The Press. MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1870.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2166, 28 March 1870, Page 2

The Press. MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1870.

The telegraphic summary of news by \ the January mail is unusually interest- ] ing, the items in which the mail had been forestalled being fortunately those of the smallest importance. : The Imperial Parliament opened on the Bth of February, and Ministers lost no time in bringing forward the two great measures of the session, the Irish Lands Bill and the National Education Bill. Upon the question whether it would not be more advisable to postpone the latter till next year, there had been some difference of opiaion between the two bodies

represented respectively at the Birmingham and Manchester Conferences; the one pressing for immediate legislation, the other believing that a twelvemonth's delay would be more favorable 'to the ultimate adoption of their views. A similar difference was said to prevail in the Cabinet, Mr. Lowe siding

strongly with those who advocated delay. If so, he was over-ruled; for the telegram informs us that the Bill has been introduced, and its second reading fixed for the 14th of March. The Bill is based on the principle of utilising as much as possible the existing means of education. It does not interfere with denominational schools, beyond enforcing the adoption of a conscience clause and Government

inspection. It divides England into districts, in each of which schools are to be founded (if the denominational schools already established are insufficient), to be placed under local management, and supported by local taxation, aided by Government grants, but subject to central supervision. School fees are to be maintained as a rule, but power is given to the local Boards to remit them is case of ascertained inability to pay. The question of compulsory education is compromised by leaving it to the discretion of the

school boards, who are empowered to pass bye-laws compelling the attendance of all children in their respective districts between the ages of five and twelve. A measure has also been announced ' for the complete abolition of religious tests in the Universities. This, it will I be remembered, was carried through the House of Commons last session by 1 large majorities, but could not even j obtain a hearing in the Lords, who were then in the thick of their quarrel with the Commons over their amend- • meuts in the Irish Church Bill. There

can be little question, we should imagine, that the Bill will pass this time, after the strong declarations in its favour from the most influential resident members of both Universities. The Irish Land Bill must have been an agreeable disappointment for those who feared (if any did fear it) the proposal of a revolutionary measure. Its object seems to be to put an end to the discrepancy between local —or, as applied to Ireland, we may say national —custom and the statute law, and to secure the tenant from being demnified by any arbitrary exertion of his landlord's rights. For this end, courts of arbitration are to be established to settle differences between landlords and tenants, which will be

empowered, in case of any tenant being evicted on insufficient ground, to award compensation, varying from two to seven years rent. The tenant is also to be entitled to claim compensation for permanent improvements, unless he holds under a lease of not less than thirty-one years. The Opposition - have promised to deal with the measure in a conciliatory spirit, and no prolonged resistance was expected ; whether these expectations have been realised we shall learn hereafter. Mr. Gladstone has also introduced a separate Bill for the acquisition of land in Ireland, to be applicable also to England and Scotland. The telegram

gives no explanation of the provisions of this second Bill; probably it is founded on the scheme proposed three or four years ago by Mr Bright. A debate has already taken place in the House of Lords on colonial affairs, Lord Carnarvon leading the attack on the policy of the Government. The debate seems to have been raised on some merely formal motion ; but it was of importance as having elicited from Lord Granville an emphatic repudiation of any desire on the part of the Government to sever the connec-

tion between Great Britain and her colonies. The withdrawal of the troops, he declared, was only intended to enable them to learn habits of self-defence. In case of attack from without, England would defend them with her last man, her last ship, and her last shilling. It will be sufficient for the colonies to be perfectly assured on that point. So long as England is prepared to recognise them as integral portions of the empire in case of war, and, if they are attacked, to put out her full strength for their defence, they will find nothing to resent in the policy of habitual non- • interference which, notwithstanding its theoretical anomalies, has the merit of leaving them practically independent. There are several items of news in he telegram which are of especial nterest to the Australian colonies. 3ne is, that the British Australian

relegraph Company, for laying a submarine cable from Singapore to Port Darwin in Australia, through Batavia, has been organised. "When the cable is laid, and the line extended along the eastern side of tbe Australian continent, Melbourne will be brought within eight days of London. It will then only need a submarine wire between the nearest points of Australia and New Zealand to bring this colony also into equally rapid communication. When the commercial intercourse between Australia and America becomes such as to re-

quire a line to San Erancisco, as is certain to be the case some day, the circuit of the globe will be literally accomplished. Another piece of news is that a meeting of merchants has been held in London to discuss proposals for steam communication with Australia and New Zealand via Milford Haven, Portland, and San Francisco, in forty days. The promoters of this meeting are, we suppose, those who recently sent an offer to the Government of New South Wales to undertake a monthly service by the route mentioned for £1000 per month. The meeting is said to have been numerously attended, and resolutions were passed in favour of forming a company. It remains to be seen what encourage-

ment will be offered by the Colonial Governments, and experience has shown how serious an impediment the jealousy between the two leading Australian colonies offers to any scheme which would require their united exertions. The advantages of the proposed line, however, are so great that we can hardly suppose, if it is undertaken byiesponsible parties that the requisite subsidies will not be forthcoming. Lastly, the Suez Canal is proving a complete success, and the number of vessels passing along it increases daily. Mr. Green, the wellknown shipowner, is making arrangements to send his vessels by the canal; and there seems every probability that it will soon supersede the passage by the Cape as the route for the Australian liners. The commercial news presents, except in one respect, no unfavourable features. The price of wool is maintained, and New Zealand securities stand from one to two and a-half per

cent higher than at the close of the previous month. The exception is flax, which, in consequence of a temporary glut in the market, declined from '£8 to £10. The number of bales oflered in January, including those held over from the last month, was 3000; but on account of the reduced price few sales were effected. This news will be very unwelcome, but we see no reason for flax manufacturers to be

alarmed. The high prices given for the first importations must be regarded as to some extent experimental, and on finding a large quantity coming forward purchasers as usual grew timid, and a sort of reaction followed. These ups and downs must be expected when any new article is placed on the market ; but in a short time, when its value becomes definitely ascertained, an equilibrium will be reached, and New Zealand flax will thenceforth bear an established price —not perhaps so high as producers have been led to expect, but still sufficiently remunerative.