ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (Via Brindisi) (From Our London Correspondent.)

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (Via Brindisi ) (From Our London Correspondent.)

London, January 7. Lord Calrns's Visit to the Colonies. Lord Oairns, known to his pale as "Gumboil," and to the public as the " Maahing Earl," leaves London to day on a prolonged tour through Australia and Now Zealand. He will take the overland route to Cairo, and join the Cuzco afc Suez ; consequently you may expect to ccc His Lordship in the flesh soon after perusing tbeee lines The young man was very popular when he travel led in India, subsequent to the Fottesi-ue esclandre, and will doubtless be received with open anna at the antipodes by all who love lords and notorieties. It is a mistake to suppose he is altogether a fool. I met him years ago touring in Bavaria with a strongly evangelical tutor, and thought him rather a nico boy. As Lord G irmoyle, he unfortunately mado a hoiribie mess of things : First, got mixed up with a theatrical eet, and then in a weak moment proposed to Mies Forttscue. His fuend* aver, aud 1 believe truly, that he never really cared for the actrej3. At fir-t the social rumpus the engagfenaent made tickled his vanity, and nothing ploufed his lordship bettor than to be a- en in a private box at a theatre or some such place with Ins inamorata. When, however, it was intimated to him that if heruanied Mies F. his wife could not be received ac Court, and he found himself being snubbed by pociety, the young Vs«xmnt wisely took paiental advice and jilted Mias H\ Of the breach of promise ease which followed, and all that came of it, you ol couise know. Garmoyle betook himself to India, where (as I have said) he made many friendo. People are, indeed, very generally ready to overlook mashing proclivities in a young swell possessing good looks and plemsanfc maunere. Women seem to find His Lordship irresistible, especially when they k^ow him. People had har Jly forgotten the Fortescue affair, before it was announced th.it Lord Cairns was fiance to Miss Grant, an American heiress, and the bello uf the Monaco seaHou. The pair were inseparable for a time, and then Miss Grant incontinently broke off the engagement. Why, no one kuows to thia day. The Prince of Wales fixed up the rupture, and so admirably that the tecret (if there was oae) never leaked out. His Royal Highness recommended the Earl to toe oil" on the Australian tour immediately after this contretemps, but the advice was nut taken. His Lordahip showed himself by i no means inconsolable, and in company with Viscount Grey de Wilton and other kiudred spirits spent the season cheerfully enough. At one time (just after hw father's doach) tho i.arl suffered from a spasm of conscience, m the throes of whicn he thought he would tjo in for politics and live a useful and busy life. Tho Duke ot Richmond appoiutedhimhidprivareBecietary,and the papers prophesied that, the young lord's " wild oats" sown, he would (iike many another) develop into a. hard-working legislator But very little uork sufficed to disgust the volatile earl with politico. He is not built that way, and he is again on the move. It may be said, however, the earl, with aU his little foibles, is a thorough gentleman.

The Imperial Institute. A frantic attempt ia to be made next woek to rouse provincial interest in the Impei ial Institute. The Prince of Wales will preside over a meeting for the furtherance of the scheme at St. James's Palace at noon on Wednesday, vo \~luch the whole of the Lords-Lieutenant, Mayors, Provos(s, and Chairmen of the local government authorities in the United Kingdom have been invited to attend. In the afternoon of the same day the Lord Mayor will preside over a lurge meeting, with similar objtcta, at the Maneion House ; and there is also to be a big city reception in connection with the affair. The appointment of Sir Saul Samuel to represent Australasia on the Prince of Wale •''s Committee for the Institute at first caueed some little surprise, an Sir F D. Bell is senior Agent-General ot the Australasian group of colonies, a i Sir A Blyt,h of the Australian. It soo however, transpired thai) Sir S Samuv had been eeleeted as representative of the senior or mother colony. Sir A. Blyth is not at all hurt at being passed over. He agrees that the Agent-General for N.S.W. is the proper man for the poet.

Sir F. D. Bell's Opinion. I saw Sir Francis Bell on Wednesday afternoon, and he expresped his peitonal eacisf action with the appointment of Sir Saul Samuel to represent Australasia on the Prince's Committee. I thought, however, from his tone rather than from anything he said, that he didn't think the selection exactly complimentary to JS'ew Zealand, which, it might easily be argued, is entitled to separate representation distinct from Australia. Sir Francis h»s always been of opinion that the proposed Australian donation of £20,000 was very aha by from a community which raises £25,000,000 by taxation.

