IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS. — NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS. NEW ZEALAND WAR.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2237, 21 September 1864, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS. — NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS. NEW ZEALAND WAR.

Sir,M. FAitQunAn (July 14) asked the Colonial Secietaiy whether any despatches had been received by him that day lelative to the late unfortunate battle 111 New.Zealaud, Mi. CARnwjaii • Yes, some despatches have been lecciyed to-day, and it was my intention on moving the iiist ouler of the day, the second reading of the •New Zealand Loan Bill, to have stated to the House that they had been lecen cd, and th.it I should lose no time in placing them in the hands of members. The pnncipal despatch lelates to the action at a place called Tauranga, in the Northern Island, the telegram lespecting which lias already created so much anxiety and sonow in this House and the countiy. As the whole of the despatches will shortly be in the hands of membeis, peihaps it may be bettei that I should leave them to gather the stoiy fioiii the despatches themselves. Mr. Ahiiiub Mills (July 21) gave notice that on tlio ie assembling of Parliament next session (unless peace should m the nicintime have bedii concluded in New Zealand, on teiins which in the opinion of the Queen's lepiescntative in the colony were just and equitable to the native race), lie would move an humble addiess to her Majesty, praying that i>he would be giaciously pleated to foibid the further employment of her Majesty's foices in the piosecution of a wai in which the taxpayers of the United Kingdom had no mteiost, and ovei the conduct of winch the Impelial Government had no practical contiol. Jn reply to a question by Mr. A. Mills (July 22), Mi Oahdwm.l stated that no proclamation was contained in the despatches which had been recently leceived fiom New Zealand, but a notification was contained in those despatches, which led him to suppose that a pioposition of a totally different chaiactcr to that of the alleged pioclamation had been put foiwaid. NEW ZEALAND (G UAUAN'TKR OF TOAN) BILL. On the motion foi the second reading of this bill (July 14), Mr. A. Mills moved its rejection, contending that all quaiantees foi loans to colonies were objectionable; hut tin? case of New Zealand was peculiarly so, as the money would be applied to foster the war which was going on theie, foi the purpose of enabling the colonists to obtain Jand ftom the natives, although it would not be made applicable to those expenses foi tioops which would bo inclined by the Impoi ial Government, aud which this countiy would bo called upon to pay If, as was asserted, the colony was ilouushing, why did it not go into the mukctand laise the loau foi itself In fact the question in this case wa3 not one of this country's t iving a colony, but of a colony taxing this countiy. The Chancjllor of the Exchequer said, with lefoience to the iinancial pait of the question, he agieed with his lion, fnend opposite (Mr. Mills) in the puncipleß lie had Jaid down of self-reliance for the colonies. The question wafc not whether wo should tax the colonies oi tlu colonies should tax us, but ho would go farther and say that the colonies weie taxing us, and had been very largely taxing u« fora consult l!able timo. (Keir, hear.) The colony had liu-t asked for a guai.intec of £3,000,000 ; th*t pioposed by the Government was £1,001,000, aud it was obviously the duty of the Impcml Gorernmeut m no case to piop»se an Inipci ial guarantee unless ll was convinced of the solvency of the colony, and of its willingness and disposition to pay. As to that theie could lie no doubt whatever. Of course a »olony like Maw Zealand had con->idei able demands upon it and at all times a gieat expenditure was necessary; but it \\ as not ciicuni-,tanci!S of peace that had driven them to the necessity of a loan It was the war in which they w cie engaged The lesponsibihty of that wai could not be thiown upon the colonies. It had been approved by the Government at home, and h w did we s.tand with lespect to that war? "We had laiely got a colony s.luch defrayci any considerable poition ot the expeudituic of a war, but herd neaily a moiety moie oi lc->s of the expenditure fell on the shouldeis of the colony, Thciefore, ho s*id, if tho colonist-. weie contributing, as they were, many bundled thoiuands a - year for the expenses of tho war, that showed a consuloi ible ad\ance as compared with formei statements, which weiethat the mother country should boat all the chaiges of the wai. The two inducements the Government had to take part in this guaiantce weio —m the Hist'place, the lepayment they weic to obtain for a laige debt owing by tho colony to this