MISCELLANEOUS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 67, 17 November 1855, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

Parliament was to be prorogued about the 17th August, but the day was not fixed. In the House of Commons, Mr. Laing brought forward a most inopportune demand for papers, upon which he founded an excuse for re-opening the subject of the war and the conference, in a desultory speech, the gist of which was to urge upon Government the prudence of obtaining peace on any terms. The house testified its sense of this pusillanimous counsel by- treating Mr. Laing' s proposal with dignified silence. Taking another route to the same point, Lord John Russell availed himself of a subsequent opportunity to recall attention to a line of policy distasteful to the people, -and in the last degree discrer ditable to its advocates. By this proceeding Lord John Russell has done irreparable mischief to his own reputation, without Obtaining the slightest support either inside or outside the walls of Parliament. The tone of the House on these occasions abundantly proves that the doctrines of the small and influential peace party can no longer be safely speculated upon as political capital. On the 7th instant, the Indian budget was introduced by Mr. Vernon Smith.

Great preparations were being made in Paris for the reception of the Queen and Prince Albert.

The Liverpool shipowners are taking active steps to improve Anglo-Australian postal communication, and profess a probability of being able to reduce the time to 60 days out.

The military hospitals m Russia are so crowded that numbers of, the unfortunate patients are sent away without assistance. Violent commotions were expected in Italy and Sicily. The Pope had declined the overtures of Austria and her alliance^ and would look to France for aid in case of need.

Schamyl, tho celebrated Circassian chief, was dead.

From well-informed sources it is stated that the effective force of Russia. in the Crimea is one hundred and forty thousand men. General Grabbe was en route to the relief of Sebastopol, with sixty thousand men.

Militia Ofhcbbs. — A bill brought in by Mr. Cowper and Mr. Peel, to amend the law concerning the qualification of officers in the militia, has been issued. It provides that the qualification of a colonel shall be an estate of the yearly value of > £600; a lieutenant-colonel, £400; a major, £300; and a captain, £200. An income of the same value derived from a personal estate in possession is also to be deemed a sufficient qualification ; while persons being commissioned officers either in hen Majesty* or tho Eaat India Company's forces, and, who have, wrved five years in such forces, may be appointed captainsS of militia, without any property .qualification ; per^ sons who hold or have held the rank of captain may be appointed major of militia, and persons who hold or have held the rank of major or any higher rank, may be appointed lieutenan^colonel, or colonel of militia, without property .qualification. ' The bill does not extend to the militia of th« City of London or Edinburgh. . • .>>•

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