SYDNEY.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 145, 20 October 1847, Page 2

SYDNEY.

By the French corvette <c La Brilliante," arrived at the Bay of Islands, we have received Sydney newspapers to the 2nd inst. The Juno steamer reached Sydney on the 25th Sept., having been 14 days on the passage from the Bay of* Islands. On rounding the North Gape, the steam was shut off, her paddle floats were unshipped, and she went on under canvass till the 24th. She was previously hove to for three clays in a gale. While steaming, the greatest speed that could be obtained from wood was eight knots, and from coal eleven knots per hour. Several of the people who were drowned at the Bay of Islands, (as described by us soon after the accident happened), have left wives and families in Sydney in a very destitute condition. Considerable apprehension appears to exist that a similar constitution to our own will be inflicted upon New South Wales, and each of the Australian colonies. The Atlas is par ticularly indignant on the subject, and recommends the colonists to remonstrate unanimously by petition to the home government, with all the energy and power they can command. There does not appear to have been any • certain official information received as yet, although there are grounds for believing Earl Grey*s intention to be to the effect suspected. Mr. Jackson, (the Van Dieman's Land political agent in London,) in a letter lately received fiom him. mentions an interview with Mr. Hume, M. P. for Montrose, in which the latter treated the intention seriously, — this is clear from Mr. Jackson's words, which are as follows :— Mr. Hume seemed impressed with the idea (which I heard expressed before in a quarter likely to be well informed), that the constitution settled last year for the New Zealand islands would be the model for the Australian colonies generally. You will bear in mind perhaps the leading features of that scheme, which will no doubt long ere this have been made public in the colonies. I will however briefly indicate them in this place, as far at least as respecls their legislative functions:— 1. Each " province" is to be divided into municipal districts, to be called " boroughs." 2. The inhabitants of each borough to form a body corporate, under the style of its ♦♦ Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses." 3. The JJurgesses to be householders (able to read and write English) ; and to elect the Common-coun-cillors" of the borough ; the Common-councillors in turn to elect from themselves a Mayor and Alderman ; and the " Common-council" of every borough shall thus consist of its Mayor, Alderman, and Commoncouncillors, for the time-being. 4. Each province to have its " House of Representatives," the members of which are to be elected by the Coiniuun-councils oi the districts.

5. A " Legislative Council," the members named by the Crown, will form a kind of Upper Chamber ; and this body and the House of Representatives together will constitute a " Provincial Assembly." G. A " General Assembly" of the New Zealand Islands (thus forming together a federation of colonies) will be composed of members chosen and elected from the Provincial Legislative Councils and Provincial Houses of Representatives. This last feature of the New Zealand Charter will of course not apply to Van Dieman's Land. * I cannot say that I am at all disposed to regard this scheme as by any means a desirable one for Van Diemen's Land. It certainly cannot be considered an extension to the colonies of " English institutions." It seems rather founded on a continental model, and has close analogies to the communal and departmental administration of France. The district Councils, while preserving the old formula of " Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-council," are a class of electoral colleges ; i nd so stamp upon the scheme the general characteristic of indirect representation. I can scarcely conceive that the Home Government, will set up this as a standard for all future colonial constitutions ; and you may remember that in my letter of the 19th ultimo, I mentioned th« remark made to me by Mr. Under- Secretary Hawes, that the project for the Australian colonies was then in a very immature state. There is another point of great importance to the colonies, in which Mr. Hume as a consistent free trader, takes great interest. I allude to the proposed entire abolition of the English Navigation Laws— of that remnant of them whicli the reciprocity treaties and the acts of George IV. have still left in the statute book. At the present time goods the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, cannot be imported into England in foreign ships, unless they be ships of the country o which the goods are the produce, and the same mle applies to the colonies. Nor can goods be carried from one British possession to another in foreign bottoms. Mr. Hume suggested that the colonists would do well to join the movement now going on (and to which even the shipping interest are gradually reconciling themselves) for the repeal of these laws, by forwarding petitions praying the immediate accomplishment of that object. It is obvious that every measure which tends to reduce the average rate of freights (generally so very high homewards in comparison with the outward rates), and to render fluctuations in them less frequent and of diminished range, must be a benefit to colonial producers ; and this tendency would be secured by holding out that inducement to loreign traders to frequent the Australian ports, which consists in their being empowered to carry thence every description of goods and products to any British port whatever. In answer to a question put to the Colonial Secretary in Council on the 29th ult., that officer stated the New South Wales government had received no official intelligence about the suspected new constitution. The New South Wales Council has formerly adopted the addresses lately penned in committee, to the Queen, and to tlie Houses of Parliament, on the subject of Immigration, entrusting that to the Queen, to the Governor, to be forwarded to her Majesty, that to the Lords to be sent to the Duke of Richmond, and that for the Commons to the hon. Francis Scott, M. P. In those addresses the statement ,is still persisted in that the colony presents the means of immediate employment and advantageous settlement during the ensuing twelve months, for twenty thousand souls, that the territorial revenue affords ample security for a much larger sum than is necessary to be expended in introducing that number, and that a loan of one million sterling, raised in England on such security should be guaranteed by Act of Parliament. It is properly suggesed that a portion of the attendant expenses ought in justice to be borne by the English parishes. Mr. Lowe, M. C, had given notice of his intention to move an address to the Governor, calling the serious attention of the Executive to the incipient "slave trade," (as he denounces Mr. Boyds cannibal importations), which is so rapidly springing up between New South Wales and the Islands of the Pacific, pointing to the 3rd and 9th clauses of the Act of Parliament, 5 Geo. iv, sess. 13, prohibiting traffic in human beings ; and stating the ex, isting traffic to be clearly within the spirit (perhaps the letter) of this enactment, and the duty of the Executive to be, to take vigorous and immediate steps for the suppression of such traffic. Notwithstanding the dry weather, the prize shew of fruits and flowers, on the 30th ult., at which the Governor and Lady Mary Fitzroy were present, was remarkable for the variety and perfection of the productions which were exhibite d. English news by way of Port Phillip to the 16th June, ha? reached Sydney, but we do not perceive any particulars of importance, that lias not been already noticed in our summary of a late date. Deputy Commissary General Ramsay has been advertising for contracts for the conveyance of 300 tons coals from Newcastle to Auckland, and 200 tons to Port Nicholson. The Moreton Bay blacks have lately speared several sawyers at the Pine River, report says without any provocation. Two of the unfortunate men died of their wounds terminating in mortification. The Daniel Watson was to go on the patent slip to have her copper repaired, she continues in the latest papers to be advertised for Auckland. The Maukin had not arrived at Sydney according to our latest accounts. The stock of bonded spirits, tobacco and cigars, was on the 30th ult., (in round numbers), B. P. Rum, 37,000 gallons; brandy, 41,000; Geneva, 34,000 j foreign, 27,000; Tobacco, 281,000 lbs.; cigars, 41,000 lbs.

Lady Moknington.— By an unaccountable oversight a paragraph which appealed in an English paper, and was thence transcribed into the columns of the South Australian, has been been inserted in our journal. The following statement will correct the paragraph in qne6-

tion :— Lady Mornington, who has applied for relief as a pauper, is the wife of the extravagant Wellesiey Long Pole Wellesley, who became Lord Mornington on the death of his father. Lady Mornington was the wife of Capt. Bligh, and eloped from him at Naples with Wellesley Pole. She was no heiress, or ever possessed property of any extent. The rich heiress, Miss Vane Tempest, is the present marchioness of Londonderry.