NEW SOUTH WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 25 September 1852, Page 6

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We are in receipt of Sydney papers', to the 30th August, at whicli date no later intelligence had been received from Eugland than that brought by the " Chusan ;" the " Australian," screw steamer, though much overdue, not having yet arrived. The "Chusan" was to leave for Singapore on the 31st, vi& Melbourne. The total quantity of gold exported up to the 22nd August was "£2,008,725. The " Herald" says that owing to the bad state of the roads no escorts can traverse them for many miles, and that, consequently, but little gold reaches town, 600 ounces only having arrived during the last week. The price is stationary in consequence of little offering, ranging from 665. to 6Ss. Purchasers are recommended to be cautious, as a considerable quantity of gold has arrived from California which has been sold at 675. 3d.; it is a good deal like Victoria gold, and can only be detected by an experienced eye; but the difference in price in London is stated to be 10s. per ounce in favour of the Australian, so that parties purchasing Californian must be on their guard, or they will 'find. themselves grievously imposed upon. The Surveyor-General has reported that the existing line of roads throughout the colony could not he thoroughly repaired under Five hundred thousand Pounds, and the absorption of labour in gold seeking, (new diggings having been discovered at Bingara, to which artizans of all trades are hurrying) renders their repair very.questionable for sometime. The subject is however attracting much attention, and roads at any price are loudly called for. A grand ball was given on the 26th to celebrate the arrival of the " Chusan," -which seems to have been a splendid affair. It was attended by the Governor-General, and all the arrangements were under the immediate supervision of Sir Charles Nicholson, the Speaker of the Legislative Council. At supper various appropriate, congratulatory, and eulogistic speeches were made by his Excellency, the Speaker, and the leading members of the professions, military, naval, legislative, and govevuative. At 4 o'clock the party broke up, when, says the Herald " many fair ladies poutingly departed who had only a few minutes before made faithful promises to trusting swains for yet another valse!" The Select Committee appointed on the motion of Mr. Wentworth, to prepare a Constitution for the Colony, have nearly completed their labours. The following points have, it is said, been almost unanimously settled; In the first place the Legislature is to be framed, as nearly as circumstances will allow, after the model of the imperial Parliament. It is to consist of three Estates, the Crown, an Upper and Lower House, called respectively the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The Legislature so constituted is to be called " The Parliament of New South Wales." The members of the Upper House are to be ' appointed by the Crown. Their number in the first instance is,to be not less than twenty-one. Two-thirds of them are to consist of persons ■who have been elective members of the present or former Legislative Council ; but if the requisite number of such persons cannot be had, others may be appointed. The members selected from elective Councillors are to hold their seats for life, subject to certain necessary provisions ; the others are to hold their seats during her Majesty's pleasure. The Speaker of the Legislative Council is to be appointed by the Governor, and, like the Lord Chancellor, or Speaker of the House of Lords, is to be at all times at liberty to take part in the debates. The Lower House is to consist at the outset of seventy-two members, to be elected by the inhabitants of tlie colony, having the specified qualifications, which are substantially the same as at present. With certain exceptions, any person entitled to be registered as an elector is to be also entitled to be elected as a member of the' Assembly. Ministers of religion, of whatever denomination, are to he ineligible for ihe Assembly. If any disqualified person be elected, and sit or vote as a niemberof the Assembly, he is to forfeit £o'-)0, to be recovered by any person suing- for the same. ' The duration of the Assembly is to be not longer than five years. No member, either of the Upper or of the

Lower House, is to sit or vote until he has taken the oath of allegiance. The Legislative powers of the " Parliament" are to be ample, the only restrictions being, that its Acts shall not be contrary to its own Constitution Act, nor to any Act of the Imperial Parliament extending-, by express enactment or by necessary intendment, to the colony of New South Wales; but all bills affecting any of the prerogatives of the Crown, or any imperial interest, may be reserved to the discretion of the Governor for the signification of her Majesty's pleasure thereon. The appointment to all offices in the colony, hereafter becoming vacant or being created, is to be vested in the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council. The Civil List, to be granted on the surrender to the Colonial Legislature of all' the revenues of the colony, the territorial included. All the Colonial revenues, on becoming so surrendered, are to be merged in a common fund, to be called the Consolidated Revenue Fund, The local Legislature is to have power to levy whatever duties of customs it may deem fit, provided always that in no instance are they to be differential.

Lengthened and adjourned debates have taken place in the Legislative Council on the Estimates. On the 25th, on the Auditor-Gene-ral moving that the House should go into Committee to consider the Estimates of Expenditure for 1852-3—Mr. Wentworth moved an amendment to the effect that " before going into Committee upon such. Estimates, this House feels it to be an imperative duty to record its deliberate determination not to consider any future Estimates unless an intimation be received that the grievances complained of in the petition to Her Most Gracious Majesty, adopted by this House on the sth December, 1851, will be favourably considered, with a view to their being completely redressed." The amendment was carried by 24 against 23, and on being announced from the Chair was hailed with loud cheers. Mr. Wentworth had intended to have moved, unless "the Royal assent shall have been given to the Constitution Act, to be passed this Session; 5' but deferred doing so, to meet the views and wishes of many members who were not prepared to support the motion. He, therefore, moved the amended resolution which was carried by a majority of one. . Three Nominee members voted with the majority, which circumstance seems to have created considerable satisfaction.