Ova for New Zealand. There has been a vigorous netting of Scotch lakes and rivers during the month of December under the general superintendence of Sir James Maitland, with the result that a stupendous mass of ova has been got together for shipment to New Zealand. The total collected is 600,000, of which one-third will be shipped thie week, another third in a month's time, and the balance about the middle of next month.

The Prince of Wales and the Institute. The Prince of Wales is very sanguine of the result of next Wednesday's meetings, aforementioned. In event, however, of their failing to open the provincial pureestrings, Hl3 Royal Highness ta prepared to make a personal appeal to various rich friends and acquaintances. Nothing, he pledges his word, shall prevent the Institute being a huge success, if he can make it one. Sir Graham Berry is of opinion that the Federal Council should have been consulted as to the appointment ot an Australasian representative on the Prince's Committee.

Adelaide Exhibition. The applications for space at Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition cloeed on January 1, when there were 579 applicants for 67,704 ft, for which £261,805 was received in payment. Since January 1, 35 applications have come in for a total of 1,480 ft, for which £71 10s wa3 remitted. Probably, all the applicants will got allot meats.

The New Orient Liner, The last new addition to tbe Orient line, the Ormuz, a magnificent steamship of 6,116 tons and 8,500 h.p., has arrived at Tilbury, and is taking in Btores at the new dockß preparatory to sailing on February 3. A triul trip was made on tha Clyde by the Ormuz, and the epeed attained was IS knots an hour. The dimensions of the Ormutf are :— Length, 482 feet ; breadth, 52 feet; depth moulded, 37 feeb; grosa tonnage, about 6,500.

The American Mails The New Yotk "Journal ot Commerce' Jias been investigating the average paseatjea of tho crack Atlantic linera. *Rom its columns I gather that the faßtest of all is the

Etruria, the average speed of -which lor the year hae exceeded 17 knots an hour. The following average 16 knots : The Ounard'a Uinbria ; Guion'e Alaska ; Anchor's City of Rome ; Nor'h German* Travt, daale, Em?, Fu]da, «ad Werra ; und tho French liuem Burgoyne, Champagne, and Gascoigne. ji will be Been from this that the North Gerunan I loyda have far' the largest proportion oi fact Boats. Only fourCunarders, tho h,*T\\ ia, Umbria, Servia ami Aurania.outof a iltfct of 26, average over ]5 knots an hour, awj ijodo ot the White Star boats come up ~o lain even.

Postscript. Ibe transference or Mr Stanhope from ?ru V'Olonwl to the War Office, announced fm< ifcoruing, ia deeply deplored in AngloCo' 'Uial circles JHe tp the first Colonial Sec/caiy for years who ha« had tho pluck to pooh-pooh the ledtupe routine and old noiui Conservatism of Sir Robert Herbert, aau tho permanent official to initiate new nrjveti of bis own uetii- Admiral Fairfax, CB, vho has betn to succeed Kear-Admiral Tryon at? Commodore ot the Australian Station, is a very distinguished officer, but u stickler tor forinr, and something of a martinet. F.W xvl , writing to the " Times " from Oslord, uuggobts that n number of iectureferjipH should be founded in connection with tr*t> Jujperial Insurute. j'lr Arthur Clayden, eretrrhile immigratioc ajient, and a resident of Nelson, JN Z., in me jatesfc contributor to the State-aided emijjrution di?cusBion. Tfctiro has been a rise of 3d per &tone on JS" r .L. inuttoq bince January lit, and there is e^eiy prospect of a still further advance. Oompuriug prices with thofe ruling in JaiiiMw, 1380, there ia a difference of 4d per Btoue, M.Z. mutton now being quoted at 2t? ]0J to 3d, op against oa to lie 4d. In January, 18SG, however, the stocks on hand v.ere exceptionally light, whereaß now they are lifcrtvy. Tj,« Orient, mailing to-day, carries the 101 l j'vjug through pascengers for Auckland : — Mr uuii MrsT. Hi. Cracknell, MibrtWebb, Me^rs E. W. Thwaitep, H. F. Row, and A. J-lentv.