ENGLISH NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 39, 4 October 1851, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

Parliamentary.—The following is a brief summary, culled from the English " Spectator/ of the parliamentary news brought by the " Duke of Portland."

On the 27th May Mr. Henry Baillie succeeded in bringing his Ceylon motion before the House of Commons. It went to affirm that the conduct of Lord Tomngton in suppressing the Ceylon insurrection was in the highest degree arbitrary' ai&d oppressive, and that the Colonial Secretary's approval of the Governor's conduct was precipitate, injudicious, and discreditable to the character of this country for justice and humanity. To this, then, had the charges against Lord Tomngton dwindled away, after the researches of a Committee appointed three years ago to enquire into the general administration of the Colonies of Guiana and Ceylon, aided by the supplementary investigations of a Royal Commission and a Court Martial. The defence set up for Lord Tomngton was twofold; in the first place it was argued that the victim had been punished already; and in the second place, that his conduct had entitled him to reward, not punishment. In behalf of Earl Grey, it was maintained, with a logic quite worthy of that which was put forth in support of Lord Torrington, that having punished where he ought to have rewarded, of course no blame could attach to him. There were episodes in the debate not less racy and original than its general purport. Mr, Roebuck defended the measures adopted to suppress the insurrection, because, not being a colony in the proper acceptation of the term, Ceylon required not a constitutional government, but a " mild despotism;" and that co put to death seventeen men, and whip and banish a great many more, for an insurrection put down within less than a week without the loss of a single soldier, was true humanity. Sergeant Murphy, who avowed himself the personal friend and confidential advocate of Lord Torrington, maintained that the Attorney-General Selby was unworthy of credit, because he had raised himself to be the first law-officer of the Grown in the colony, although not regularly bred to the bar. The great ex-attorney, who has carried to the wool-sack which he now occupies, so many of those characteristics which vulgar prejudice attributes to the whole attorney class, will appreciate this delicate compliment. Colonel Dunne, who intimated that he came forward as an old friend of Colonel Drought to defend his Mend, stoutly maintained of a fact proved before the Committee, that "no evidence can prove it." Mr Hawes gravely attributed the insurrection among the illiterate occupants of the jungles of Ceylon to an imitative revolutionary spirit awakened by the French Revolution of 1848. Lord John Russell rose towards the close of the debate, " to explain the views of the government in reference to Lord Torrington's conduct;" but, after pronouncing a glowing eulogiuni upon every act of his cousin's administration, the Premier sat down without explaining why that meritorious functionary had been recalled, or even adverting in any way to the fact of his recall. Indeed, in the course of the debate, only one speaker, Mr. Gladstone, appears to have taken an elevated, comprehensive, and statesmanlike view of the question befp.re-. : tlie~?H"6iisei On a division, Mr. Baillie's resolutions were rejected by a majority of 80 in q. House of 484 members. \ " ' . ...;-"" '

The debate and division have (left matters ex,-

actly they were. The subject had indeed . lost all practical interest. The |old local administration of Ceylon has been broken up ; the most quarrelsome and intractable'of its members disposed of elsewhere ; and its head released to private life and liis favourite agricultural and railway pursuits. Few will take the trouble to master the voluminous and trashy compilations relative to the Torringtoa eera in Ceylon, which have been published.; but the general conclusion at which the public appears to Jjave arrived is in the main just,—that Lord ■/«Jj£orrington erred more from incapacity than iVorn wicked intention ; and that the blame for what has happened is due not to him, but to the Government, which first ap],ointed an unfit person to a difficult and responsible office, and then sought to screen him. froi.\accusation by manoeuvres of the meanest character. ; A remarkable scene of petty finesse was witnessed in the House of Commons when Ms. Hume proceeded to nominate his Income Taxv committee. The Protectionists, who enabled Mr. Hutue

to carry his committee against the combined opposition.of Ministers and Manchester, turned round and voted for discharging the order for its appointment; while Ministers and Manchester voted for the nomination of Mr. Hume himself, as first on the list. The Protectionist game is obvious enough ; they got all they wanted when they placed Ministers in a minority. Nor is the policy of Ministers far to seek : Lord John llussell frankly avowed that he expected no practical results from the committee's inquiries : that Government acquiesced in its appointment, but declined all responsibility for its guidance. This should not be permitted. If Government allows the inquiry to proceed, it ought to be with the intention of ascertaining; whether the assessment and levying of the .lii-j come Tax be susceptible of improvement. To permit a committee to be appointed, from^vhich it stands aloof, is to connive at wasting the public time and raising delusive expectations. It is the duty of Government either to suppress the committee, or to take care that the best men are placed upon it. The bill, renewing the tax for one year only, has received the Royal assent; and for Government wilfully to miss the opportunity of eliciting information as to the practicability of rendering it less oppressive when it comes to be again renewed, will be a dereliction of duty. When Pitt decided against the practicability of rendering the impost less oppressive and unequal, he was engaged in a struggle for national existence; and when Sir Robert Peel expressed a strong conviction that its incidence could not be rendered less unequal, he regarded it as a mere temporary arrangement to make good a deficiency and to facilitate his changes in the commercial policy of the nation. Pitt and Peel, though weighty authorities, are not infallible, and if, as now appears likely to be the case, the Income Taxis to become a permanent impost, it is desirable that it should be made as little odious as possible. The language of Ministers on Lord Melgund's Scotch Education Bill was pretty similar to that which they held with reference to Mr. Hume's Committee. They declined to recognise the measure as their own, and consequently to accept any responsibility for its provisions, though they supported it. They will not therefore regard the rejection of the bill as a ministerial defeat. The hostile majority was a curious medley. Stanch Liberals like the Matthesons, sagacious and enlightened Conservatives like Smollett and Adderley, rabid High Churchmen, and still more rabid Irish Romanists, were strangely mingled. This seems to indicate that political and eoclesiastical]partisanship had played successfully upon deficient information respecting the actual state of education in Scotland. Lord Melgund's bill was opposed on the ground that it would subvert thejsystem of parochial schools; a system which the increase of population and the extensive changes in social and political arrangements in Scotland have rendered little more than a dead letter.

