ENGLISH NEWS RESPECTING THE COLONIES. [From the Correspondent of the "Sydney Herald.] London, April 20, 1850.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 463, 21 September 1850, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS RESPECTING THE COLONIES. [From the Correspondent of the "Sydney Herald.] London, April 20, 18 50.

The long discussion which took place in the House of Common!*, on the 12th instant, on Loul John Russel's motion for a Committee on Public Saiaiics, prevented the further consideration of the Australian 13i 1 that evening. The honours of the sitting were, however, devoted to it last night, when we had the old battle fought over again, anil with the like decisive result in favour of Minisiera. Ludicrous was it to see Sir William Moleaworih quoting the opinion of Governors, and slighting thnt of the press and public of the four colonies, and stiange to find Her Majesty's Government, even the denounced and detested Downing-street, coming out strong in support of the colonial communities against their executives ; absolutely quoting 1 public petitions in opposition to Governors' despatches and the resolutions of nominee legislatures ! Such political caprices ware never before known. It is quite plain that the Colonial Refotm Society is, I must really say it, a humbug. That, at least, I find the very general opinion respecting it. Mighty kind and complacent, so long as they are allowed entirely their own way ; but let a colony have a will of its own, and nothing will serve but that it must be coerced into the acceptance of whatever the said society shall think proper to vote a " best possible constitution" for it. But the society is rumoured to be in its mortal agony. Its decrease will cause no grief in this country, nor, I feel pretty confident, in your part of the world. The colonies now know who are their foes in the British Parliament better than their friends. The culpable ignorance, or the absolute falsification of farts telling against the " Reformers," exhibited in the House, is only equal ed by the gross misstatement« of their orgrm the Morning Chioniclc; which pretends that the minis'enal bill is being forced on the unwilling colonisis of South Australia and Van Dieraen's Land! Since my last, the standing steam deputation have stormed the Board of Control and the East India House. The case is this. The Peninsular and Oiiental Company wish to have the carrying of all the India mails in their own hands together with the Australian service. I believe their tender is not finul, except this be conceded to them. The Government aie, I believe, not indisposed to meet their wishes. The obstacle is, that the mails to and fiotn Bombay and Suez are now conveyed in steamers of the Indian nayy f better known In former days «s tlie " Bombay IMjune. 1 ' I think lam light, however, in saying that the arrangement under winch the East India Company perlorm this service has only another eighteen months to run. The object of the Peninsular and Oriental is to get the Company at once to surrender its privileges; thus, as I have said, placing the whole steam mail service in the Eastern seas in the hands of the Peninsular and Onental. The India House authoritiei, however, demur to this, and I must say I think with some show of reason. They do not, they say, throw any obstacles in the way ; but they cannot recognise any right which any company has to require, in order to &uit its own pui pose's, that another company shall sunender advantages of which it is faiily in posscasion. They, the India Company, have nothing to do with the tenders ot the Peninsular and Oriental Company ; and this latter can tender lor the Australian line, or not, just as they like. Ido not see how, as a matter of business, this reasoning is to be answered, though I believe it would be a general benefit if the steam service weie in the hands of one body. As regaids passenj-ers — though this is the least important conuaeration— l am informed the voyage from Bombay is very uncomfortable, the vessels used being warsteamers, and the irksome ceremony and re^truint of ships of war being imposed upon all on board, The Ettst India Company on the other hand are very loath to give up this branch line, just because it gives useful occupation to this navy of theirs— and their navy they like to preserve, among other reasons, because of affording patronage to the Directors. Sir John Hobhuuse has piomibed his influence to remove all difficulties, but I should be rforry to rest my hopes of speedy steam communication on the acquiescence or the Directors m the demands of the steam company. lluinouis were prevalent yesteiday of the retirement of the Ministry, owing to a statement in the Daily News that Sir ttobert Peel had been closeted with ibe Queen and Prince Albert, and then had proceeded to see the Duke of Wellington. The late defeats of Ministers have led to much political gossip, but then the demand of everybody is, who can replace them? A correspondence not a little remarkable has just been presented to Pailiament. It embraces the desp^tche-. of Governors Denison and Young on the ministerial measuie lor the future government of the Aus« tralian colonies, and Lord Gre>'a answers. The brace of Governors arc for two Chambers, but each Reems to have Ins peculiar views of the constitution of the Upper Cbanibei. Lord Grey's answer to Sir William Denison is a general defence of the Bill now before Parliament, and it appears to me a very able one. He tells Sir William that he regrets he has not received from him "fuller information a^ to the views of the colonists," though he infers that his objections to the Bill as oiiginally proposed " have not been adopted by any large proportion of the inhabitants of Van Diemen's Lund ;" and tlipn his Lordship proceeds to show why Her Majesty's Government have come to conclusions different from their own. Some pabsages of Loid Grey's despatch will be well received by all colonists. His Loidship remarks that " in establishing a system of constitutional government in auy country, one of the first, if not the very first point to be ai tended to is, that it shall be cartfuly adaptpd to the wants and xoishes of the community." Sir William had, somewhat flippantly, instanced the proceedings of the Legislative Council nt Sydney, in the last session, as affording "ample evidence of the tendency ol a single legislative body to struggle for the posses son of executive power." Lord Grey professes himself " not aware of the circumstances to which he adverts, us hiving showu that tendency in New South Walts," and his Lordship shows that the " Assembly 5 ' of Jamaica exorcises" powers of an executive charactei|to a far greater txu'nt ihan the Legislative Council ol Syi.ney." To suggestions of the Governor for increasing the rtservatii n tor religious vies, the Secretary ol Sate decidedly objects; and to his opposition to the " General Aiseinbl}'," he answers thnt by the Bill of this year no colony need belong to the Assembly uuless u p eases. S r Henry Young's despatches are somewhat comical in st) le— very s llted, and not particularly intelligible. All tlut we have in reply to them is a lebuke from Loid Gryy for hts having, in a very unprecedented way, published in the local Gazette, sonce mouths before die sesiion of the Adelaide le^jislatuie, a veiy txTiordinary and amusing series ot intended lesolu tionj of Mr. John Morpheit, a member of that legislature. These res iluiious cuiipiUe some project for a South Australian peeiage, and have excited considerable merriment in ihis countiy. Tiie Caiifei biii y Associa'ion held a large meeting on Wednesday last. Theie was a most numerous attendance of f<i Inontble people, including beveiul bishops, and a yreut display of ladies. I must uvow to }ou

that I have never held this association in much favour. 1 do not like its exclusive religious principles, as applied to colonization, and I am quite certain its political economy is of the most absurd and ruinous character. I did not therefore feel much dissatisfied when Mr. Sydney (the author of several works on emigration) rose up and created some consternation by plumply denouncing the "principles" of the Association. He created quite a diversion, and I believe the feeling of the larger part of the assemblage was enlisted in his favour. He told the meeting that they had all the pleasures of indulging in an enthusiasm without any eventual risk ; that would devolve upon the unfortunate people who were induced to emigrate. It is really astonishing what will "go down" with the people in this country, if your scheme be only properly puffed into notoriety. This Canterbury icheme is as fashionable just now as the opera. Lords and ladies> and dignitaries of the Church give it their patronage. It is the most distinqiik of colonization schemes. Others may be promising — but they are " low." I forgot to tell you that the route for the steamers if the communication takes place at all, is said to be determined — they are to by by way of Cape Lewin, touching at Adelaide, Launceaton, and Sydne — I believe returning the same way. A branch is to be established between Launceston and New Zealand, the New Zealand " interest" having had sufficient parliamentary power lo secure this.