ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES BY THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT. LondoN, March 26.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 May 1885, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES BY THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT. Londo N, March 26.

Cambridge Federation League. PiiOi-mson Seelky presided over a great meeting held at Cambridge last Saturday week to fouad a local branch of the Colonial Federation League. The Australian undergraduates attached to Selwyn and other colleges muPtered to a man, and there was a large attendance of University notables. The choice of Professor Seeley as Chairman was a peculiarly happy one, as his remarkable lectures on the ' £xpansion of England " first gave new life and meaning to the colonial question. Mr Forster was the principal speaker during the evening, but in opening the proceedings the Chairman made some cogent remarks. Federation.he explained.was not aggressive. The aggression was in iact done by the first colonists themselves, who unquestionably committed many wrongs on the subject people, though on the whole there can be no doubt that even the domineering type of European civilization is an immense imi provement on the best forms of Government practised by non-Europeans. The long and obstinate wars have assured us the countries our colonists seized. Our fathers may or may not have been right to wage them, but that is not the question. They did wage them, and wage them with conspicuous succobs. They have saved their highly moral descendants from all need of straining their super-subtle consciences by fre3h aggressions. We have but to defend the heritage that is ours, and we can best do po (in Professor Seeley 's judgment) by Imperial Federation. Mr Foreter dealt in some detail with the arguments that have been advanced against the schemo. It has, for instance, been said that abandonment would be the cheapest policy, and should therefore be adopted. Let this noble argument, that England should abandon for money the children that have built up her Empire, be spread broad-cast, said Mr Forster, through the land, and it will do more to strengthen our position than any words could. But the reasoning is false as it is mean. Even if the ledger is henceforth to settle our policy, the ledger itself will point to the same conclusions as love of country and kin. Forty-four per cent of the corn-lands of the world, two sevenths of the coastline of the temperate regions, are under British rule, and will bo one day ruled, if England does her duty, bv the young Prince of Wales (N.B.— Princo Albert Victor was amongst the audience). From these countries we draw much of our food to-day, and we must if wo continue to live and flourish draw more in the future. They are our largest and most profitable customers. Thoy give us bread and they give us the markets that enable us to pay for bread. We cannot separate by mutual consent, and if we separate any other way, the colonies would pass in one form or another under hostile influences. They muft be for us or against us. They are models of loyally and enthusiasm to many slothful Englishmen to day. We have but to dovise a system for permanently utilising tho exuberant youth of our young nations to form the widest, the most potent, and tho most abiding league of peace the world has yet seen. The Rev. Frederick Langbridge dedicates his new book of poems, which is somewhat inappropriately entitled "Sent Back by the Angels," to the memory of hi* late brother Mr W. Hartleet Langbridgo, of the "Bureau," Auckland.

Tho Princo of Wales and tho Colonios. The Anglo-Colonial community in London mustered in great force at tho meeting of the Colonial Institute on the 16th met, when 11. K.H. the Prince of Wales took the chair. The Princes ;jHall, Piccadilly, is one of the largest lecture rooms in the West End, but its spacious auditorium was quite inadequate to accomodate the crowd of Fellows and their ladie3 who desired to be present, <md many had to be turned away. Arriving rather late, 1 seemed likely to share this fate, but the Honorary Secretary opportunely turned up, and with his help 1 was presently able to secure a corner behind the " big- wigs" on the platform. Immediately in front of me sat Prince Albert Victor, who had accompanied his father; and adjacent, in a semi-circle, were ranged the Marquis of Lome. Lord Derby, Lord koaebery, Mr W. E. Forster, M.P , Sir F. Weld, Sir Henry Barkly, Sir Thos. Brassey, and all the Agents-General for the Australasian colonies, rfith the exception of Sir Francis Dillon Bell. The absence of the latter was, no doubt, unavoidable, but many of the New Zealanders present complained about it, as likely to give colour to the slanderous rumours which aver that your colony was unwilling rather than unable to join issue with the Australias and offer troops for .service in the Soudan. The lecturer of this notable occasion was Sir Napier Broome, who gave a fairly inter : esting paper on " Western Australia," a colony of which he predicts great things by-and-bye. The Prince of Wales listened with marked attention, as did Lord Kosebery, but Lord Lome kept shu filing about uneasily, and tho Secretary of Stato for the colonies (Lord Derby), clasping one hand over the other and closing his oyes, as if meditating, slumbered peacefully. The lecture over, a biief discus-ion followed, in which Sir F. Weld, Sir A. Blyth, and Captain Colomb took part. Then the Prince of Wales got on his legs, and, as he usually does, fruid the right thing nicely. After observing that he was isure the vote of thanks which he had to propose would be received with acclamation, he said : •' Everything connected with our qr s j at Colonies,and more especially with our Australian ones, cannot fail to be of interest to the English people. (Cheers.) All we require id to have the facts concerning those distant coloniesbroughtmore prominently before us. Ladies and gentlemen — the colonies think of us scmetime3— cheers- and it is only the other day the gratifying intelligence reached us that our colonies, led by New South Wales, offered to fend troops to assist ours in a far distant land. (Loud cheers ) This in itself shows that they cling to the mother country. Long may that feeling exi3t, and such spontaneous feeling on their pait is, I am sure, most, gratefully received through the length and breadth of our country. (Cheeiu ) I have my&elf not had the groat advantages which my son and his brother have had in visiting these great Australian colonies— (cheers)— where they were so kindly received ; but if it is not possible for me even to visit them, still they may be sure that 1 take a lively interest in their welfare in every sense of the word. I will now call upon you, ladies ard gentlemen, to givo a hearty vote of thanks to Sir F. Napier Broomo for his paper." (< heers.) Sir fl.f 1 . Broome having acknowledged the vote, Lord Itosebery proposed a vote of thanks to His Royal Highness for presiding. He thought it remarkable, having regard to thd fact that Western Australia was* in point of population tho smallest of our Australian colonies, that such a gathering should have been collected. Ten years a&o no such assembly would have met to consider the subject of even the greatest of 'the Australian colonies. Ho believed that « uwva agontan^Quft interest Uad sgxi\ns