The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill was still dragging slowly along. The Metropolitan Water Bill had been sent to a select Committee, probably to withdraw it from public notice previous to its abandonment.

The select committee on the Sinithfield Removal Bill, have determined that the preamble has been proved.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, Lord Campbell has pronounced the " final" decision of the full Court on the claim of William Henry Bar-, ber to be re-admitted as an attorney :. the Court held that, if not directly cognizant of the fraud and forgery, he was wilfully blind; and as his own misconduct had entailed the consequences which followed, strict justice demanded that his applications be refused.

Steam rou New Zealand. —The Parliamentary Committee on Steam Communication with India, China, and Australia, decided on the 2nd June, by a majority of 11 votes to 5, in favour of the route to Australia by the Cape as the most desirable for the transport of the mails. We have been favoured with the sight of a private letter received here from a gentleman in England, who has been actively seeking the extension to New Zealand of the'plans for steam transit. The following is an extract from his letter: —" There is little doubt now that my plans for carrying out steam for your coasts will chime in Avith the whole service from England, and that the General Screw Steam Ship Company will obtain the Contract from the Government. If so I shall be on my way to New Zealand as Agent for the above Company

in November, and you will soon see me in Canterbury with the pioneer ship, for the coast work. * " * * There is little doubt but that your favourable reports will induce hundreds to follow, and as the Steam Company do not intend to charge more than from 501. to 701., and Intermediate at 30^., many will go in these fin« ships in preference to sailing ones ; they are to be from 1400 to 1700 tons, with first-rate 'accommodation, and the voyage will be performed to Sydney in 60, and New Zealand in 70 days. * " * I believe it will be done in the most complete and efficient manner, and that New Zealand will be vastly benefited thereby." News of the death of Mr. Sheil, late Master of the Mint, and more lately Her Majesty's Envoy to the Court of Florence, was received in London on the 2nd June. The melancholy event was sudden, though for some time Mr. Sheil's personal friends, and the large circle of his admirers, were not without anxiety at th« haggard expression of face, and failing alacrity of movement, which they noticed in him during the last session of Parliament. It is understood that anxieties of a family nature, more or less connected with the recent suicide of a near relative in Ireland, Mr. Power, of Gurteen, had already preyed on his mind in a manner to undermine his bodily health; and an attack of gout in the stomach, which came on immediately after his receipt of that sad news, was the immediate cause of his death.

The Venerable Earl of Shaftesbury died on Monday, June 2, at his residence in Dorsetshire. Lord Ashley, erewhile member for Bath, now fills his father's place in- the peerage as Earl of Shaftesbury.

The Exhibition.—The grand test of the Crystal Palace has now been experienced, in the opening of the doors to the huge one-shilling public, with very satisfactory results. Th« anticipations, indeed, were at first somewhat balked; for instead of an overwhelming rush on Monday, there was a marked falling off, not only in receipts, but even in numbers. On Saturday, the number of five-shilling visitors was 20,312, and the season ticket holders swelled the number to 30,000, or 35,000. On Monday, the number of shilling visitors was 21,258 : the receipts falling to £920, exclusively of £40 for season tickets. Great preparations had been made to keep'order. Stout chevaux-de-frise were placed before the outer rails to repel pressure ; within, the police were instructed to make the visitors proceed in one direction ; and this rule was so stringently enforced iv some instances that a gentleman who was comparing two similar articles was told that if he desired to go back he must make an entire circuit. The comparative thinness of the concourse on Monday, however, the steady order of the crowd, and the far more equitable distribution, removed all apprehensions: the che-vaux-de-fiise were removed before night, and the circuit rule was enforced with a much dis.creeter leniency. Other arrangements, such as removing seats from the transept to the less frequented spots, were materially conducive to the general convenience. And the continued addition of new works, especially in the Russian part, contributed greatly to. fill up the general picture. -

As to the aspect and demeanour of the crowd, it may be said to be far less different from the live-shilling' multitude than many expected. Some degree of sombreness had crept over the dresses ot men and nations; some of the younger folks, especially girls, talked louder, and were less reserved in their carriage; there were great numbers more of children. It is noticed that the shilling visitors arrive early, and that many go away about one or two o'clock ; also that they go more heartily at a general survey of the whole exhibition in detail; hence the more thorough distribution. On Tuesday the numbers were about 30,000, the receipts £1347; on Wednesday the numbers probably 40,000, (by some mistake they were not counted,) the receipts £i 856; on Thursday, 47,587 shilling visitors and 7080 season ticketers; in all 54,667, the receipts £2379. Yesterday, the first half-crown day, another change took place—people 30,345, receipts £2839. Bodies of workmen and schools are beginning to make their appearance. On Thursday,"Messrs. Cubiu's men and other large establishments were there : and the Queen came again early with her Court friends ; again stopping till alter ihs opening of the doors, and watching the iijffj^ of the multiude with unconcealed interest,^ s*^5*^