VICTORIA.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 684, 7 January 1865, Page 4

VICTORIA.

"We take the following from the summary of news published in the Argus of the 24th ult. :— The first session of the Fourth Parlialiament of Victoria was opened by commission on Monday, the 28th of November. On the following day the Governor attended in person at the Legislative Council, and addressed to the assembled legislators, and a brilliant gathering of Victorian notables, the customary speech from the Vice-regal throne. Commencing with a somewhat unusual compliment to the electors, for the orderly manner in which they had exercised their suffrages, the speech proceeds at once to the more important features of the Misisterial programme. We are promised a Land Bill, to be introduced without delay, which shall "be simple in principle, unencumbered with, superflous and impracticable conditions, anid calculated to bring the lands of the colony within easy access of the public at large, whilst dealing equitably with existing interests." The tariff is to be readjusted, partly by the reduction of duties already chargeable, and partly by the inspection of duties on commodities hitherto untaxed. The legislative Council is to be reformed. Bills are for the regulation of mining if providing water to the goldfield*i|j|Pi;lie amendment of the law relating to |*m.olic instruction; for the amendment or the insolvency law"; for" the establishing postoffice savings-banks; for imposing a legacy duty; and for several other purposes of minor importance. The speech concludes by alluding, in turn, to the three great questions of transportation, colonial defence, and border customs. Aβ regards the second of them, we are informed that application has been made to the home Government for a material contribution, in the shape of ships and guns, to assist in securing the colony against aggression, and upon the other two subjects papers and despatches are promised. The appearance presented by the Legislative Assembly on the first day of the session was clearly indicative of the result of the recent elections. Of the seventy-one members who took the oaths on that occasion, no less than fifty-five chose seats on the Ministerial side of the House. Mr. O'Shanassy had the front Opposition bench all to himself; and while the seats behind the Treasury bench were densely and inconveniently crowded, the supporters of the ex-Premier had ample space in which to stretch their limbs at ease. According to present appearances, therefore, the Ministry have an overwhelming majority at their disposal, though it is worthy of note that in one of the first divisons of the session—on the Government proposal to devote Eriday night to private members' business—the Ministry carried their points only by the narrow majonty of four. No time was lost by the Government in introducing the Utopian measure which, according to the Vice-regal speech, is to settle the land question to the satisfaction of everybody. On the 30th of November, a Bill to Amend the Land Act of 1862 was laid on the table of the Legislative A ssembly by the Minister of Lands, and was afterwards read a first time without discussion. Professing to confine itself within the general outlines of the Dufly Act, the new measure fulfils fairly enough the election promises of the Ministry. Its leading principle is free selection after survey in the proclaimed areas, without distinction between white and blue—the selector to have the right to select from 40 to 640 acres, and to hold them as lessee for five years, at a rent of 2s per acre per annum. Improvements of the value of £1 per acre must be made by the selector within two years, and he may, if he so desires, have his land put up to auction, at the* end of one year, at an upset price of £1 an. acre, with a valuation for improvements ; or a selector who resides on his land may purchase the allotment without competition at the end of three years, at £1 an acre. Non-resident selectors can have their land put up to auction at the end of five years, the upset price to be £1 an acre, and a valuation for improvements. Aβ regards the squatting portion of the question, the chief feature of the new bill is the abolition of the distinction between the blue and the white. The selector is no longer to be confined within

the boundary of the blue line, but within the proclaimed areas, and provided always that the land Vs been surveyed, is to be at liberty to freely range over the while as well as the blue. The debates on the various stages of the new bill, though protracted to a wearisome length, have been singularly deficient in animation. The debate on the second reading commenced on the 7th inst., and after four night's discussion, was carried without - a division. An amendment by Mr. Levi declaring that any land legislation which did . *' not provide for an increase in the squatting ''■ rents would not be acceptable to the country was withdrawn, the Government threatening to resign if it was carried. A resolution to the same effect, proposed by Mr. Macgregor on the motion that the bill should be conimitted, was negatived by forty-five to nineteen. After a debate extending over seven nights, the bill is now fairly in committee, and while we write there is a chance of its being remitted to the tender mercies of the Upper House. Notwithstanding the declaration of the Attorney[General that the House was bound to accept jthe bill as a whole, the right of criticism pas been exercised freely. 1 The announcement "in the Governor's Speech that various alterations in the existing Customs' tariff were to be proposed, has caused the Treasurer's statement to be looked for with more than ordinary interest and anxiety, and much dissatisfaction has been expressed at Mr. Verdon's frequent postponement of his Budget. The uncertainty which prevails as to the proposals of the Ministry has occasioned a severe depression of trade • but the Government persist in their refusal to enter upon the subject of finance until the Land Bill has been disposed of, and there is, therefore, no prospect of relief from the prevailing anxiety until after the Christmas recess. In accordance with the Ministeral programme, a bill for the reform of the Legislative Council has been introduced into the Upper House itself. The proposals of the Government do not go further than a reduction of one-half in the qualification of members and electors, and a similar reduction in the term of service of members. The Intercloonial Anti - Transportation Conference has commenced its meetings. It will be remembered that some months ago . the Chief Secretary of Victoria forwarded a despatch to each of the neighbouiing colonies, proposing that an Intercolonial Conference should be held in Melbourne, to agree upon a common course of action with regard to the transportation question. Two of the colonies—South Australia and Tas-mania-—agreed to the proposal, and the representatives appointed by their respective Governments arrived a short time ago. The delegates from South Australia are t the Chief Secretary (Mr. Henry Ayers) and the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. Blyth). Tasmania is represented by [her Chief Secretary (Mr. "White) and her ' i ~ (Treasurer (Mr. Meredith). The represen- i? > Natives of Victoria are the Chief Secretary -i, Attorney-rGene* J iajl:(Mrt Higinbotham). The first sitting Conference took place on the 19th met., #1 Jiut the\ proceedings being conducted in f private, authentic has yet trans- ■&. pired. Meanwhile, the popular agitation on ft the subject of transportation is still con- ~'M tinued, with unflagging perseverance and enthusiasm. During the past month a great | number of anti-transportation meetings have J been held in various parts of the country* and there is scarcely a village in the whole i colony in which a petition has not been jf signed, protesting in the strongest terms $ against the continuance of the abominable practice of transporting convicts to our $ shores. -jp , A correspondence of a very character, seriously affecting the future in- '"$ dependence and standing of the judges in this colony, has been laid before Parliament, "f The correspondence, which-extends to con- ~% siderable length, was earned on between the k| Governor, the judges, and the Attorney- J General, and relates to the rights and pri- ii vjleges of their Honors in various waye, but J more particularly in their relation to the I Attorney-General's department and the -Z Executive Government of the day. The most M remarkable part of the correspondence is that fi in \ which the Attorney-General expresses hist view of the relations existing between m| theijudges and the law officers of the Crown, ;| MriHigmbotham does not hesitate to claim d for the Attorney-General the right of inter- | feririg in the arrangement of the businessof ,1 the courts; and informs the judges, in some- , J what heated terms, that however exalted and I dignified their positions may be, they are still if " officers in the department" of the At- *m torney-GeneraL M