countiy , a-id, in tho second place, what he concei\oJ to boyetmoie matei ial than tlut, they weie to obtain a gie.it augmentation of the milit ii} ehuge up >n the colonists Jle did not speak of tlie lcpivmcnt ot the X»(>0,000 metely in a fiscal ]) nut (it new, although it was desirable that sum shonl I be in the bauds of the Government; but he sp.iko of it beouisc he consulted that an unsettled recount between a colony and the mother country was a political cwl. That was miteiml as fai as it went, but he attiched nioie linpoit-mce to the le mainiiig ]>oition of the question. Instewlof a nominal contiibiition of £.5 a head by the colouuts for the tioops, they would coutubute £40, which was such a chai^aas would influence tliem in restraining their dem '.ml toi tioops toi which they had to pay so muJi It was a ste[i foiw.ird with legard to nnlituy c\]icndituic even now when thew n was raging. Aud with icspoct to the ie payment of the loan he c mid a«suie the House scciuitics could be given in the best and most conclusive loim He hoped, theiefo.e, they would bo almost* unanimous as to the propucfv of iculu q this bill a srcond time. j\h WmrLsiui. asked toi mi explmation. of the theoiy ot whit w is called the land question, oi what w is to lie dune w uh the land of the native*. Mi. Hoi buck m^e I th it tlie colonisation of New Zealind was simp 1 } an nn.wnii, with the ultimate object of tho extermination of tho natives. Ihe Impel l il Govcinmi nt mteifeivd to picvent thu, aud to i.iuntain an English and native population to UCthei in the colony , but th s w is an uttei impossibility, .and it niiist come that the lattei should bo cxteimmited The responsibility letted, m fact, on the people of this countiy, aud not on the Government, foi the foimci weio paitics to the carrying out ot the usual sy->tcm of colonising in the couutnes of the down, n imcly, ono of extei initiation. The people of this country weic bound to protect the colonists against the dangei to which oiu mipeiul policy hid subjected them ha II "WiLi.uui.iim contended that the guaiantceing of loans like that pupo&ed' would lender wais like tint going on in New Zeal'ind chronic. r lhe ici'cnue and expenditure of New Zealand were so neiily balanced that it alibided no solid becuiily of the guuantee of this loin Mi A\ IOUN opposed the bill. Sii S. NoimicoiK complained that the Government had not given the House sufficient inclination with legard to the futuic policy to be puisucd tow.uds New Zealand, lie also asked what steps had been taken to seem c the payment from the colony foi tho maintenance of any Untish troops that might be sent theie. Mi. Cauow TLii lcplicd to the objections olTeiod against the guarantee, and urged leasons why tlie pioposnl should be agreed to. Ho g.ue a shoit history of the policy puisucd tow aids the native lacein New Zetland, and showed what was the real origin of tho present war, as stated by Gov ernor SirGeoige Grey, namely, the nnu dei of a British psity by tho chief of the Waikatns, and a conspiracy of the natives, aud the ]>lan pioposed by Sir Geoige for dealing with the foitcitcd lands, lie then explained, in detail, the airangenients entcied into with the colony for the impciial guaiantce of the loin In considering the sccunty, he gave particular of the finances oi the colony, which showed that theoidinaryievcnue of tho last liuancial veai- amounted to £()-t9,000, aud the sm plus to £2GU,000, aud that the estimated surplus of the cm icnt year, the expenditnio being larger thau that of the preceding year, was £254,000. Lastly, he explained the conditions attached to the guaiantce, including the sanction of the Colonial Legislature to the contiact upon which the anangement was founded. Mi Addi.ulei thought that on tlie whole tho proposition was one which tho House might fai.ly sanotion '1 he circumstances of the case weie exceptional, and would not pledge the House to a lecurrence of a snmlai policy. Moieovei, the colony was perfectly solvent. Sir J. Tkelawst was not jiropaied to say that wo had not got into inch a bungle in New Zealand that at length it had become desirable to lesoct to strong uieasiuo to close our transactions with that colony. If this were so, let it bo done aboveboaul and in a straightforward manner. For his own pa.it he thought it was her Majesty's Ministers, and not the colonists, who were in fault, and he held it was an undignified comse on the part of the Government to make war against the whole native race, simply because one oi two odiceis and a company of men had been led into an ambush aud attacked. Jfe smceiely hooed the Hoiue would not sanction the bill Mi. J. B. Smith said the lcaton the colony could not laiso a loan m tha maikct was that they weie not prepaied to give tho ciurout lato of niteieat. He Would suppoit the amendment.

