ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) London, July 25.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 402, 14 September 1889, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) London, July 25.

LORD LORNE AND THE GOVERNORSHIP OF VICTORIA. It is Punchinello's secret that Lord Lome is bitterly chagrined at being unable to accept the Governorship of Victoria. He wanted the work, he wanted the salary, and he likes the unconventional character of the best class of Australians, and thought he would be a success amongst them. Unfortunately, the Princess Louise could not be persuaded to fancy the idea. Womanlike, as soon as one objection was overcome she started another, and finally fell back on that impregnable feminine bulwark — ill-health. Lord Lome succeeded so far as to persuade H.R.H. to confer with Lady Bowen and Lady Robinson, and after hearing what they had to say about colonial society and a Governor's wife's duties in Australia, the Princess seemed half inclined to yield. Unluckily, at this crisis the Queen put in her oar, and settled the question. She never likes any of her children to go far away, and it was only with great reluctance the old lwdy consented to Lord Knutsford offering the post to Lord Lome. When she found Princess Louise against living in Melbourne Her Majesty promptly told her son-in-law he must refuse the appointment. Lord Hopetoun, to whom the Governorship was (by the Queen's request) then offered, and who has accepted it, is, like Lord Kintore and Lord Onslow, persona grata at Court. He has not the administrative experience of the latter, nor the natural ability as a speaker of the former, but he is richer than either. In public life so far Lord Hopetoun has (if one excepts the fact of his being a Lord-in- Waiting) taken butlittlepart. He speaks occasionally in the Lordson Scotch and Church questions, and is a good sound Tory. Amongst their tenantry both the Earl and' his wife are almost as popular as the Kintores, and it would be difficult to say more. The Countess, who is only 22 years of age and a very charming woman, is a daughter of Lord Ventry, an Irish peer of whom one hears little, and has eight brothers and sisters. Her eldest sister married the Marquis of Conyngham, and another is the wife of Captain Alexander Fuller-Acton-Hood, of the Guards. Lord Hopetoun's respect for "the bawbees" is less marked than that of most northern noblemen, as may be gathered from the fact that he was the only Scotch peer residing within reach of Edinburgh who would consent to go to the trouble and expense of receiving H.I.M. the Shah. In all essential respects, Lord Hopetoun seems, indeed, an ideal Governor for a colony like Victoria, though Australians as a rule would, doubtless, have preferred Lord Lome. Sir Graham Berry is in Paris, so I have not been able to ascertain what he thinks about the appointment, but Sir A. Blyth appears much pleased.

IMPERIAL FEDERATION. From the fact that the Agents-Genera are invited to a meeting of the Committee of the Imperial Federation League at Lord Rosebery's house, on Friday afternoon (fancy fixing on such a time as two o'clock on mail day), it is conjectured that the Government have declined to entortain Sir Chas. Tupper's notable proposition for an Imperial and Colonial Congress to discuss the possibilities of federation and ways and means for strengthening " the bonds which conjoin this great empire."

A DUNE DIN VISITOR. Mr R. Hudson, of Dunedin, called on me on Tuesday. He had been in England about a week, and was on the point of leaving for Paris, where he proposes to make a stay of some months, "doing" the Exhibition and studying Socialism. I promised, when he returns to London in November, to introduce him to Wm. Morris, Belford Dax, and some of the London Socialists. Curiously enough, a namesake of his (the proprietor of the much-advertised " Hudson's Soap") is an enthusiastic social democrat. During his stay in Paris Mr R. Hudson will buy a quantity of new machinery for his works in Dunedin, which he proposes in time to make equal to the largest chocolate and cocoa factories on the Continent.

THE AGENT-GENERAL. Sir F. D. Bell is back in London, and will not return to Paris till the close of the Exhibition. He has issued a neat little descriptive catalogue of the exhibits in the New Zealand court. Mr Walker, the Victorian Commissioner (whose wife's weekly receptions at the Kiosk have formed a delightful rendezvous for Australians and New Zealandersin Paris), has gone for a holiday, and has been replaced by Sir Graham Berry.

SIR WALTER BULLER. When Sir W. Bullerhas gob the affairs of the Blue Spur Company and the New Zealand Antimony Co. into satisfactory trim he proposes to resign the Chairmanship of both and return to New Zealand, where urgent private affairs require his early attention. What these private affairs are I haven't a notion, but it would not greatly surprise me to learn that he meditated entering public life in the colony. Unquestionably, however, he has received some communication by a recent mail from New Zealand which has induced him to entirely revise his plans. The Chairmanship of the Blue Spur will, in all probability, devolve on the new director, Mr J. T. Haughton (no relation to Mr C. E. Maillard Haughton, of Dunedin), who ia one of The largest London shareholders. Sir Walter will be accompanied to New Zealand by Lady and Miss Buller, but bis sons remain in England. Whilst on the Continent at Vienna and Buda-Pesth this lasc few weeks Sir Walter has been busy financing the Queen Charlotte's Town Gold Mining Company. He found time, however, on his way home to attend the Anthropological Congress at Berlin, and also obliged the German Ethnological Museum folks by arranging their New Zealand exhibits for them, which are of great value, and date back to Cook's time. News from the colony to the effect that a large consignment of the new edition of " Buller's Birds of New Zealand," destined for North Island subscribers, had gone down in the Maitai off Mercury Island, has already driven up the price of remaining copie3 from two to three guineas.

