ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM STAR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 175, 23 October 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM STAR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

Londox, September 9. A Mr P. S. Lamas has discovered that Englishmen oan no longer bcJast of being the biggest beef -eaters in the world, Australians now top the record. According to the economist's computation the annual consumption of beef in Europe amounts to 451b per head of the population in the year. The Australians consume 1501b per man, the Americans 1301b, while the other great Continent of Argentine (from which Mr Lamas hails) eats level with Australia. The planters of Fiji have rewarded the 11 Hon." James Mason for his efforts in collecting subscriptions on behalf of the sufferers by the hurricane of March last with "a flea-in-hia-ear." They declare he had no right to degrade the colony by " taking round the hat," and have ordered all subscriptions to be returned. Mr Bland Holt has purchased the Australian rights of the highly successful racing drama, " A Run of Luck," produced last week at Drury Lane. Alice Lingard will not, after all, re-visit Australia next year. She has sold *be colonial rights of "Sieter Mary" to J. C. Williamson. The Rev Percy Ousts, son-in-law of Sir W. Jervois, is on hia way out to Wellington. Walter Read may, after all, join Lillywhite's team for the colonieg. Jf he should decide to go, the team will consist of Shaw, Shrewsbury, Scotton, Barnes, Flowers, Gunn, Sherwin, Bates, Barlow* Lohmann, Briggs, Maurice Read, and Lillywhite. Geo. Vesaey Stewart sends the " Times" this morning a letter addressed to him by the Hon.J. Macandrew, in which the latter describes the bock of land at Waikana set apart for the Crofter emigrants. The inevitable Kerry Nicholls ie also to the fore in the "Time?" again with an analysis of the volcanic dust distributed by the recent eruptions in New Zealand. Mr J. A. Pond i« Kerry's authority. It i 9 only fair to the compiler of Zadkiel's Almanac to point out that in his edition for 1885 at p 71 the man prophesied that ISB6 would be signalised by a series of great earthquakes. Considering that there have already been earthquakes in New Zealand, Greece, Spain, America, and (very slightly) in England, this was not such a bad guess. The "Pall Mall Gazette" says an infringement by France of the contravention of 1873 (auch as the annexation of the New Hebrides) would be a clear ccmts belli. That, however, is of course mere jingo non&euse. If the French insist on keeping the islands to themselves there will be a good deal of tall talk possibly, but nothing more. The Colonial Office would have gladly handed them over long ago in consideration of a distinct promise that the exportation of recidivists to the Pacific should cease, and (as I have already hinted elsewhere) Sir R. Herbert and his subordinates have no patience with Sir G. Berry's " worriting."

Visit of the Australian Cricketers to New Zealand. •'The Australian cricketers," says the " Pall Mall Gazette," " are thoroughly de moralised, and their home - going will scarcely be the occasion of an ovation or even of a banquet. No ; they return with their tails between their legs beaten all roußd." This criticism is severe, but not on the whole undeserved. It is sincerely to be hoped we shall never again have to chronicle such an ignominious collapse on the part of a colonial eleven. The team, with the exception of Spofforth, Garrett, and Mcllwraith, sail for New Zealand by the Arawa on Oct. 7th, and are to play matches at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, reaching Sydney in time to meet Shaw and Shrewsbury's eleven on Boxing Day. Mr Spofforth will be married on the 24th of this month, and will sail with his wife, Mr and Mrs Garrett, and Mr and Mrs Mcllwraith by the new Orient liner Orizaba on Sept. 30th. These "three men will pick up the rest of the team (and the Arawa) at Hobart Town. The announcement that exhibitions are io be held in Sydney in ISBS, and Auckland in 1890 will materially benefit the coming show at Adelaide. Many tradesmen, etc., who would not have cared to' Bend valuable exhibits to South Australia alone will gladly do so now there is a prospect of their being shown also at New South Wales and New Zealand.

Sir Arthur Gordon and Mr Bryce. Inspired, no doubt, by the sense of injury which makes nearly all unfortunate M.Jf.'s detained in town during the present sultry weather long to " make things warm for somebody," Mr Cobb last week revived the paintul charges against Sir Arthur Gordon disclosed during the trial of Bryce v. Rusden. If the member for Rugby expected to do more than temporarily redirect public attention to an exceedingly unpleasant matter, he must be somewhat disappointed. Sir Arthur's " own familiar friend," Mr Gladstone, may no longer be Premier, but another old comrade—to wit, Sir Robert Herbert—is still permanent " boss " at the Colonial Office, and well able to look after your ex-Governor's interests. Nevertheless, those capable of reading between the linis of an official reply will doubtless draw certain inferences from Mr Stanhope's guarded answers the other day. It seems, though-Lord Granville considered it unnecessary to call formally on Sir A. Gordon for an explanation with regard to his alleged dishonourable conduct towards Mr Bryce, the latter felt it absolutely imperative to supply one. Whether the said explanation patisfied the Colonial Office or not, we are, left in doubt. The presumption is it did not, as, if Sir Arthur's answers to the charges had seemed conclusive to his friendp, they would readily enough have published them* Instead ot that, however, the Department declines all information on the point. 'Sir Arthur's statement was sup: plied; for the benefit of Ministers only, and (one can readily comprehend the fact) wouldn't look well in the form of a Parliamentary paper. The Bubjecf is not to be re-opened, <.*•,' 'On the whole, Mr Bryco can afford to ,'sirile. , Sir, Arthur has a defence (so his friends say),bu,t .'tis not of 'the sort that will bear the light of day: ■ Perhaps if we could

penetrate between the leaves of Sir R. Herberts private letter book wo should find that His Excellency Sir A. Gordon did not pull through the affair without a sharpish official rap over the knuckles. It will certainly tell against him,too,in future, more especially if the Conservatives remain long in office. J

Gossip About the Sculling Championship. I cent you separately a full account of the races for the sculling championship last week. Beach went down to Ramsgate directly afterwards, and spent a few days quietly by the sea, but is now in, training again ior his tussle with Gaudaur. The latter professes to be in no way daunted by his rival's successes, which he declares ht fully anticipated. Boas and Teemer are, however, fully convinced that they were beaten by a better man, and openly pronounce Beach a phenomenon. Hanlan's offer to meet Beach again is looked upon aa the merest bluster, as he knows perfectly well that under no circumstances whatever would the Australian continue is training much longer. Goseipers about last week's doings aver that Matterson's victory over Rosa was gained solely by the former's superior condition, and must not be conaidered conclusive. Boss had the foot of the colonial for fully three-quarters of the distance, and was winning easily, when he collapsed* Beach's friends have not captured as much coin as they expected, though they backed the champion for every penny that could be got on. Nominally, 3to 1 was laid on Beach for the final heat; in reality twice the oddb wouldn't have persuaded anyone to deal. The race itself seems to have been a hollow affair indeed. The real sensation of the day was the accident to the press launch, which well nigh resulted in eundry notable sporting reporters being prematurely translated to "kingdom come." A good deal of fun has been made out of the affair, but I am told by a gentleman who was present that the situation at the time seemed the reverse of humourous, and that the party on board were thoroughly well scared.