South Australia.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 513, 15 March 1851, Page 2

South Australia.

The ecclesiastical movements in this colony have occupied so much of the space of its journals lately, and been so important in their character and bearing, as to engross most of the attention we were able to bestow upon its affairs. Nor have we yet done with this department of the intelligence placed in our hands by the late arrivals. But reserving for another issue the letter from Bishop Shorty referred to in our last, aud some other matters necessary to an adequate view of the state and prospects of Church of Englandism in South, Australia, we to-day sum up a few of the principal particulars of more general news. The Abstract of " A Bill to establish the Legislative Council of South Australia, and to provide for the election of Members to serve in the same," which the Lieutenant-Governor, is. about to bring forward under the provisions of the New Constitution, had been published in the Government Gazette. The Council is to consist of twenty-four members, — of course one-third being nominated, and) two-thirds elected. It is proposed ta divide the Province into sixteen Electoral Districts, each of which is. to return a member, Adelaide having four to itself, exclusive of its suburban villages, which are also to be represented. Each Ward in the City will be a polling place, and also each of the towns composing Electoral Districts, and each of the places at which Local Courts are usually holden. The Clerks of the several District Road Boards will be the Collectors of Electoral Lists, &c. The following; is to be the mode of voting :—: — "Every elector entitled to vote in the election of Members of Council, may vote by delivering to the said returning officer or his deputy a voting paper containing the Christian name and surname of the person for whom he votes ; such paper being previously signed with the name of the elector voting, and with the name of the place in which the propel ty for winch he appears on the electoral roll is situated." Objections to these arrangements were soon started. It was thought that the division of Adelaide into separate constituencies was unjust, as slighting the southern portion of the City by placing it only on equal ground with the smaller population of the northern. Again, the erection of Tanundainto a separate District was looked upon as an attempt to foster distinct representation for the " German interest," — a distinction which, it was urged, should nomore be made in the case of Germans than in the cases of Scotchmen and Irishmen. The warmest agitation, however, was on the question of Vote of Ballot, which, as will be seen by the above extract, is not contemplated in the Bill. A Public Meeting on the subject had been held, at which it was resolved to organize a " South Australian Ballot Association." Electioneering preparations had commenced. Mr. Francis S. Dxjtton and Mr. J, B. Neales were already before the public as candidates for seats in the new legislature. It was expected that the elections would be fixed for April or May next. A Society had been formed in Adelaide to charter a ship to convey emigrants to the Canterbury Settlement; and we observe in one of the papers the following advertisement :-— " To I all Parties intending proceeding to the City of Canterbury, New Zealand.— -A Meeting will be held on Monday, the 3rd February, at 8 p.m., at the Huntsman Hotel, North Adelaide, to take into consideration the must economical way of getting there.— Mr. Joy will take the Chair." If we were disposed to joke about what may prove a serious matter to the parties,.

we might say that they do well thus to husband their resources as they may not improbably find at Canterbury as many emigrants before them as can conveniently make out a livelihood there at pi esent,— perhaps a few more ; _and, moieover, that they are quite right in making sure of I heir " Joy" beforehand. Accoiding to the census taken on the first of Februaiy, the population of South Australia was 63,000 souls, of which 14,577 were resident in Adelaide. The Impoits at the Poit of Adelaide for the fourth quarter of 1850 amounted to £183,281 10s. ; the Exports to £135,835 Is. 6d. There were distressing leports of atrocities alleged to have been committed on the blacks. The South Avsiral/'an says, " Near Guichan Bay were found the burnt bones of men, women, and children, indiscriminately massacred. At York Peninsula, almost in sight of Adelaide, blacks have been shot in cold blood ; and now we find it ascertained that the Natives cannot cross in safety some runs in the Port Lincoln district." Can it be that even rumours of such abominable crimes as these would be permitted to pass without full investigation ?

Sir G. Anderson, the new Governor of Ceylon, had arrived at Colombo on the 6th of November, but instead of finding, as he expected, his commission under the Sign Manual waiting for him, it appeared that it would be sent to him to the Mauritius, and a couple of months would elapse before he received it. The law officers decided that until its arrival Sir George must remain a private gentleman. Meanwhile, the Government would continue to be administered by Mr M'Carthy, (Acting Colonial Secretary), as it had been since the departure of Lord Torrington.