GENERAL SUMMARY

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 764, 24 February 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

GENERAL SUMMARY

London, Dec. 31. The Australian Mails for November were punctually delivered. The Queen and Court are spending Christmas at Osborne. Prince Leopold's health has improved. The Princess of Wales has r-eco vexed ; her infant daughter- is christened Maude Charlotte Mary Victoria. The Colonial Question continues to be discussed and agitated. Three jnoie Wednesday conferences were held at Cannon-street Hotel; Mi Beaumont showed by striking statistics, how invariably trade follows the flag of England, apparently the only argument to some minds in favor of the retention of the colonies. On the 15th a deputation, introduced by Earl Bury, visited Earl Granville; it consisted of the Puke of Manchester, "Viscount Milton, the Hon. H. Kinnaird, Mr Hamilton, Mr Edward Wilson, Mr Walker, Mr Carter, Dr. Wray, Mr Labilliere, Mr Young, Mr Sutherland, Mr Tobin, Mr Sewell, Mr Storr, Mr ' You!, Mr Goodlet, Mr Booth, Mr Louthwaite, Mr Roache, the Pv-ev. Mr Herring, Colonel Synge, and Dr. Eddy. The ostensible object of the interview was to disavow hostile intentions towards the Colonial Office in a circular issued last August, and to urge a modification of the present ' system of Colonial affairs. The principal speakers were Bury, Youl, Manchester, Sewell, Viscount Milton, and Tobin. Earl Granville said be could not assume any blame for the misconceiving the spirit of the circular, as illustrated by the tone of recent meetings, but he had not allowed this to influence him in the despatch to Colonial Governors. His objectors had ptoposed a Conference of a two-fold nature; but . it was not agreeable to the colonists themselves, and was not calculated to accomplish the object sought. The first objection was confirmed by the want of response to the circular which Lord Bury has ascribed to Earl Granville's despatch. Earl Granville tbougat it was stunting the Conference while exciting the jealousy of ; the larger colonies, which

would embarass the Minister, and diminish.his responsibility; he considered the proper mode of communication was by the Secretary through the Governors to the Colonial Governments. Earl Granville disavowed the i*emarks attributed to him respecting the separation of New Zealand; the present misunderstanding was like a matrimonial squabble, which would be aggravated by any attempt to define the relations of the colonists with the mother country, He was intensely dissatisfied with the interview. The Times and Daily News thought Earl Granville's speech would extinguish the agitation ; but at the last meeting a.resolution was proposed to form a National, Colonial, and Emigration League; and whether the next mail will report a disapproval of their proceedings remains to be seen. An able and suggestive paper, by Sir IT. Drummond "Wolfe, on the constitution, functions, and, standing of the Colonial Council appears in the Times; the Spectator urges that envoys should be sent from Englishspeaking colonies, so that they may be in constant communication with the Imperial Government. Mr Ross urges the speedy completion of telegraphic communication with Australia, as calculated to increase immigration by annihilating the prejudice against distance. A movement has been initiated to amalgamate the Metropolitan Emigration Societies, and Government aid is still invoked. Mr Tallerinan had an interview with the Emperor Napoleon respecting the extension of cheap Australian meat dinners to France. A Christmas box of £IOOO was presented to Mr Miller, of the Jerusalem Coffee-house. An Emigranb-Colonists' Aid Cooperative Society is announced with a capital of £250,000. More warehouses for storing wool at reduced charges will be opened at Millwall Docks in February. Admiral Porter has affronted the Governor of St. Helena. The office of Master of the Mint has been abolished. Mr Lingen succeeds the Hon. G, A. Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. Sir F. Standford, Assistant Colonial Under Secretary succeeds Mr Lingen at the Educational Board. The three Bishops of Exeter, Bath, and Wells, and the Falkland Islands, were consecrated on the 21st of December, at Westminster Abbey. The opposition A to Dr Temple was maintained to the last, four formal protests were entered against him j he declined to disavow sympathy with the Essays and Reviews. John Bull intimates that his episcopal brethren will cut him after his confirmation. On his election, Dr Wilberforce paid a visit to the Queen, and was invested with Order of the Garter. A suffragan bishop to the Primate of Canterbury has been appointed by the Government. Mr Haymans appointment to the Headmascership of Rugby School has been severely criticised, but was confirmed by the trustees, Parliament has been summoned to meet on the Bth Febimary. Cabinet Councils ha\e been very frequent. Earl Derby waited on Mr Disraeli at Highenden. The leadership of the Conservatives is still unsettled,

A. Warm testimonial has been presented to By Temple by his former pupils. Mr Forster has been commissioned to draft a measure relative to Primary Education. Mr Guilders and Mr Baxter are jealously at work on Admiralty reform. Mr Cardwell intends to put an end to the clashing authority at the War office by abolishing the dual system, The UniveraiHes of Oxford and Cambridge sent a deputation to Mr Gladstone urging the abolition of the University. The Monarch, with the remains of Mr Peabody, left Spithead on the 21st December, after detention by gales. H.M.S,S. Plymouth accompanied her.