ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) London, July 13.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 389, 31 July 1889, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) London, July 13.

THE SUPPOSED ESCAPE FROM THE COPTIC. I hear Inspector Rowbotham, the detective who arrested the absconding Abingdon jeweller, Edwardb, at Hobart, and brought him home as far as Rio, where he disappeared, sticks to it that his man committed suicide. He says he had been in very low spirits for some time before, and often talked of jumping overboard. So convinced was Rowbotham of Edwards' death, that he came on in the Coptic instead of forfeiting his passage (as his employers eeem to think he ought to have done), and staying behind in Rio to search for the missing man. The peculiarity of Edwards selecting Rio harbour of all places as the scene of his rash act does not seem to have impressed 'Rowbotham. Strange to say, too, if you mention the "shocking suicide" to the stewards or crew of the Coptic, they unsympathetically wink.

NEW ZEAL ANDERS IN ENGLANDDr. Haines has been over to Paris for a little jaunt, and " did " a bit of the big show. He says it would take weeks to see the whole. Like every other colonist the doctor is horrified by the meagre pettiness of the so-called New Zealand Court — cupboard would be a juster name. Mr W. H. A. Tebbs (son of your Rer. Mr Tebbs) is, I hear, doing extraordinarily well at Westminster Hospital School, where he has up to the present taken every prize he entered for. The youngster's professional enthusiasm is unbounded ; " in fact " (says Dr. Haines, to whom lam indebted for this pleasant bib of news) " when we went to the Oaks together I had to bar 'shop' for^l found let alone Tebbs would balk nothina else." He says, by-the-way, that the ygar he spenb in the Auckland Hospital has proved of the greatest assistance to him here. Captain Le ii J abourel was married on Wednesday to the American heiress I told you of. Mr Comiskey was ab tho wedding. He says the bride is tall, slight, and goodlooking. Dr. Haines and Mr Brett have been elected temporary members of the National Liberal Club. The Coptic, which sailed from Plymouth yesterday, carried an unusually large complement ot passengers. I specially ,note the name of Mr George Seymour, C.E., the well-known mining engineer of the firm of Bain bridge and Seymour, who goes oud to inspect various properties in South Australia and 'Sfew Zealand. Mr Seymour is a gold medalist of the School of Mines, and a man of light and leading in his profession. He is also bon vivcur, bon raconteur et bon camarade. Mr Henry Tollemache, M.P., has returned Home from New Zealand fully restored to health and much impressed. Dr. Murray Moore (late of Auckland) is publishing a work entitled "Nine Years in New Zealand," which Mr Brett and others who have seen the MS. think promises well. It will occupy 250 pages small pica, and contain four or five illustrations. Capb. Ashbys little book on his New Zealand tour is now out, and being very widely circulated. It is optimist enough to satisfy the most hypercritical, and should bring plenty of grist to the mill of W. Ashby and Co. Mr Peacock, M.H.R., who is ab present in Scotland, accompanied the members of the Glasgow Trades House on their annual excursion down the Clyde to Lamlash (Arran) and back. After dinner he was called upon for a speech, and expressed the pleasure -ifc gave him to be back in his native city, and to be privileged once more to enjoy the happiness of renewing auld acquaintance with the beauties of the Firth of Clyde. (Applause.) A strong bond of sympathy existed between New Zealand and the Old Country. The colony had suffered from depression of late like other places, but it had now in a greab measure passed over, and he believed that from its vast seaboard and mineral and pastoral resources a great future was destined for New Zealand. (Applause.) Mr C. H. M. Haughton, of Dunedin, is stopping with friends at Rochester, but makes frequent visits to town.

SPECIAL SETTLEMENT FOR TARANAKI. Mr Courtney, of Taranaki, returns to the colony by the Ruapehu on the 22nd inst., with a special party who ax'e going out under his auspices. He expects to be back again in London in March, when a Land Company, in which he has a large stake, will if possible be floated. Mr Courtney has lectured most energetically on the subject of New Zealand in general, and Taranaki in particular, during his stay in England, and his brochure on the " Garden of New Zealand " is to be found on every railway bookstall. Mr Courtney might,- he thinks, offer a little pecuniary encouragement to special agents like himself who constantly send oui parties of desirable settlers with well-lined pockets.

