotland about a fortnight ago, but has unforfcunatoly been ablo to go nowhere owing to a bad attack of sciatica, the result of exposuro whilst searching for salmon ova Mr Farr has, however, succeeded in procuring a large quantity of very fine oggs of the most delicately flavoured fish, and sails with thorn per Kaikoura.

Frozen Mutton] Market. ( lam glad to report an improvement in _ the price of frozen mutton in tho motro- * politan market. On Tuesday some of the ' beat carcases brought by the Tongariro ' made s£d per lb., but tho rate 3 have fallen slightly. l