LATE ENGLISH NEWS,

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 507, 12 June 1850, Page 3

LATE ENGLISH NEWS,

Mr. Charles Villiets was to move and Sir James Duke to second the address in the House of Commons. In the House of Lords Lord Essex was to propose, and Lord Methven to second the reply to the Queen's upeech. Lord John Russell is in the enjoyment of most excellent health. The Protectionists.and ultra- Liberals were busy preparing for the approaching parliamentary conflict. The Ministerial party was comparatively quiescent. All sorts of rumours were afloat relative to the intentions of Government. Amongst other things it was announced that they intended proposing a measure for the extension of the franchise. It was probable that all tax- payers of a certain class and amount would be admitted. This would open the registry to a large mass of people not generally disposed to violent changes. The present ministry would receive a considerable accession of strength by such a move. The Weekly Dispatch add to this that the Commission of Woods and Forests would be abolished, and the duties transferred to the Treasury. The New and other Royal Forests would be disforested. Ten thousand men would be reduced in the army. One million sterling would be retrenched in the navy, and it was rather in contemplation than||resolution, that a per centage would be taken from all the higher civil salaries. A circular had been sent to the mayors and official authorities throughout the counties with the urgent recommendation to appoint local committees to carry out the objects of the great Arts Exposition. The appointment of local commissioners was also insisted upon, so that each branch of the industry of the town may receive representatives. The French Government are expected to allow the export of their own articles and the transit of articles of other countries through their territory without official payment. , A deputation had waited on Lord John Eussell on the subject of the tea duties. It

was shown very plainly that unless we managed to take more tea, the Chinese would no longer continue to take the present amount of British manufactures. The balance of trade was too much against them to last. At one of the Protectionist meetings in January, Mr. D'lsraeli told the landlords that they must not expect high rents and low prices ; that the agricultural system wanted reformation, and many other equally opeo avowals. Mr. Cobden, on the other hand, had told the farmers very plainly that they must be men of business and action, and then they would succeed wonderfully. The latter gentleman told the nation that it was decidedly ruined as things were. As an offset to this opinion, the Revenue Returns for the quarter exhibit an increase over the corresponding quarter of last year, in the ordinary revenue of no less a sum than £470,000, This sum is diminished somewhat by a falling off in the extraordinary receipts, which have nothing, of course, to do with the general prosperity of the country. Sir C. Wood calculated the loss this year on the Customs, by the remission of the corn, sugar, and other duties, at £800,000. This is not the first time that financial measures of reform have astonished even their own friends. The decrease in the Customs on the year is only £233,562, while on the quarter there is a positive increase, and every other item is more or less favourable, except the Post Office and Assessed Taxes. A great stir had been created in France by the appearance of a new journal, The Napoleon, whose influences were said to come direct from the President. The tone of one of the articles, especially, frightened every one from their propriety. It assumed a very commanding tone with regard to the Chamber, who had too long, it said, tyrannized over Ministries. The Ministry and the President had disavowed the article. ■ The. social condition of France seems to be improving. The finances of the Continent were unquestionably improving. Even in Portugal the accounts of the year were better than the last, and in France the improvement was most material. The prospect of an heir to the Crown of Spain seems to gain certainty. A letter brought by the Hibernia, from Mazatlan, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, states that her Majesty's ship Herald arrived at that port on the 13th November, with news from the exploring ship Plover 'hi Behring's •Straits. The Plover had penetrated to 73 degrees 10 minutes latitude, and had gone along " a vast extent of North America, extending from Behring's Straits to the mouth of the Mackenzie River, the scene of Sir John Richardson's exit into the Northern Seas during his late expedition," No trace of Sir John Franklin's expedition had been seen. The Plover's boats had been accompanied in their explorations by the private schooner yacht Nancy Dawson, under Mr. Robert Shedden, a gentleman of fortune, who left England two years ago on a tour round the -wot ld, with the intention to join in the search for Sir John Franklin at th • end of his second year oat. Mr. Shedden joined the Plover and Herald just as they were leaving Kotzebue Sound, rendered great assistance to them, " and afforded much kindness to the boat expedition to the Mackenzie." On two occasions his yacht was nearly lost. One learns with pain that so energetic a philanthropist has met an early death. He was ill on the passage to Mazatlan, and died three days after he arrived there. His funeral was attended by the naval officers at Mazatlan. His yacht will be brought home by an officer of the Herald. Buchanan House on the shore of Loch Lomond, the Scottish seat of the Duke of Montrose, had been totally destroyed by fire. The establishment of an electric telegraph between New York and the Isle of Wight was projected. The estimated cost was three millions of dollars. Captain Jervis, R.N., of Stonehouse, has been appointed Chief Superintendent of Convicts at Bermuda. Lord Dufferin and Clanboyne has been elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom, by the style and title of Baron Clanboyne, of Clanboyne, in the County of Down. A complete roadway is now completed over the Menai Straits. The Duke of Buckingham has been divorced by his Duchess on the ground of adultery. The Court of Common Council of the City of London proposed contributing the sum of £500 towards the fund for promoting female emigration. Mr. Dillon Brown, M.P. for Mayo, has been appointed Governor of the Falkland Islands. Mr. John O'Connell bad retired from the representation of Limerick, and in his valedictory address, pleaded pecuniary reasons for his resignation. M. Guizot, through La Presse, has declared himself a candidate fox the representation of La Charente.