SIR WALTER BULLER. Sir Walter Buller has gone off in a hurry to Vienna on business connected with the Queen Charlotte's Town Gold Mining Company. The truth is, I fancy, that even with the much-reduced capital the promoters find difficulty in getting sufficient shares taken up, and Sir Walter has betaken himself to Vienna to see if the oracle can't be worked there. If anyone can bring the matter to a successful issue, he will. Sir Walter's absence in Vienna prevented him and Lady Buller from being present at the Marlborough House garden party in honour of the Shah. The Bowenß, Sir F. D. Bell, and other notable AngloColonists were there.

THE COROMANDEL GOLD-MINING COMPANY. Aucklanders will read with interest the following from the report of the above Company's second ordinary meeting, .which took place on Tuesday at Winchester House, Old Broad-street, E.G., Mr W. Molesworth St. Aubyn presiding : — I should like> to call attention to the manager's report. He says : " Palmerston's Shaft has been sunk to the 280 feet level, and the Green Harp vein cut at that depth. A distance of 80 feet has been driven on this lode, and the black reef cut, and the driving has now been continued on the course of that vein towards the cross reef, and when cut it is anticipated that the 180 ft level will be unwatered, so as to permit of operations being continued at that level, and the runs of gold previously worked on followed down. In the meantime operations are in progress towards the Golden Pah portion of the mine ; but not to the extent the directors would like to see, owing to the shortness of capital," It will be noticed that the management recommend working at the cost of about £600 a month, the present operations ilnvolving about £400 a month. Now, if we had been able to send out £600 a month, as we have wished to do, and which we flhould have done had' the shareholders paid up their calls, no doubt the mine would have been in a very much more satisfactory state as regards the proving of it than it is now. Of course we

were unable to send out £600. This, of, course, was no fault of ours. We feel convinced that the greater outlay would have been much cheaper in the long run, as the work would have been completed in a much shorter time. Owing to the causes which the directora have referred to in their report, it has been impossible for the Board to authorise Captain Hodges to carry out his ideas in their entirety. Now I must ask you to consider the present financial position of the Company. Ac the present time we have contracted loans to the extent of £2,000, and a further month's instalment is due next week — that is another £400. Against these sums the available assets of the Company are overdue , calls, which, as I have told you, will realise £2,800. It will, therefore, be seen at once that funds for the further carrying on of the Company's operations are required without delay. Andherelet mesayemphatically that the directors entertain the fullest confidence in the result of the working when further advanced, and that they have not heard as yet one adverse opinion expressed as to the value of the mine. The manner of raising the required capital has been the subject of much anxious deliberation. The inclination of the Board was at first certainly in favour of reconstruction. The views, however, of some of the largest shareholders were more in favour of disposing of Blagrove's Freehold ; and, after discussing the question with them, the directors arrived at the conclusion that on the whole that proposition was preferable, and they recommend the meeting to adopt it. The proposition is to register a new company with a capital of £16,250 in 65,000 shares of 5s each, to purchase Blagrove's Freehold for the sum of £5,000 from the Coromandel Gold Company, and call up not more than 2s 6d per share at present. This will provide £8,125 and suffice to pay the purchase-money and leave £3,000 at least lor the purpose of developing the freehold. The shares in the new company will be offered in the first instance pro rata to the shareholders of the Coromandel Gold Company, and the directors have received so many offers of support that they do not hesitate in advising the members to take up the shares offered them. The property is situated in the midst of the auriterous district, and has so far been onl/prospected fco prove the existence of gold-bearing veins, and, inasmuch as throughout the Coromandel peninsula gold has invariably been found at a shallow depth, it is, at all events, more than probable that the expenditure of only a portion of the capital provided will result in a good discovery. — The directors' report and statement of accounts as circulated were received and adopted. A good deal of discussion took place on some points in the report. The Chairman, in reply, said the direcoors had found, after careful consideration, that £5,000 was a very good price for the property known as Blagroves Freehold. Under the circumstances they did not think they could get any more. A Shareholder : May I ask the extent of the property? The Chairman : 120 acres. A gentleman, who said he was a large shareholder, said he wished it to be understood that his promise to take up the shares only was on condition that the whole amount were taken up. He did not wish to subscribe his money, and then to find that they had not sufficient money for working expenses. Personally he doubted very much whether more than 30,000 shares would be taken up. After further discussion the resolution was carried un»nimo««ly.