SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1161, 6 January 1880, Page 2

SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

London papers continue to condemn ;Mr. Berry's extrteme proposals. The 'Times,, after contending that reasonable iproposals for a compromise had been offered, plainly hinted that if these were not accepted, and Mr. Berry pushed matters so far as he can, and. again applied for the intervention of the Home Government, the extreme Democrats might find themselves somewhat disappointed at seeing the Victorian constitution altered by the Imperial Parliament in a manner not at all in accordance with the exacting claims of the excited Colonial Democracy. . •: ■ Respecting the Prince of Wales anticipated visit to Australia, the Argus' correspondent states, on the authority of one, who is on the most intimate tertns with' His Royal Highness j that great as is his desire to visit the Colonies, there is little chance of his being able to do so, because of three serious drawbacks :—The first is the Prince's personal unwillingness to put the country to the expense of a visit made in a semi-regal state, which would certainly not be less than his Indian expedition ; secondly, the undesirableness of his being-absent from England during the time of the next general election, which there seems now every probability of taking place about the close of this year ; thirdly, the Prince is apparently aware of the strength of colonial susceptibilities and intercolonial jealousy, and would be most unwilling to arouse any such feeling, and fears that if he were to visit the Melbourne Exhibition, the people of New South Wales would feel aggrieved that he had not honored their display with his presence. Great Britain has already paid the United States 250,000 dollars for conveying the British-Australian mails across the American continent, in reference to which a traveller, writing* to the Pall Mall Gazette, asks what is the benefit derived from this expenditure by the English people 1 To this he says the reply is that not only do they derive no benefit at all, but they actually play into the hands of their trade rivals, the Americans, by opening up to them additional markets in Australia and New Zealand by means of direct steam communication between those colonies and San Francisoo, The French journals state that it is contemplated to separate the Ministry of the Colonies from the Ministry of Marine, and to constitute a special Colonial Ministry. ; Speaking at Hereford, Colonel Arbuthnot, M.P., said the next question of the would be the confederation of the Empire. They had immense colonial possessions, and in a few years their trade must equal that of any other country. If the British Government were wise, they would take steps without delay to bring about an alliance.vwith the colonists to induce them to give England trade advantage they would net give to foreign nations. -