Colonel Syjees said thi» measure was an attempt •to »tnke out "» new way to _ pay" old debti." (Laughter,) We liad already paid large sums in New Zealand, and he thougLt it would be imprudent for this country to guarantee any loan to that colony. Mr. Whaixtsy, amid general laughter, attributed the whole of the disaster* which had befallen- our armi in New Zealand to the influence o£ the Roman Catholic clergy ; but was called to order by Lord Stanlby, who protested against the introduction of irrelevant matter into the debate. Mr. C. Foutescdb said that he should decline to follow the hon. gentleman in pursuit of the Jesuit — (laughter) — whom he found in every part of the world, and whom he now discovered in the forests o£ New Zealand. (Laughter.) They might take his statements with regard to Canada as the measure of accuracy which belonged to his statement with regard to what was now pissing in New Zealand; for it was notoiious that the Roman Catholic Church in Canada during the rebellion there, so far from fomenfmg and promoting that lebellion, had been, on the contrary, the most valuable ally of the Imperial Government on the side of loyalty and order. ( Hear. ) It waa admitted on all sides that a system of colonial guarantees was objectionable — (hear, heat) — but to contended that the present case had been shown he be an exceptional instance, Mr. R. Cobdkn said that what we were asked to do might be expressed in a few word. Wo had a debtor owing us £500,000, and he said to in, " My cieilit is not very good in the city— (laughter) — but if yon Mill endorse my bills for a million, by which I Rhall be enabled to discount in the city on your credit, 1. will pay you the £500,000." (Hear, hear.) He wanted to know what interest the English people had in the matter. The right hon. gentleman, the Secretary for the Colonies, invited their geneiosity and kindness towards New Zealand ; but if we had any generosity to spare, it was wanted by our own countrymen and taxpayers at home. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and learned m«mber for Sheffield told them in his peculiar fashion what the object was. He skid, "We are bound bj an irresistible necemty to exterminate the native population of New Zealand." He said, moreover, that he had told the Honse so 20 years ago, and he felt rather aggrieved than otherwise that we had been so slow in tho process of extermination — (hear, and laughter) — that, instead of <i long, lingering agony, we ought to have given them a sharp pang and have done with them. He wanted to know how the hon. and learned gentleman proposed to exterminate the Maoris (Laughter.) He did not give the House the receipt. (Hear, hear.) He did not state w hether he would do it by strychnine — (laughter) — or what other process he would use. (Hear, heai.) He thought the hon. and learned gentleman rather presumed upon his lopg career of eccentricity in having advauccd a v doctiiue which in, a Christian assembly like ours was utterly out of place— (heai)— and which ought to have been deliTered in a Parliament of Thugs. (Cheers.) Everybody kuow what the issue of the war was. It was the taking possession of lands of the Maoris. (Hear, hear. ) Wool was enormously high ; sheep pasturage was veiy profitable ; the neighbours of the Maoris would be very glad to elbow them out, *nd take possesbion of their lands — (hear, hear) — but what mteiest had the English people in it? We had parted with all sorereignty mnd jurisdiction over the land of New Zealand. If the British Parliament passed an Act giving «. few acres in tho colony to an invalid loldier, tha New Zealand Legislature would be up in arm« against vi for having infringed on its right* ; and therefore what interest had the people of England with tli* proceeding which the House was aiked to sanction ? (Hear, hear.) Ik vu in fact contrary to their interest. Ik was against trade ; for the debt on the colony should be paid out of customs duties, and customs duties restrained trade and commerce. (Hear, hear.) It