The latest news from Hungary goes to prove the existence of the high Conservative party among the Magyars, opposed now to the constitutional reforms of the Austrian cabinet during the vice-royalty of the Archduke Stephen. They resisted the imposition of taxes on the nobility ; opposed the offered emancipation of the commonalty, sought to cripple the executive by supporting the local and oligarchic government of the nobles, and clinging to the constitution of St. Stephen in all its feudalism and distinctions of caste. How strange that these exclusives should be supported by the liberal press against every effort of the present cahinet to spread equal rights among the commons and to put down the privileges of the oppressive nobility. The superiority of tbe race is still the object of this old conservative party, founded on the fable that it was they who drove out the Turks, and they cannot suffer tbe thought of sharing with the Germans and Servians, who shed their blood in the same cause, the rights and, profits of the conquest;' A popular ministry — the liberal tendency of the present cannot be doubted — would rouse the people to put an end at once to these pretensions on the part of the Magyars to higher caste and exclusive privileges. The worst foes of the present government are said to be its own official employes, whose idleness, lethargy, and selfishness, are strongly condemned in a recent despatch from Transylvania by the not easily provoked Wohlgemuth, the civil and military governor of that crown land. The new constitution for the Duchy of Silesia has been published. The new minister of France M. De la Cour, had arrived at Vienna just before the city was so " snowed in" that several mails had been retarded. We hear of a violent collison between tbe military and the people atPergine, in the Tyrol. On Saturday the 12th, an inquest was held at the Golden Lion, Chatham, on the body of Ellen Bright, a young girl, aged 17, killed by a tiger in the establishment of Mr. George Wombwell, which had arrived in that town for exhibition on the preceding day. The deceased, denominated " the Lion Queen," performed before her Majesty some time since, and was going through the usual evolutions with a lion and tiger, at the time she met her death. She was a niece of Mr. Wombwell, and daughter of John Bright, a bugle player in the band. On Friday evening, she went into the den in which the lion and tiger^were kept, to perform the usual tricks, principally with the former. The tiger being in her way, the girl struck it slightly with a small whip. The beast growled, stretched out its paw, causing her to fall against the cage — the animal then springing at her, seized her by the neck, inserting the teeth of the upper jaw in her chin, and in closing his mouth, inflicted frightful injury on the throat by his fangs, and then making a second gripe across the throat. The animal did not loose its hold until struck over the nose violently with an iron bar. The unfortunate female was removed from the cage, bleeding profusely, and life all but extinct. The jury returned a verdict to the effect, that the deceased was killed by a male tiger, while exhibiting in his den ; and expressed a strong opinion against the practice of allowing persons to perform in a den with such animals. A villain named Ayraet has poisoned a number of persons at Paris. On New Year's Day, he sent packets of pastry and bon-bons to two women, employing boys he found in the street to deliver them. The recipients did not know who had sent the articles, which were eaten by many persons. All were soon after attacked with the symptoms of poisoning, and suffered much ; an officer of the National Guard and a girl died. Aymet had formerly seduced one of the females to whom he had sent the confectionery, had been imprisoned, and had vowed vengeance. Suspicion fell on him from an anonymous letter which had accompanied one of the packets ; he was arrested ; and then a number of circumstances fixing guilt upon him came out. Eventually, he avowed himself as the assassin. On Sunday afternoon, the 13th January, in the Victoria-park, Bonner's-fields, Bethnal Green, the ornamental water, occupying an area of twelve acres, was frozen over, and with people ; the skaters and sliders were unusually numerous. About four o'clock the ice suddenly gave way, and nearly 100 persons were precipitated into the water ; many were clinging to each other, and others held fast by the blocks of ice. The shrieks and cries for assistance were most fearful. The people on the banks of the canal renderlei every possible assistance, and dragged ' many of the sufferers from the ice. One man, regardless of the inclemency of the weather, pulled off his coat, hat, and waistcoat, and plunged into the water, and rescued several men and boys. He returned again and again to the sufferers until he was nearly exhausted. The struggles and cries of the people continued for some time until it was believed all were saved. '

