Special Items by the Mail.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4686, 14 January 1884, Page 2

Special Items by the Mail.

The New Zealand torpedo boats are Teady to be shipped. It is said th^t the Prince of Wales is determined to spare no effort to make the Exhibition of 1886 truly representative of the British colonies.

Irritation has been excited in the frozen meat trade by the glut created by forcing New Zealand sheep upon the market in undue quantities. Radical organs are beginning to recognise that Lord Derby's administration of the Colonial Office is hot a success.

Shaw, Saville, and Co.'s new steamers will have a guaranteed speed of 12|- knots and will be fitted qp to garry fSfi tons of frozen meat,' ' Lord Pblsworth's famous Clydesdale stud horse Pride of Galwayisonits way to New Zealand, having been purchased by J. Eeid, of Elderslie, Otago.

Baron Mordenskjold, the great Swedish explorer, having exhausted the novelties of the Arctic regions, is now meditating an expedition to the South Pole. Sjp t[ohn JJaH returned from'p.reqdeg considerably improved [n heajtfy." He is bow in 1 London'on a visit, but still finds it advisable to lead a quiet life, and wilt therefore shortly return to Germany. M|n£ Jury, whose name will be remembered In' connection with the Tichb,qrne case, has developed into one of the m^ost astute '?' lady '■ swindlers in the metroR# ? S.hg' parftcularly preys golonialß. ' * Negotiations are actively proceeding between the New Zealand Shipping Co. and Shaw, Saville, Albion Co. in order t?

see if a temporary agreement can be arrived at between them relative to to conveyance of Government emigrants and freight, to last until Parliament has been afforded an opportunity of fully considering the whole subject. . It is not intended to ran the risk involved in sending the New Zealand torpedo boats.to Portsmouth m order that their armament might be tested by the Admiralty officials. The boats will be sent out without delay as deck cargo on large ocean steamers. It has been decided to adopt the Nordenfeldt two* barrel guns to one inch calibre, which will be mounted on the conning tower each boat. There is nothing special to report m connection with emigration-arrangements. Frequent applications for assisted passages arereceived, and disappointment expressed at the reply that Government assistance is at present confined to nominated emigrants. For the next three months between 600 and 700 a month will be sent out, and after that the activity of the department will slacken for a time.