ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 83, 2 January 1847, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

House or Commons — Jvly 23. ' TUB POTATO CROP IN IRELAND. Pii answer to a question from Mr. O'Connell, Mr.La- |! bouchere stated, that he had received letters from various quarters, official letters as well as private comnnii • cations, to the effect, tlmt though the prospects of a favourable harvest were excellent as regarded all other productions, yet, that with respect to the potato crop, the disease hud unfortunately made its appearance, andj he feared that thcie was every prospect of its spreading^ i to a seiious extent. If he did not at that time enter any! further into the subject, he hoped it be sup-( posed that the Government were not anxious to provide for the food and comfort of the people. In due time the most ample information bhould be laid before the Iloubc. COLONIAL VOTES. On Friday, the 17th July, several votes for colonial supply were taken— Dr. Bowiing hoped tht Government would not lose sight of the great importance of this settlement (Port Essington) in our intercourse w ith China. Mr. Hume wished to draw the attention of the noble lord to the necessity of obtaining more speedy communication with Van Diemen's Land. Port Essington might he a most useful settlement in this respect, and would soon become a mart of great resort. Mr. Hope said Port Essington was not so much a colonial as an Admiralty settlement. The anticipations formed of great trade to this place had not yet been i realized. The winds and currents on the coast made it not a very favourite port, and he was told there were difficulties in the way of ils becoming a place of such great resort as had been expected. j64,708 for the oharges of the Government of the Falkland Islands. j£30,000 for the charges of the Colony of New Zealand. Mr. Williams called attention to a paper recently printed, giving an account of the prisoners sent out to New Zealand from Parkhurst, from which the House might see what had been the good effects of the large expenditure upon those criminals. The conduct of the boys was described in a letter from a missionary, as being of the worst kind. lie should like to know to wihat purpose the bills to the amount of £21,13 1 were to be applied ? Mr. Hope said, that although the vote was not framed when he left office, he believed this sum was put down to make up the round sum of £30,000. This increased expenditure was necessary, to give the Governor a chance of retrieving the aft'uirs of the Colony. It was absolutety necessary he should have funds provided on which he could draw in the first instance. The House might safely leave Governor Grey a discretion as to the amount of the drafts he should draw on the credit now given, as from his previous career there was no doubt he would justify the confidence Parliament placed in him. Mr. Hume wished to abk whether, when a colonial governor committed this country lo a large expendituie of money, any inquiry was instituted into his conduct by the Colonial Department? It appeared to him that any person sent out as the governor of a colony might expend what money he pleased without being called to account. He wished to know whether Captain Fitzßoy had returned to this country, and, if so, whether his conduct while he was Governor of New Zealand had been inquired into ? Lord John Russell said that when the appointment of Governor of New Zeulind was offered to Captiin Fitzßoy, that gillant officer held a permanent public appointment in this country, and had discharged his duty mobt satisfictorily. He bslieveci that Captain Fitzßoy had been influenced in accepting the government of New Zealand by a desire to benefit the colony, and that he had acted with the best motives ; but he had been placed in a very difficult position, and he had certainly acted in defiance of what might be termed the ijansiully-receivccl maxims of colonial government, though he had no doubt a desire to benefit the public service. He considered that Captain Fitzßoy had committed grave errors, and the consequence of his conduct had been most serious ; but that gallant officer had himself been the loser by those errors, both in inertist and reputation. Captain Fitzlloy had been re-

called by the Government who had appointed him ; and he really thought that enough had been done in the matter. He was not disposed to institute any further inquiry on the subject.

A meeting of the suppoiters of Loul John Russell was held at the Hall of Commerce eaily in July: ti e speakers adverted particularly to the support of Colonial reform as one of the most essential duties of the Government. Mr. Foster M. P.. remaiked :— " He considered the importance of colonial reform as standing next to that of the question of corn. He had reason to know , that had it not been for a recent change in the administration, a colonial lenguC was about to be established ; and that it would have been established, but for the prospect which the new ministry held out of colonial reform without the use of such an objectionable measure." Mr. <x. F. Young contended that emigrants who left their eormtry, with all the ftec thoughts | and habits of Englishmen, ought to he allowed self-go-verifment in the colonies, instead of being subjected to the despotic authority of an arbitrary governor. The celebrated deaf and dumb professor, M. Massien the pupil, friend, and successor of the Abbe Sicard, died at Lisle on the 21st July, in the 75th year of his age. A private in the 7th Hussars, named White, liad died it was alleged, fiom excessive flogging- From the evidence taken at the inquest, which had not terminated, one of two conclusions must have appeared almost necessary — either that the deceased died in consequence of the flogging, or that if he died from the alleged dis ease of the chest within so short a time of the punishment, he could not have been in a fit state to receive it. Notice of a motion had been given in the # Commons to abolish flogging in the army, or not allowing any infliction to exceed fifty lashes. The Lord M.iyorentcrtiincd Her Majesty's Ministers, on the 19th August, at the Mansion HouseLord Ranelagh is> fitting out an expedition to explore some rivers in South America. The suspension of business of the Leads Commercial Bank was known in Birmingham by means of the electiic telegraph a quaiter of an hour after. A person named Whitney, had ma-le a report to Congress, to complete a railroad liom the Atlantic shoie across the Rocky Mountains to the Oregon. Notwithstanding ilsabsuidity, the Senate Com.nittee of Public Lands, gravely recommended that a grant of land be given for that purpose GO miles wide, along the whole length of the line— a stiip of Land some 2000 miles long, and CO wide ! Although the job was opposed by Mr. Benton, the Senate ordered that the report be printed. By the last accounts from the army, it appears that General Taylors force now amounts to 15,000 men.— Between 5,000 and 10,000 more aieon the route to join him. General Kearney was to move on to the conquest of New Mexico. He was to halt at Bent's Fort, to recruit his men. and to be joined there by Col # Price's regiment: His whole force will be about 3, 200 men, deemed amply strong enough fur the object. The Peel ministry contained five Englishmen, five Scotchmen, and Irishman. The Russell Cabinet contains eleven Englishmen, two Scotchmen, one Irish. Military. — Last night the two following detachments consisting of 32 men including con-commissioned officers of the 51st King's Own Light Infantry, and 10 men of the 9Gth regiment, with 1G women and 5 1 children, arrived at the invalid Depot, Port Pitt, at Chatham, from Gravesend, where they disembarked from the ship I'eitonjcr Bomanjcr, Captain John Austin, from Van Dieman's Land. The troops were in charge- of Adjutant Richard Honey, 96th regt., aud they embarked on the 13th and sailed on the l'ith March last from Hobirt Town, making the passage in 122 days. Two children died on the voyage, and 1 soldier of the 51st died on Monday as the ship was off Dover. The soldiers thus come Inane are old men, and as the 51st and 90th are removed for service in India, all young men were selected. The men, aiter undergoing medical inspection, were removed to St. Mary's barracks to await their discharge. — Times, July 1 6.