Anticipation of the Financial Budget for 1850. — A daily contemporary indulges in the following cheering anticipations: " There can no longer be any doubt that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be able in v the coining session to submit to Parliament one of the most cheering budgets which it ever fell to the lot of a person holding that office to lay before the legislature. Everything ift in favour of Sir C. Wood's financial statement being a singularly encouraging exposition of the pecuniary position and prospects of the country. It hardly any longer admits " of doubt that he will be in a position, on the re-assembling of Parliament, to perform the great financial operation which has been the subject of conversation for the last fortnight. Consols are steadily advancing to the required point, two or three above par. Assuming that the contemplated reduction in the rate of ininterest from 3 to 2| per cent, will be carried into effect, that will place at the Chancellor of the Exchequer's disposal the sum of £2,600,000 per annum ; and this not for one year or two only, but in perpetuity. But this will not be the only feature in Sir C. Wood's' forthcoming budget which will gladden the hearts of our over-taxed people. It is no longer a secret that he has resolved on reductions in the general expenditure of the country which will effect an annual saving of £2,000,000. These reductions will be partly effected in the civil department of the public service, but chiefly, we are informed, in the army, navy, and ordnance. Between, then, these two features in the hon gentleman's budget, he will have, in round numbers, upwards of £4,500,000 to dispose of. Nor will this be all. ' The revenue returns will be much, more favourable than for many years past. It would not surprise us should the income of the country for the financial year ending sth April, 1850, exceed the receipts' for the year ending sth April, 1849, by £2,000,000. This is, of course, only conjecture. Circumstances may arise to prevent the realization of our expectations. Assuming that our es- ' timate of the excess of revenue over the amount received last year is an approximation to what the result will be, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would thus have more than £6,000,000 to apply to the relief of the public burdens." — Liverpool Albion, Dec. 31.

Parliamentary Prospects. — Protection, and the Colonies. — The address of -the Colonial Reform League, alluded to last week, or rather the Colonial Governmeat Association, as it is at present intended to call it, is already in the hands of the printer, and you may expect a copy next week, should it suit your day of publication. The eminent "city name" referred to as that of chairman is Mr. F. Baring, and the array of members is certain to be very great. As in some measure affected by this move, the Colonization Society are likewise preparing a manifesto of considerable importance at the present moment ; and it is understood that they will pronounce in favour of the Herbert Scheme, like the Marylebone Vestry to-day, who have resolved actively to support it, little thinking what an old house they are preparing to pull about their ears. It is a fact that the summoning of Parliament had really been fixed for the 30th of January, till it suddenly occurred that that was the " Royal Martyrdom Day," as dwelt upon here a couple of weeks back in a paragraph wiitten upon having seen, a letter to the effect stated from one ex-official personage to another. The 31st is now the day determined upon, and the circulars inviting the prompt attendance of members for the despatch of "important" business really mean what they say ; and by the 28tb February, the anniversary of the expiration of the Corn Laws, there will have been work enough cut out to last Parliament at least the remainder of its seven years' lease — a lease that will probably never be renewed for half that term again. As far as the Protectionists are concerned, their efforts will only serve to amuse and serve ministers ; but any day may see a general rout in Downing-street in respect to the colonial attacks, which will be multiplied in all sorts of forms, and in both houses, till Grey and Hawes give up their bureaucratic policy, or give up the ghost ! — London Correspondent of the Liverpool Albion, Dec. 31.

The Colonial Protection Society. — It may be remembered that, towards the end oi the last session, there was a fish dinner at the Trafalgar, which created more sensation, and invited more commentary than the ordiuary Ministerial river side banquets which denote the early approach of the prorogation of Parliament. The gentlemen who assembled to eat white bait and make speeches on this occasion, denominated themselves the "Friends of Colonial Reform." The Association embraces men of all shades of political opinion, from Sir William Molesworth to Mr. Stafford and Mr. Disraeli ; and no one expected that out of such discordant materials any harmonious scheme of reform could be shaped likely to confer solid and permanent benefits upon our extensive colonial possessions. After