BENZON'S BOOK. I interviewed little Trischler yesterday anenb Benzon's book, and tried to arrange terms for an advance copy, but hiß notions of the value of his work are so exceesive, not to say exorbitant, that we failed to come to terms. He says the "Pall Mall Gazette " is paying him fifty guineas tor the privilege of getting a copy of the book and being allowed to make a two column precis before any of its contemporaries. Benzon devotes three chapters to his Australian trip which cost, he declares, £69,000. There are also chapters on "My Minority," "Coming of Age," "Racing Experiences," "My Mentors,'' "Bookmakers," "Gambling Experiences," "Money-Len-ders," " Monte Carlo," " Pigeon Shooting" (including full particulars of the famous " ramp " at Brighton), " London Tradesmen " and "Retrospect." Trischler says

the book brims with interest. One chapter alone on the Bond-street tradesmen, will hedeclares, let light on a number of strange customs.

THE LATE R. A. PROCTOR. The many friends of R. A. Proctor in Australia and New Zealand will Jearn with regret that his widow has not been able to keep his splendid astronomical and general library from the auctioneer. Mrs Proctor, who is herself an extraordinarily clever and capable woman, means to follow in her husband's footsteps and {jive public lectures. She will commence in America, and if successful make a tour of the world, visiting all the places where R. A. Proctor lectured.

CAPTAIN ASHBYS BOOK. Captain Ashbys book has beon very favourably reviewed. Only 550 copies were printed, which have all been disposed of. Numerous applications for copies were made, but could not be supplied. Captain Ashby fully expects that he will have to issue a second edition when time will allow, but this is impossible till after the busy reason —the end of October. Captain Ashby has received the following letter trom the widow of the late Bishop Selwyn : —"Accept my best thanks for your useful and pretty book about the home of so many years of my life, and for which I retain the warmest affection. I never doubt, its capabilities or its merits, and I am glad to see that you are able to confirm the hopeful reports I have lately heard about it; no doubt you met with a hearty welcome at Auckland. — Faithfully yours, S. H. Selwyn." The " Colonies and India " remarks with regard to the book : —" Captain Ashby has been round the world more times than he has fingers and toes, and being a keen observer of men and things, and by no means a 'lubber'with a pen in his fist, his writing is most interesting and valuable. The only thing we have to complain about in connection with his book is that it has been printed for private circulation only. This is a pity. A handy little volume such as this is, nottoo long or ponderous, and written in such a clear and readable style, would probably do much more good to the colony by its more extended circulation than many more pretentious efforts that have been made in this direction."

NOTES ABOUT NEW ZEALANDERS' Sir W. and Lady Jervois have returned to town for the fag end of the season. It may interest some of your readers to learn that Count Jouffroy D'Abbans, late French Consul-General at Wellington, and now holding a similar position at Zurich, pines for his old Antipodean billet, which, he says, he much preferred to Switzerland. The Count's little coux-t in the "French Colonies" department at the Paris Exhibition bristles with New Zealand exhibits of various kinds. I may specially mention Mrs Mairs capital oil-paintings of Maoris, which attract considerable attention. One of the best, that of a native fisher-boy, is on sale for £120. Mr A. Reiscbek, the well-known New Zealand naturalist, has arrived in Vienna with the whole of his collections. They have been offered for sale to the Imperial Museum authorities there, but declined, and will now in all probability be auctioned at Stevens' rooms in London. Messrs Fleming and Ferguson, of Paisley, Glasgow, have received an order from Timaru Harbour Board for paddle tug of 600 horse power. Mr Hogarth, formerly with Arch. Clark and Sons, is now settled in Glasgow, and apparently doing well. The Misses Bleazard, of Auckland, have just completed their tour of Scotland. They are now doing the Midland counties, enjoying their trip immensely. The atmosphere of the London branch of the Bank of New Zealand appears to be somewhat deleterious to health. Mr Murray has gone to Scotland unwell, and now I hear Mr Stewart (Mr Larkworthy's successor) is in such a bad way that he has been ordered off for rest and quiet to the Swiss lakes. Mr C. E Maillard Haughton leaves this afternoon for Portsmouth, in order to attend the Naval Review to-morrow. Mr Brett and family, with Mr and Mrs Peacock, Mr Murray, and Mr David Hean, are still in Scotland, and I hope, enjoying fine weather. Their return to the colony is unceitain. The general impression is that Canon Saumarez Smith, of St. Aidan's Theological College, Birkenhead, will be the new Primate of Australia.