COLONIAL NEWS

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 70, 8 May 1852, Page 3

COLONIAL NEWS

SYDNEY. The arrival of the " William Prowse" has put us in possession of the Morning Herald of the Bth and 9th, and of the Empire of the I Oth of April. No less than ten closely printed columns of the Herald are devoted to a public meeting of the members of the Australasian League, which took place at Sydney on the Bth, for the purpose of taking into consideration the lately expressed determination of Earl Grey to continue transportation to Van Diemen's Land. The meeting was most numerously attended, and comprised clergy, members of the Legislative Council, merchants, and,.in fact, all branches of the community. Resolutions, strongly condemnatory of Earl Grey, were passed, atiirmiitg that, should he persist in his obstinacy and injustice, the " responsibility for all consequences will remain with their oppressor." VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. The following are extracts from the address of his Excellency SirW.Denison, on proroguing

the Legislative Council of Van Diemen's Land:— " Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, "The most urgent business of the Session has now been brought to a close. " There are, it is true, many subjects of importance among those to which your attention was called at the commencement of the session which you have not as yet had time to consider; but as the delay of a few weeks will not be of much importance to the public, while a prolonged absence from your homes at this period of the year will be productive of serious inconvenience to yourselves, I do not hesitate to relieve you from further attendance upon your legislative duties. * * * " I have to thank you in Her Majesty's name for the liberality with which you have voted the supplies for enabling me to carry on the effective administration of the different departments of the public service. " I have a confident hope that the circumstances under which you have granted these supplies will be so much modified as to render it unnecessary that the whole should be expended; and you may rely upon my determination to apply them with the utmost prudence and economy. "In compliance with your desire, I shall forward the addresses relative to Transportation to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to be laid at the foot of the throne; but I deem it a duty I owe her Majesty, and her Majesty's loyal and faithful subjects of this colony, to express the deep sorrow I feel at the language of" the Resolutions embodied in that Address. " The prorogation of the Council will delay for a short time the progress of the enquiries -which you are making into various branches of the Public Service; but I trust that these will be resumed at the commencement of the next Session, and carried out to the fullest extent, as nothing but good can arise from a complete and careful enquiry into all the details of every branch of the Government. " I now declare this Council to be prorogued to Tuesday, the 18th May now next ensuing. " W. Denison, Lieut.-Governor." CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Advices have been received at Sydney from Graham's Town to the 30th January, and from Cape Town to the 2nd of February." Our previous advices notified that the Kaffir chiefs of the Gaikas and Seyolo had sued for [peace, and that there was every prospect of an immediate termination of the war. We regret to find that this prospect was an uncertain and distant one at the date of the latest papers before us. The following general order, dated Head Quarters, William's Town, January 23rd, will explain the unsatisfactory state of affxirs. The rebel Kaffir chiefs having on the 15th instant formally sued for peace, it was intimated to them through the Gaika Commissioner, that her Majesty "cannot treat with rebels ;" that '• their surrender must be a general and unconditional surrender, trusting to her Majesty's clemency," and that this tendered in a solemn manner and in good faith, hostilities would cease. Eight days have now elapsed since the rebels were made acquainted with his Excellency's decision, and the demand for submission not having been complied with, operations against them will be continued with every activity. The troops will take the Field on the 26th and 27th instant, in seven columns, to penetrate the Amatoli.s.and the country of Seyolo, Stock, Tola, and Zazini, on the left bank of the Keiskamma ; and to spoil the cattle and devastate the crops of the enemy. The Kaffirs say they will fight no more ; but until the object in view, viz., their unconditional submission be thoroughly effected, hostilities will continue. During the prosecution of the operations all the Regular and Burgher Posts along the line of Frontier and in the interior line are desired to be most alert in patrolling, watching, and waylaying night and day ; and they will arrest ■when possible all straggling Hottentots and Kaffirs by every means tolerated by civilized war. A vigorous observance of these instructions will much aid the troops in their operations, and ensure the subjugation of these Rebels and Bandits. Terms of amity have been entered into with Bokoo, and his son Mapassa, and hostilities with this powerful tribe will cease. The Zuid Afrikaan, of the 2nd of February, says:

The information from King William's Town, received since the date of our Supplementary issue on Tuesday, has reference almost exclusively to the projected movement of the troops on the Amatola. Major-General Somerset received an express at Graham's Town on Thursday last, from the Commander-in-Chief, and the next morning in heavy rain started for Fort Beaufort, whence his division will move immediately towards the scene of operation. There is a rumour of His Excellency Sir Harry Smith taking the field in person, but we cannot trace this report to any reliable foundation. The Graham's Town Journal of January 30, says:—"The cattle recently captured by the troops across the Kei, have been since sold by public auction, realizing very high prices. The largest portion was sold at King William's Town, but no particulars have as yet reached us. Of those taken by General Somerset's division to Fort Beaufort"upwards of 400 were sold at that place by public auction, realizing an average of 30s. per head. 1566 were brought to Graham's Town, and were sold on Thursday by Mr. B. D. Bell, the whole drove, a very inferior lot, many of them being mere calves, giving an average of 325. per head. The total amount of this sale was £2508 3s. The proceeds of these several sales are, it is said, to be distributed as prize money among the troops actually in the field at the time of their capture."