up in these colonies quite irrespective of the sympathy, the admiration, and the affection which might have been evoked by their offers of assistance to England in our hour of trial. (Cheers.) It was auspicious for Western Australia that at this early moment of its existence it should have 1 called Bis Royal Highness to the chair on 1 this occasion, and that ho was accompanied by his son, who had visited the colony (cheors)-in whom, as in the Prince of Wales, they hopefully saw the continuance and future of the empire (cheers). The Prince of Wales, in reply, said the Royal Colonial Institute ought to be grateful that so large and distinguished an assembly should have been present, and he hoped that on future occasions other papers on matters connected with the colonies might be read. All those in these far distant lands might rest assured that he took a deep intere3t in everything that concerned them (cheers). Amongst the Anglo-New Zealauders present, I noticed Mr and Mrs Arthur Ciayden, Mr and Mrs James Farmer, Mr and Mrs T. Purvis Russell, Mr Chae. Taylor, Mr Leonard Tripp, Mr W. J. Steele, Mr Geo. Vesey Stewart and his son. Mr H. R. Russell, Mr G. W. Rusden, Mr Louia Nathan, Mr Richard Laishloy, jun , Mr Douglas McLean, Mr Labilliere, Capt. and Mrs Craigie-Halkett, Sir Chas. Clifford, Mr and Mrs T. E. Elder, Mr J. L. Conter. Mr David Clarkson, Mr Geo. Cowie, Sir John Coode, Mr and Mrs Alex. Sclanders and Miss S., Mr Owen Jones, and Mr W. Woods.

Scene on a Troop-ship. A row, which approximately resembled a mutiny, occurred on board the Australian troop-ship Tamar whilst calling at Malta on her homeward voyage. Thi3 vessel brings, as you are no doubt aware, a number of I naval prisoners from the Australian squadron, who have to undergo various terms of imprisonment on their arrival. These fellows managed to obtain some spirits which had been brought off from the shore, and then made a desperate attempt to escape by swimming for the land. The h'ret man who jumped overboard wan followed by a gailor, who tried to bring him Kant- hnf the nrisoner threatened him with a knife if he did not keep off. '1 he seaman, however, stuck to him till they were both picked up by a boat. Two other prisoner?, perfectly naked, jumped through a port and made for the shore, but did not get far. The ringleaders were afterwards confined in cells, while the other prisoners were lemoved to another part of the ship. Hero they behaved in a mo3t scandalous way, singing and swearing and trying: to break through the cell doors. At length the captain, tearing violence, signalled to H.M.c. Alexandra lor assistance, and several ship's corporals were sent on board, who clapped the noisiest mon in irons and otherwise put things right.

Emigration. The Rev. A. Sbyleman Herring, Vicar of Sf . Paul's, Clerkenwell, who is an enthusiast on the subject of emigration, and who has assisted hundreds of poor folks to happier homes at the antipodes, writes urging the revival of the emigration department at the Colonial Office in consequence of the new attitude of the colonies. After caieful inquiries he finds that none of the Australian Colonies, save M.S.W., are now offering assisted passages. Practically the colonials a»*e excluding direct emigration and substituting nomination by colonists of their friendn in Great' Britain. The remedy he thinks is Imperial — " State* | aided and directed emigration " The new Archbishop of Canteibuvy has just issued a circular urging the clergy to assist, with judicious counsel and help, all intending emigrants. It is, ho confciders-, no business of the Church to actually promote emigration, but the clergy are bound to advise and help to the utmost of their ability all who resolve to seek a new life in a new land.

Tawhiao's Bust At the invitation of Mr Cbesson, of the Colonial Institute, I yesterday prid a visit to the studio of Mr Sheldon, to inspect the bust of Tawhiao, vhich is to be exhibited at the forthcoming show of the Royal Academy. It ha3 been executed in bronze, and in, without doubt, a great success, being a capital likeness and a highly artistic work. Special interest attaches to the bust from a sculptor's point of view, owing to its being one of the first in which an attempt has been made to reproduce the peculiar effects of tatooingf. Tawhaio's face without tattoo marks would, it is needless to say, have been simply unrecognisable, and yet Mr Sheldon tound it extraordinarily difficult to transfer to bronze the precise effect on the skin of the elaborate scorings. M"* Boehm, the famous sculptor, found himself laced with a similar obstacle once when making a bust of Gluck, the composer, whose countenance was, deeply pitted with small-pox marks. To have left them out would have been to have spoiled the portrait : to reproduce them was most difficult. I hear that Mr Kerry Nicholls has in preparation a volume descriptive ot his travels in the Southern Pacific, including the now much talked-about Samoa. A fourth edition of the "King Country" is announced, with an additional chapter. Mr JSicholls has, one of his friends told me, made upwards of £1,000 out oE his book. The Auetralian-owned horse Tonans, who won the Lincolnshire Handicap last spring, and was somewhat fancied for the same event this year, has been scratched. The two decisive defeats inflicted on Shaw's Eleven by the United Australian team have done much to levive the warning belief of English sport&men in the superexcellence ol colonial ciicketers. Some, however, declare success had made the Englishmen careless, and that the matches do not therefore go for much.