was true that some impetus had been given to the colony by the discoreiy of gold ; while, on the other hand, the expenditure for the army had increased the value of the imporks ; but that was a factitious value. With an increased amount of debt and charge for interest, it was just possible that iuci eased duties might be placed on the imports by the New Zealand Legislature, and a direct interference With the trade of tins country be thereby established. A debt of £3,000,000 or £4,000,000 was no light matter foy a. population of 100,000 persons. He did not understand tho stipulations they were to get for this loan. Tho right hon. geiitlemau did not appear to have the power to pledge the New Zealand Legislature in any way, and wh ile £40 a head was to bb psid for each soldier to be kept in that country the cost of maintenance would nmount to £1 20, so that there would be a clear loss of £80 per man The time had come when they ought to take a different course on these colonial matters. If the hon. gentleman went to a division, he should support his amendment, and he thanked him for bringing it forward. Sir J. Hi.\ expressed his intention of supporting the amendment, on the giound that the colonists theinselv<.s were to blame for the present war, inasmuch m they \\a<\ revoked the Act which prohibited tho importation into the colony of nrms and ammunition, leit the natives should become aimed. Attersomc observations by Su J l^jiitousiov, Lord PiLMURsroN stud that the doctrine of some of the opponents of the bill would cast the colonies adrift. He was not pie pared to poncnr in that doctrine. The colsny was founded on the punciplo that the emigrants who went there should be protected. It was a thriving colony, and was increasing lapidly in w ealth and m everything that constituted a pio pcious colony. The real question was, did the House v, u>h this unh&ppy war should be biought to a clos>c, o: did they >u->h the mteieits of the colonists should lie sacuhced to the tevolt of those native tubes' He could not believe that the Honse w isheil anything of the kind, for the sooner the war u is brought to a. close the better for all parties. Theiewpie 10,000 of the civil population of New Zealand under arms. That was a great expense both tj the colony and the mother countiy. A3 to the question of »ecunty, the customs' levenne amounted to £700,000 per annum, and the sales of waste lands leturned £1,300 000 annually, so that there waa ample secunty for the loan. Was it because that security existed that they should load the colonists with a UUtionU interest, which they would have to pay if they went into the maiket wuthout some substantial guarantee ? He hoped the House would a^iee to the second reading of the bill. In icply tj Majot Stuart, Mr CuiDWiir. <3iid that he would eudeavom to mti o, luce clause-, into the bill making the gtantmg of the guitianteo by the Commissions s of her Majesty's TreaMiiy dependent upon the acceptance by the Assembly of New Zealand of the terms indicated in his recent despatch. The House divide I — Ayes, 92 , noes, 55 ; majority m favour of the second leadi.ig, 37. The bill wus accoidingly read a second time, and the committee lixed for Monday, July IS. ' On the order of the day for going into committee on July 18, Sir J. TKKiiAAVKY said that, unless he leceived a satisfactory explanation of the policy which tho Government mteuded to puisne 111 this matter, ho should move that the bill be refeued to a select committee. General Pvnr, wished to know what control tho (. olouial Government exercised over the movements of the troops in New Zealand; and also how the expenie of the war in that country was to be def raj cd. Mr. CaßDwhll replied that the control of the Queen's forces in New Zeal cad was vested in the hands of th« Go\ eminent and of the Commauder-in-chief. His views in regard to the laud question w ere embodied 111 a paper which was laid some time dgo upon tho kable of the House. An intimation had reached hi.n that a difference bad arisen betw