LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 119, 19 September 1846, Page 4

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

English news to the 24th April had been ! received at Adelaide, but in the Port Phillip ! papers, whence we derive the information, we do not observe quotations of later dates than the 19th, only one day later than we have received direct. There had been an arrival from America. The free trade measures of Sir Robert Peel were said to have " cushioned " the Oregon question, and done away with any fear of war tor the present. Congress had passed a bill authorizing the President 10 give notice of occupation under the treaty at the end of the then session, but leaving it optional with him to do so or not. Two thousand soldiers were to embark from Cork for Calcutta, and one thousand from Portsmouth for Bombay, in the month of May, to fill up the regiments reduced by the late campaign on the Sutlej. Trade was completely paralyzed by the delay which had taken place in the Corn and Customs Bills, and unless these important measures were settled before the June Wool sales, we tear there will be a considerable reduction in the price of our staple. It was understood that the Government held a sufficient number of Peers proxies to render them certain of being able to carry the Corn Bill through the House of Lords, but in Committee proxies are not available, and it was suspected that while in Committee, the Bill would be so cut up, that the Commons would refuse to accede to die alterations, and it would drop, upon which there would be an immediate dissolution of Parliament. The intention of the Government to send out to Adelaide men who had served sentences of transportation in the Parkhurst and PentonvHle prisons, had caused much dissatisfaction among the friends of South Australia in England, who remonstrated with Mr. Secretary Gladstone, and declared that it was in direct opposition to the Act of Parliament, which says that no convicts shall be sent to South Australia. Mr. Gladstone's r*ply was, that these men having been pardoned by her Majesty on condition of going to South Australia, are not convicts ; so that the Act of Parliament is not invaded ! and he gave the deputation to understand that the practice was | likely to be continued. All ministers seem to be agreed on one point, that these colonies are to be the receptacles of the crime of the British dominions, not on!y of the United Kingdom, but of all her dependencies from Hong Kong to Canada. The friends of South Australia in London are numerous. We notice with regret that, in consequence of some dispute with the native princes, the Dutch had sent a iarge force to conquer the island of Bally. This island is at the east end of Batavia, and would form a most convenient depot for steamers between Sydney and Singapore, and we are sorry to perceive that it is likely to pass into the hands of such jealous monopolists as the Dutch have always shown themselves in the East. China.— We were favoured last night with Canton pipers to the 10th June, from which we ascertain that Chusan had been vacated by the English in the terms of the treaty, and we do not notice another item of intelligence requiring notice. A rumour is mentioned, but only as a rumour, that Sir George Gipfs was to be appointed Governor of Hong Kong. — Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 19. India. — Singapore papers, which came to hand yesterday, contain news from the late seat of war in India to the beginning of April. The treaties entered into between Sir Henry Hardinge and the Sikhs have been published. Their principal points are, that the Lahore Government, finding itself totally unable to pay more than one third of the million and a half stipulated for as an indemnity, agree to cede to us the entire territory between the Beas and the Indus, including the provinces of Cashmeer and Hazarah. The revenue of the former of these is less than a quarter of a million — the population above 200,000 ; of the latter we have no information. Fifty lakhs were paid up by the Maharajah, and the Sikh guns pointed against us surrendered, on the ratification of the treaty. The re-embodied army is not to exceed 32,000, of which 12,000 are cavalry. This will absorb a great portion of the remains of the regular troops lately in the field. Not more than 60,000 teem at any time to have been in action; and out of this number 20,000 at least must have fallen, died, or been disabled of their wounds. The control of the ferries and ghats is to remain in our hands. We have only recited the new matter, or matter now become known, in the treaty— the cession of the protected states and Sullunder Doab is vow a matter of history. With Goqlauß'Singh, who, abandoning the viziership, now sets up a separate establishment in the hills* on his own account, the following arrangements have been made ; he is to have made ©v«r to him nearly all the territory last

ceded to us^of course, on' purpose to be transferred — including Chutnba, and excluding Ltlool. The last named is a mountain district, of considerable elevation, of about 2,000 square miles in area, poor and thinly peopled. In consideration of this, we are to receive from&HtriUP Singh seventy five lakhs of rupees — fifty now, and twenty-five before the Ist October next ; Lalool probably makes up the balance of twenty* five lakhs since wanting to complete the sum stipulated for at first. These treaties having been signed, the last division of the army of the Sutledge recrossed the river, and the army — the largest and best appointed ever assembled in India — was broken up, and the different corps proceeded to their respective quarters.— >-Sydnetf Morning Herald, Aug. 25.

One Unjust Burden on Land. — The Committee of the Lords appointed to inquire into the burdens which bear peculiarly upon land have, we believe, established the existence of one such burden. It is certainly a very unjust burden, but one, luckily, which the lawmakers will be able to remove without any very serious opposition. Certain non-professional witnesses examined by the Committee declared, that they understood the deeds by which land is transferred in France and Belgium nearly as well as the lawyers themselves ; that they could buy and sell any quantity of land in those kingdoms in the course of a few days ; that they could talk about it in intelligible language ; that in consequence, land, which in England is only worth from twenty-seven to thirty years' purchase, sells in France at from forty to fortyfive, and in Belgium from forty-five to fifty ; and that titles are so secure and conveyancing is so cheap, that money may be borrowed on land at two per cent. Such information it will easily be believed, was greedily drunk in by the agricultural ear. But the delight was increased when by competent professional testimony in this country it was made manifest to their Lordships that conveyancing might be rendered equally cheap and simple and secure in England. This presented Law Reform in an exceedingly palatable si ape. Two opportunities will be afforded to the agricultural interest when Parliament meets again after the hoi days, of turning to account the " useful knowledge" elicited by the inquiries of the Lords. As has already been intiI mated to the readers of the Spectator, Lord Brougham, whose courage and perseverance in this cause deserves all praise, has given notice of a new Conveyancing Bill, founded on the same piinciples as his last year's bill, tyit wider in its range ; and Lord Ebrington has given notice, that after Easter he will move for the re-appointment of the Real Property Commission. Our opinion in favour of the principle of Lord Brougham's bill has been repeatedly expressed. Lord Ebrington's motion is also well worthy of support : the Commission he proposes might do good service were it merely by scrutinizing the details of the Short Deed Bill, with a view to render it more completely effective. But other and more important matters lie beyond that. Cheap titles are wanted, and a ready mode of rendering land transferable from hand to hand, and available as a security of raising money, and otherwise satisfying the immediate necessities of the owner. The Registry question now forces itself upon consideration. These, and many such topics, have been noted in the course of the examinations and discussions of the Committee of the Lords on Land Burdens ; and reports upon them, followed by judicious measures emanating from competent persons, would at this moment be sure to command a favourable attention. Much, however, depends upon the proper selection of persons. The old Real Property Commission is dispersed. They were a useful body ; but a far more important task will devolve upon their successors. A mere board of practical conveyancers and equity draftsmen would now be worse than useless. Professional learning must be fairly represented ; but the landowner, who has the commodity to sell, and the public, who want to buy the commodity, must be assured that the proper measures will be considered by the proper men, and that professional interest shall not impede the necessary changes. To be useful, any Commission that may be appointed must be so composed as to be above suspicion of bias from interested motives. A judiciously selected Commission would at the present crisis enable a government so disposed, to effect extensive, beneficial, and popular reforms in the law. — Spectator.