ENGLAND.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 31 March 1863, Page 2

ENGLAND.

The great historical painter, Btorace Verncfc, is dfnd.

The reported iV-'lure of Sir George Grey in his al tempt to apporse the natives of New Zealand oc< -sions gr t disappointment and regret here ; vet it is at t'-u inopportune moment th*t f c Hotne Office t Iks of \vi drawing the Qreen's troops from t ho colony, nnd leaving the settlers to shift anc'. (irht for themselvc.'. On every ground this would '10 most unjust a d impolitic. If this is to be the first fruits' of Golrlwin Smith's philosophy (jonom-. \ the nation will have reason to regret ever havii * listened to that doctrinaire's exposition of c oni.l policy. During 1 the month a new batch of baronets have been fledged. One of these gentlemen is a dietin* guishorl representative of Australian interests in this country, Sir Daniel Cooper. The other five recipients of tho distinction are alao worthy, three of them pre-eminently so, They are^-Mr Frank

Crossley, of Halifax, whose magnificent gift , to that" town will be in /everybody's memory ; Mr David Baxter, who conferred a like benefit, on his native town of 1 Dundee • Mr "WT. Brown, the munificent founder of the' Liverpool- Museum; Mr Thomas D. Lloyd, a Welch gentleman, of ancient lineage, and' popular through the Principality ; and Mr Henry Bicb, a Whig partisan. In ten days Parliament reassembles; but at present there are few signs of political activity, i The country is napping, and the steam of party zeal is very low. Seemingly there are no great questions ahead. Mr. Disraeli has issued the cus- ! tomary notice to the members of the Opposition, asking their attendance at St. Stephen's, so that they may be ready for " matters of importance." The Tory peers are to dine with Lord Derby on the same day — the sth of February. The Qiiay torley Review has published a kind of Conservative manifesto. It is quite evident from this article, and tLe comments of the newspapers of the party, that tie Opposition are prepared to do "battle with the Government on the cession of the lonian Islands to Greece, not only because it is a " dismemberment of the British empire," but as having been decided without the previous consent of the Legislature. They intend also' to assail Earl Hussell for his overtures to the Pope (by which a little game of their own has been adroitly spoiled), and to c: iticise and denounce his deppatch to Denmark. On financial matters, Mr. Disraeli is likely to be forestalled. In spite of the paralysis in Lancashire, the Chancellor of thre Exchequer, who had a surplus of income over expenditure at the end of the year to the amount oi 1 £1,250,000, will be enabled to rejoice in many retrenchments ; and it is rumored that he will propose a reduction of the income-tax to 8d or 7d in the pound.