een the Governor and his Minister* as to the advisability of detaining IS3 prisoneis who had beeu captuicd, and he (Mr Cttid»ell) had instructed the Governor to act entirely upon his own judgmeut in that and similar cases Itefereuce had been made to Governor Grey's policy, but it was ceitainly no pait of his polity, nor of the policy adopted by her Majesty't Government, to maintain a war for the pin pose of oppiessnig tho native race in New Zealand 'In regard to the present bill, he had stated upon a former occasion the way in ■which it came to be proposed ; but he would now bnefly recapitulate the circumstances. Last year an offu 1 was made by the Duke of Newcastle to ask Pailiament to guarantee a loan of half a million to New Zealand. That loan was to cover £200,000 for expenses incurred in tho former war, £200,000 foi the compensation of settlers who had been losers by tho fgiuier war, and £100,000 for tlio purposes of the oolouy. lv tha meantime, however, a further sum, arising fioui tho circnmsUnces of the present war, beenme payable by tho colony to this country Tha payment which the colony of New Zetland made to this country for the troops stationed there was regulated by arrangement, which w ould terminate upon the close of the present year. That anangcment, which was a most unsatisfactory one, was a nominal payment of £5 per he id ; and ho sud nonnual, because under the airangement a gloat amount of this payment found its way back to the colony. It was part of tht object of the present piopnsal to terminate that unsatisfactory ariangenunt, and substitute for it the name system sui exist 'd m the Aiwtralian colony, namely, the paymtii of £40 ler man from th* Jit January, 1865t Bm liad on a former

suasion khowii.iWtiiere flramp c Metan* for t ,to repayment of tk, e lo,an and cbuaWtkt ..Ihdw blie new a, wment \k ? colony coulft rto Whge* be nddren«tto«.ir, seeing that It wrt lu-nl nmmor compelled to giro bail aguust futuic w.us . >V* c its indepc.KW was at the same'tinic seciU'ed ; and considering that ljie whole male population of AttoU' land were Wi|i« aims forthe defence of the 1 homes, he trusted the h™. membci, for TavistSek a mild allow the Ho«=e to go into committee •m'fclie bi'l Maioi HuiuW trusted thd nght I"-'-- 'gcntloEnabling the eo'ony, with tbe help of tins loan, to make good the losses of, <ho colonists in the pH^nit. enthely 'opposed 1 io the principle of gogjafttces, and, as ho coi.sidcied {hero was an advanced Übei.tl himself, ho Had ho •coilfl.K».*o. in the security oftoied by' the itemOCiat'C GoU'inment . of New Zealand (Laughter.) ' Mr Winner <■ ucl ho ha I spent i.d.uly a whole day m the Oolonul Oflico cndeavoui rtrg to asceitun' if Sir G. Gieyhad statul publicly m xVen Zt>al.»n.l that m in\ estimating the ougin of the pieseut vii 'he found it aiosefiom the machinations of the Roman Catholic pucsts , and, although thciewas tonic vague idea than some such, communication had been 10 cn\ed, yettheio was no distinct recollection of it As he had failed to Ret a" satisfactory explanation ftoniAo IJjidoi b'eoretn.v foi the Colonies as t-> the implication of this particulu oidei Of peisons in the present wai. lie should ask the l'lonsc to giant him a retnrn of nil communications which. h-»d been 10ceivedfiomSn Geoie;c Giey lelatifc to tlicoiigin and piogie-s of t tlus ichillion. Mi. A. Mn i.-. lcfeued to the gieit mischief winch was likely to auvo fiom the piactice of allow me; the inespous'iMe Mimstu-, of the colonies to chetitc to the conimandei in chief in legaid to the mo.cment of tioojn. He wishel to know how such i piactice was to bt put an end to hv the wilting of .any de, patch. <*(Uovi, hen ) The tiutlr was om Hoops weieemplo>el n\ an unrigliteou^ wu. (tleai. lieai- ) It was not w-vged f-n the piotection of 'Anckhi'id, but to a=sHt the aims of colonists, who woic c\coedincly desuous to set into tlien Jnnds a? ltojli fcitile land is iwsible ([fen, heai ) That stitcncnt was ' bomeoutbyihe testimony of higli -\wd Miipailnl lmhtaiyautLoiifcv, and