SYDNEY. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. From the " Australian," May 4. OPENING OF THE SESSION. Tuesday, May 4,1847.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 104, 29 May 1847, Page 3

SYDNEY. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. From the " Australian," May 4. OPENING OF THE SESSION. Tuesday, May 4, 1847.

Notwithstanding the unfavorable aspect of the morning, the vicinity of Maequarie-street began to as sumo an appearance of unusual bustle about 11 o'clock There is no doubt that many of our female friends wer kept away by the general understanding which prevailci that Lady Mary would not be present on the occasion being detained at Paramatta in consequence of Mr. G 11. i'itzroy's lamentable accident. About half past 11 the Band of the 99th Rcgt., am a Guard of Honor arrived. The interior of the Chamber presented a lively ap pcarance, graced as it was by the number of fair visitor; who were present on the occasion. The strangers gal lcry was also filled with gentlemen, and n great numbei of influential persons presented themselves in the bodj of the Chamber. The only members of the body corporate who came under our observation, were Messrs. Aldermen Thurlow and J'isher, in official costume, ant accompanied by Mr. Rao, the Town Clerk. The Speaker took the chair about 12 o'clock, wlmr the Clerk read the proclamation of his Excellency bj virtue of which the Council was assembled. The Colonial Secretary and Mr. Cowper then introduced William Ilarvic Chiistie, Esq., who was duly sworn in a! Sergeant-at- Arms of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. Shortly after 12 o'clock, His Excellency and suite arrived, when the band struck up the national anthem, His Excellency was received and ushered into the chamber by the Speaker, the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Tieasurcr, &c. ; <md having been conducted U the Vice-Regal chair, requested the Speaker to desire the Members to be seated, when His Excellency delivered the following speech : ' "Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative Council; "I have called you together at rather an earlier period or tlio year than usual, conceiving that in doing no, 1 bu.si consult the convenience of members, especially ouch as result in tho country districts. " I am happy to lie able again to congratulate you on the general condition of tho colony. The great abundance, ie markable cheapness, and excellent quality of nil the necessa ries of life, which now prevail, are not, 1 believe, surpassed it any olhui c mntry : for these gie.it blessings our gratitude is .especially due to Divine Providence. " I have the satisfaction also of being able to state that the Revenue Uin a flourishing condition. The slight deficiency In the amount Collected in 1840, as compared with the llovenue of the previous year, has chieliy arisen from the discontinuance of the assessment levied on stock beyond the boundaries for Police purposes, and the leductiou in th« duties or Spirits. In other respects, there has been an increase, wliicli is satisfnctoiy, as indicative of the thriving condition of the people. "J have much gratification in informing you, that the amount already at the credit of the Crown Revenue will enable the Government to pay on", in the coittHC of the present year, the whole of the outstanding Debentures, amounting to nearly one hundred thousand pounds, which woio issued to meet the expenses of immigialion in former years. As this will leave the Territorial Revenue wholly unencumbered, and consequently available as an adequate security for nny fresh Debentures which it may be thought desirable to issue for n similar purpose, 1 have, on the urgent solicitation of a numerous and highly respectable body of persons, who have represented to me the pressing demand which exists for a further supply of labour, strongly recommended to Her Majesty's Government the immediate Resumption of Immigration to the amount of five thousand Statute adults ; and lam not without hopes that the first emigrant ships, in compliance with this rfijilision, may reach the Colony by the close of the present year. The expeiicnce which 1 have already acquired in the Colony, has strongly impressed me with the persuasion, that a regular and copious supply of labour, carefully adjusted to the demand, is necessary, not only to promote, but to maintain, in a satisfactory state, the chief objects of colonial industry. "I will cause immediately to be laid before you the nc«nunti of Revenue and Expenditiue lor the past year. The estimates for the ensuing year me in rour.se of preparation, and will bo presented to you without delay. " Some expiring laws will require your early attention. Amongst the moie important of those are the Acts relating to the constitution of juries, the distillation of spirits, and the duties on imported and home distilled spirits. " T am desirous also of bringing under your consideration the expediency of devising some cllicient means of putting into n proper state of repair the great lines of thoroughfare throughout the Colony. I should be happy to concur with you in the expenditure of nny sum for this purpose, which can be justly spared from other no less important objects. A portion at least of the amount to be thus expended, mny, it is conceived, be made good to the Treasury, by imposition of tolls, wherever the state of the roads has been so improved as to justify such a measure. " Thu recent melancholy shipwreck at Moreton Bay has suggested the necessity of placing steam vessels employed in the conveyance of passengers under some clllcicnt system of supervision ; and I propose to lay before you a Bill to effect this object. "1 have much satisfaction in announcing to the Council the determination of Her Majesty* Government to surrender to tiic Legislature of the Colony the right o( appropriating tho Casual Revenue of the Crown collected therein. In tho Despatch from Enrl Grey, which communicates this important concession, and of which i will cause a copy to be immediately laid berore you, His Lordship observes, that "the sum set apart for a Civil List is as large a part of the Revenue of the Colony (other than the Land Revenue) att Parliament designed to withdraw, 'or ns it is desirable to withdraw, from the controul of the Local Legislature.' 'On the part of Her Majesty's Government' His Lordship 'entirely disclaims any wish to augment that deduction.' Under this decision, therefore, it will be my duty in fntuie to place at your disposal the appropriation of tin* Casual Revenue, or Droils ot the Crown, as part of the ways and means of the aniinual financial arrangements : — the Territorial or Land Revenue being subject to be appropriated a.< herctolorc under thu direction of Her Majesty's Government. " There are also other Despatches from Her Majesty's Secretary of State, which 1 shall have to place before you ; and such other measures as I may deem necessary, 1 shall submit for your consideration in the usual manner by Message. CHS. A. I'ITZ HOY. 4th May, 1817. His Excellency having left the Chamber, the Council was adjourned till 3 o'clock. The following Members were present : — Tho Speaker, the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, the Attorney General, Captains Dumarcsq and O' Council, Messrs. Allen, Bland, Cowper, Dangar, Foster, Bowman, Berry, Suttor, Darvall, I'arker, Wylde, Lawson, Murray, M'Leay, Icely, Robinson, 11. 11. Macarthur Grant, Windeyer, Lord and Lamb.

