LORD DERBY AND THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST. (From the "Britannia," May 29)

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 676, 6 October 1852, Page 3

LORD DERBY AND THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST. (From the " Britannia," May 29 )

Lord Derby has reiterated for the fourth time at least his declaration respecting Protection, and at | last the Newcastles and Givys admit that they know what he means. II they did not know this before, they must be little fitted for statesmen, as Lord Derby has only repeated the declaration he made before he accepted office, and immediately after the cares of state were imposed on him. If our readers will refer to our columns early in the spring, when the advent of Lord Derby to power was imminent, they will find how, again and again, we assured them that our party, though they consideied an import duty on corn desirable, would neither attempt to force such a measure on an unwilling- nation, nor accept such a remedy from a narrow majority in its favour at the next general election. Lord D"j'by did not seek office, it fell into his hands through the cowardice and imbecility of his predecessors. The Queen's Government must be carried on, not for party purposes, but for the benefit of the Empire. Lord Derby has not hesitated to express his desire how, with respect to one measure of policy, that Government ought to he carried on. His duty is to do justice to those interest \*hom he and iiis h lends believe to have been injured and all but destroyed by the Free-trade measures. His duty and his determination is to do this justice or to fall ; his desire ib to do it in a particular form; but his determination and his duty arc paramount to his desire, and he is not one to abandon a sufferinginterest because he cannot relievo it in that form which he considers best and he desiics most. The taunts of the Peelites on Monday night elicited a very different answer to that expected and hoped for. Instead of a hasty or inconsistent declaration, the Premier reiterated his former statements in so few words that even his party opponents could not but receive it with applause. As Lord Derby said two years* ago, the question of a return to protective duties rests with the electors. Lord Derby is pledged to remedy the inequality of burden that now presses down the agricultural interest. If the constituencies desire, as Lord Derby does, that that remedy should be in the form of a small import duty on corn, it is in their hands to give to Lord Derby the power to give effect to theirs and his wish. If they care more for the substance than the form of the remedy, and Avish cheap bread to remain and yet the injustice to the farmer remedied, Lord Derby will be driven to afford that measure of relief in another form. If they desire to perpetuate injustice at any cost, and decline to strengthen Lord Derby's hands, the noble Premier will make one effoit in favour of the suffering classes, g-ive the nation one opportunity of being just, and then retire into private life, conscious of having done his pirt as a true knight and nobleman, and consoled in his trouble with the thought, sad as it is, that it was of his own free will that the sufferer refused the remedy which might have alleviated his burdens and {yet not increased those of his brother labourer.

The Colonies.— Sir William Molesworth has obtained a leturn (yesterda}' printed by order of the House of Commons), containing a great deal of infoimation on the "ioss revenue, cost of collection, and the disbursements for the several British colonies for the last year in winch the accounts could be made up. In some colonies the year 1848 is given and in others 1849 and 1850. It appears that in one year, the gross revenue of the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, Falkland Wands, Gambia, Gibraltar, Gold ( oast] Hongkong, Labuan, Malta, Mauiitius., N<.tal, New Zealand, (northern and southern division), St. Helena, St. Lucia, Siena Leone South Australia, TiinMacl, Van Diemen's Land, and Western Ausiinlia amounted to 13s. lod. and the rosi of <olleciion to £103,514 JB-,., making-, £1,821,010 11-. lOd, The disbursements for the var« ious establishments in, the colonies amounted to £124, 6Ti Os. Id,, and the total expenditure is stated at £1, 730,307 Is. 3d. Some explanatory notes are giveu iv the return. — Times, Aptil 1. The Laws or Partnership. — It is to be regtuded as very fortunate that so much attention has been directed during the last twelve or eighteen months to the discussion of the principle of Limited Partnership Liability, or as it is called on the Continent Paitnersbip en Commandite. According to the present English laws of Partnership ever.} member of a firm, whether active or passive, so long as he does not aclver ise his retirement in the London Gazette is liable for the engagements of the concern to the whole extent of his fortune; and under the influence of such a law there cannot be any wonder that partnership engagements in this country are regarded with extreme dislike and suspicion as a means of employing the lesources of persons who look to the investment of their capital as a principal means ot support, The consequence may be seen on all hands. Men ot enterprise, ingenuity, and character — but destitute of capital — cannot enter on the career which would be most beneficial at once to society and to themselves ; and on the other hand, masses of capital aie reduced to a state of compulsory unprofitableness. In all countiies, but especially in old countries, one of tlie most important ends of all commeicial legislation should be to unite in the most complete manner the capital and the enterprise of the community. There is strong reason to believe that our present law of Partnership imposes a formidable birto the accomplishment of this gi eat result. Ihe communrille pnuciple would lemove that bar. A commandite partneiship would limit the liability of what are called the "sleeping" partners to the amount of their declared interest in the aftdiisof the firm, the acting or managing partner'remaining liable, quite properly, to the whole extent of his fortune. Great care and ingenuity would be required in flaming the act of Pailiament under which the commandite system might be introduced into this country; but difficulties of that kind are not greater than obstacles of a similar natuie which are surmounted every day. In the mean time, those of our readers who feel an interest in the subject may refer with gieat advantage to the Reports of 15.50 and 18,31, by Mi. Slaney's Committee, on the " Savings of the Middle and Working C asses." — Aihenauia.