v hen it was so it behoved the Hou=e of ,Coiiunons to pi> attention to it ilr \\ r J[mriN begued to be allow ed to reid an extract from a lettei wlm.li lie had looeived fiom an intimate friend who had gone out to Mew Zealmd some 13 mouths ngo, and who was Knov.n to many members of the lloa« The writei said —"They (the Maous) weie a, hi ue lace, and it seems a gicat fhamo to take then land fiom them. We all out heie ,con-idei the wai an unju-t one'— (hear, heu)— but the ciy of the colo.ns.ts i^ still for la.jd. Moieovei, the tuiops aie tliennkeis of Aiivlclane, as the coucr\t,toi~ aie miking luge foi times out of them and so long is jou aie fool enough to supply the ueo.Uul, so long \\ill tluv keep on Hie wai." (Heai, hen ) He then gi\e a deplorable account of the couuitioii.ofthc uxh\e=, and e^pies^ed a behof that it tho^Lulonists weie allowed td light it out them«el\&i the'pioTiabilifcy was tint Ike Maoris would have the best ,ot it - The Maiquib of Hvuii\Grov said that" theie did not appear to be atpitSviit auj' l^asou 'wh> the Goveiuuient should .i^k foi 'a s'upp'cinental ma'lmieh a->a veiy hbgi vl estimate hid been taken of the pi obaMe suiii w h'di t,lie vs ai w mild cn-,t u 1?u 1 ? The estimate was. lia^e 1 on {be Miupositioii^that the wai would Jasb >-ix: months aftei ihe ' ls>t Apnl It was quite tine that hostilities niipbt continue f.>r a coiiMdeiably longei jienod , but honom.able iiieml)cis should lecullect that in wai the chief ei.i>en*e was in the tianspiit of supplte* and STOiestjauauiu m the hald, and that in tins case tint ei.jiens3 would t> a Ciinsilei \Ub extent be avomed as GeiiPial C'iuji on did not mteud to piosecute hit thei O|)e»ahoiu m tl.e mt-r.oi of the co mtiy. The diam on the commi««auat would theiefoie fa the future be much lxlucod, and the lua-iy espen-e hitherto mearitd on that aoiount le^tncd Sn J. Hvvboie te-stimony ti the ability of Su Wui WiS3iiT»i in this wai, and alluded to the tubute wlnoh thio oQkei Ind pa d ti C'>mmandei Uav and Ciptun Hamilton of, th- '£-k ' The wai ap-pearo-i to bun tilrue bean unt juun iti aud in c\ eiy v*iy ui)ju-tni\b!o Ihe lloi>c tlyn dnid d— Foi ihj am3ndme.lt, 32, agun4 it 79 :n\piu> 47 'J he Hou=e than w out m o committee on tins bill On.C.auw 1, 3lr M'X'MoO-* nifAel the icducti>uof the l um guanuteed fiom il,o '0 000 to iJOO "00 As, these trnaia-u c- w.io hlvc'y to be bi m^ht friwru 1 m fut- no, lie thou^hf it i' o 'ht tint the Ho'ise make a det m>ii led 'tind agamst them. Mi Cvijjw . "L np,)o=e 1 the amendment Mi Win t . ui-lud t) know a 'icuhei the colony lntsnd&d to iai--e a fuithei loan of on the colom.ii cie br Mi Cudvim ropbel that sin.li wa-j the in ten tio i of t!ic coloiiv M"r. A. MiiL-"onld not vot-' foi the ameiubneiit, beeMibe he did uot adnut the .id\ isabiUtj of giuiy any £?uaraute3 \\ Integer Jlu C roivTF^LCr maintained on the authouty of Govemoi bu Ceruse (!icj, that this was a- most just •Md necessai} w n, .ti t stucM^ a wai of seltdefence Oltimately the a nen-lmcnt w is negatived without a d'-Tl-ion, and the elui=e agioed to The rcma 11)115 classes neie ngi^-ed to, avd the bill passed tJioug'i comimtt.e. Ou the motion that the b.ll, as amended, be en,- ' Bidered [Tul> 19], - Mi. Hh.m— . Tiid he «,' o.ild oppose the bill at e* ery sti»e, aid <v> the huu was too late (vfi'iaitci to 1 o clock) to uiici into d at pie«ciit, he be.'ged tomo\e thxt f-o dtbite be a 1301uui.il 'Ihe House Oi id.d -.hen the numbeis were — Ayt,=, o, 11 c ,'.') unjouty against the adjournment, 2j Ihe hill, nnm . d 1, a\ is then consideicd, and the thud ie 1 .14 app^.utel foi the 21st Upo'i tlu- it .t e^ ur the third teadiuj of this bill [July 21] -.Ii IIc v \f-si movel as an amendment fiatitbe 101 1 x thud time that dry month , but, ; ou a 'luisio'i, the pnipo>ition %.-s ne^atneJ by 75 to | 3i. Th^ bill ". 