Sbuious Accidj>t to the Phivatb Secretary. —An accident of a very seiiou* nature occurred to Mr. Goorge Fitzlioy on Saturday forenoon. It np» pears that Mr, Fitxßoy, when on his return from ac-

eompanyiug His Excellency's houndsfwas in.the act of alighting from his horse at Government House, the animal shied, and Mr. Fit 2 Roy Jell to the ground, the bones of the right leg were broken just immediately above Ihe ankle joint. Fortunately, Dr. Dawson was a c ojourncr at Government Mouse, and having procured thodfttemluncc of Dr. Hill, almost immediate asu3tau|Hns rendered to the sufferer, aid from this promp||m, severe ns tlie accident i«, tlicre if reason to hope that the generally ulterior ejfectb of one of this nature, lameness, will not ensue. The answer f»ivcn to enquiries made tit (Juveniiiicnt House yesterday (Sunday) was that Mr. Fuzßoy wus progressing favourably.— Sydney Herald, Qoehn's Birth Da v.— Ladies and gentlemen who have received invitations to the hull at Government House, in celebration oi liar Majesty's birth day, are informed that, in consequence of a severe accident thai has happened to a member of the Governor* 1 family, the bull il postponed to Friday, the 18th of dune— Government Gazette. Earthquake.— At hdlf-past four o'clock yesterday evening, Melbourne w<is visited by one of these singular, and at time*, dreadful phcuomenas. The shock was rather stiff, and felt all over the town, lit many of the siret-ts some of the bouses were severely shaken, and the inhabitants became much alarmed, and ran into the streets. His Honor the Resident Judge wai presidiuj^in the, Supreme Court iv the canso of Buy A v. Wilson, wlieu a noise like the rumbling of « carriage was heard, and the buildings appeared lo rock. The proceedings were im medial ely suspended for a time, when the court was ultimately adjourned. The Flag Staff hill was shook to its centre,' and also the other eminence^ in and about the town. This is not the first instance of such an occurrence 111 this Province, a shock heavier than the one now recorded, having been felt in 1838.— R P. Herald.