1 i<2".tl a tliad tme aud pascal Jlr. Miils ewe no 103 that eailj in the ne^t ses fcioa, sliou'd the w?r 111 New Zualan 1 not have ceased he should iv n a the w ithdiaw al of the Imps j nal tioops fruin the col jiiy. In repl ,• to Mr Wfvtfk*, Mr Cvudwfil said he had heaid ta^i 2 no ilan^erof a war on the Kaffii fiontier. In reply to Sir W. Fn\.s&R, Mr Lvyard said the French Governmeut had lemoved all restuctions upon J3nti»h subjects travelling in fiance, aud he Ind never before hend any complaint iesp»ctmg the mattei Fia.ich visas weie not requne t toi the ' passports of Eji ,'lnhmeii, and the pa,,poit v.?,only asked for to lleulify nationality. Although pass jioits wee not .stiicbly uecessaiy, ho\evei ) he wonld-athi^-tm oilers to pi o > T ide themselves with them , Sn C. Wood mide his aui.ial statement of tlie finmce^of fudia He bewail by observing that the favomable anticipations lie had made mpastyeais' hid been cojfi mcd, lad the hope-, he had held nut! ' had been mare thin realised The light lion gentle man concluded by mownc; a seues of lesolutious seating tlis amount of the lejenue ' Ahd chaigcs o£ Indi<i,°and asking for tlwii adoption by the HousoA diseu-Mon of a vaned chai'rotei ensued. At its close the lejolutions -tfere put and agiced to. '

AUSTRALIAN POSTAGE Mr. P. Prrr [Inly 13], in reply to Loul A. Caoucmtii, said that the Post-office la->t yeai lecoin mende l to the Tieasuiy that there -should be an incrensC of the lite of postage on letteis to AtMialu, with the do iVe object of mincing the amount an nually granted by Pai lament to meet tlie excess of the cxijen'-e or carrying the lettei-, ovei the icccipts anl of piovnhng the means of defraying the cot-t of e^tabl'sliing ft second mon 'lily communication witn Australia. Tha plan of cstaolislnn:; a foitni»btlj jiostal commuuication vitb. Austialia was not pio ceded with m consequence of its being undei stood that it was intended to establish .a commumcatiou with Australu vi!l Panama, mdependeat of tlie Tfume Goveinment. ' It appeared, however, that the idea wa^ no longer entertained, and therefore the Government were fiee"to revert to their plan to mciease the postal communication with the Australian cdlonies, and, under the circumstances, he -thought it -would he reasonable ti postpone the execution of - -the rebent increase in the rite of postage until the colonie-. had been communicated with as to then desire to have a bi-month'y mail in conjunction with the increase of the po-jtasje late. Lord A CiiorrniH. under these c-i-cum-•tances, he would not ) roee :d with the motion on the subject of which ho had given notice.

PETITIONS PRESENTED. On July 15, petition? were jneVented _in favour o£rertuco ! iate-> of 'postage to A n'strilia, 'New Zealand, Ac , ii\ Lniil FciYnoy, from themina^en :tndfnen<li rf institution e-tiblishedinMaryloboueforthe beucfls of t'.c witVuj; clause? ;" one to the same effect ftom Mt. J S\Oi >l iy , l>y Mi. W. E. Forster, from m^mbe^ <'f ill worUmg classes .vt Biadfoid ,by Mr. 0 A Tmnoi ; by Sir W, Miles, from certain per

'Son*, owners of ptopeity or ""dtlioiWise, intcicstcd in ■ Komc.Qi one of tlio colonies of Austiaha, Tasmania, • and New Zealand ; by Mr.. 1 Tite t fiom nicmbon of the -woikmq classes and then fnon<K citizens of B.ijli; by Mr. Mas«oy, fioui fueiuls and inembeis of woiUinij classes, S.ilfoid ; by Loid A. Glnuclull. fimu membeis andfiicnds of institutions established foi the iicndlifc of the -nvoiUhiE! classes , byMr. But'cr, from the walking tiicu of bhoieditch ; by Mi Km n uul fiom the mungois and fncnlis of liisLiliilioii-. foi the benefit of wo'kinc; cUvsbes 111 the XJnilcil Kingdom ,\nd'Au»Uali m colonies ,by Mi C'\.\\\ foul, fiom \ai|oiiS banking companies and limis on^agi'd in business with the colonies of Anslrnb i.'Tasmauii, mid New Zevi.uid, and 1 by ilr Barnes, fiom tho • Leeds WoiUihsj Men's Club— Only 21, by Mr. 11 T,e\Mi, fiom mombcisof t\\e woikiii" cl.isses, aq.uiist the uici eased lates of to and fiom Austuilui, 'l\t-.imni i, .md New Z(. il.md, both via .Southampton .mil Mill tellies ; by Mi", ll.inhmy, fiom mciclimts autl othcis fiom tlio city of 1 01 don, in favour of a icductum i\\ the l.vtc of pottage to Austialia,, T.vsniEuiu, and New Zealand.