a quiescence of six months, duT^ng W,b)cb the i wnjole affair Ji*d passed into oblivion, ,the -fish ! dio,ner.Qt July has ",eventuated" in.the Coio^i^i .jEtefcjrm Association of January, 1850 J — y&jfh this difference, that the summer movement,' which involved the pleasantest of all possible recreations — a fish dinner on the banks of the river, and which gave back for the money subscribed a very palpable moneysworth in the shape of white bait, brown bread and butter, and champagne — had infinitely more vigour in it, and evoked the sympathies of a larger number of Tory-Radical Reformers than the very sterile and unproductive winter movement, which we have now to chronicle, and which calls upon colonial reformers to subscribe their money without any promise of a Trafalgar banquet or any other luxurious equivalent. The colonial white-bait dinner was an excellent move, and Mr. Adderley, who, we believe, originated it, deserves some credit for ingenuity. But, like the last Fancy Fair or the last BalMasqut, we were perfectly content to forget it before the week had transpired. It has, now, however, become •much more serious ' and much less inviting. The "Society .for the Reform of Colonial Government" has' .been inaugurated with much pomp and circumstance ; but we cannot see in it either the existence or the promise of any definite harmonious scheme for the government of our colonial possessions. There is, doubtless, a very benevolent and patriotic appearance about the affair ; but we cannot help thinking wi,(h Sir Hugh Evans, that we "spy a great peard under her muffler." We are very open to conviction. We may have mistaken philanthropy for party. The society Hiay been instituted, not that they loved Caesar less, but that they loved Rome more. yjfe hope it is so ; but we must wait a little before we give in our adhesion to a scheme which, in the present posture of affairs, has at least something suspicious about it. — Atlas Jan. 5.

The Dead of 1849. — The following distinguished personages have died during the present year: — Ex- President Polk, Madame Recamier, Lady Blessington, Signor De Begnis, Marshal Bugeaud, ex-King Charles Albert of Sardinia, ting 'William of Holland, Ibrahim Pasha, the Shah of Persia, Maria Edgeworth ; Marquis d'Aligre, the French millionaire ; Professor Carmichael of Dublin ; Robert Vernon, patron of art ; Dr. Cooke Taylor, Frazer Tytler, the Queen Dowager. — Observer.

The Rochdale Savings Bank. — The investigation into the affairs of the bank by Mr. Kenwortby, the accountant, progresses rapidly, and may be expected to be soon brought to a close. Nearly til the books of the depositors have been sent in, so that the actual deficit we shall shortly be able to announce. It will probably, however, not exceed from £7l,ooo to £74,000. The amount of deposits made by unenrolled friendly, burial, sick, and other societies of a similar character, is about £10,000. The trustees are exceedingly anxious that the depositors should receive back every farthing, both principal and interest; and it is but fair to state that from the first their chairman, the Rev. Dr. Molesworth, the vicar of the parish, has displayed the greatest energy, perseverance, and judgment in their behalf. The Society of Friends have held two or three meetings to consider what steps should be taken by them as a body in reference to the private creditors of the late Mr. Hawortb. The result of their deliberations we have not ascertained, but it is supposed they will at least make ample provision for Mrs. Haworth, in the event of that being requisite. As we announced in our last, it is thought the defalcations commenced in 1836 or 1837, when the Rochdale branch of the Commercial Bank (generally known in Rochdale as the Rochdale Commercial Bank) commenced winding up its affairs, and when there was a balance at the bank against Mr. Haworth of upwards of £5,000. — Manchester Courier. — Our Rochdale correspondent says : — " The sick societies which are not enrolled, and have money in the Rochdale Savings Bank, have meetings every night in the week. It is said to be doubtful whether unenrolled clubs will get any share of the money that may be collected. The defalcations will not be much short of £100,000, and the amount of property towards the above is said to be from £20,000 to £30,000. The books have been kept in a curious state, for the last ten years, during which the bank has continually been going bad. The circumstances of the Rochdale Savings Bank will long be remembered, and no doubt will tend to an examination of the system of other savings banks in this country. The greatest portion of the depositors in the Rochdale Bank are operatives*" — Liverpool Mercury, Dec. 25.

Mcni*icent Donations. — A legacy of stock has been recently left to the Society for the Propogatioffr of the Gospel. Ad anonytnous donation of £4,000 three-and-a-quarter per cent. Consols has also been received by the Society. -^-Liverpool AJLUm.

Paddy's Investment. — An Irishman being told that a friend of his bad puthismoneyinj the stocks, said, " I have had my legs in! them long enough." ! Hints about Fire. — Always use "Safe- 1 ty Lucifers," as they invariably tumble out! of the box. Remember the proverb, "It; never smokes (in bed) but there's fire." If you wish to be comfortable, never retire jforj the night till you've smelt all over theihpuse,j nearly smothered your family by .throwing', water on the fires, made everybody go ,to bedi without candles, knotted your sheet into a fire escape, and thrown your feather bed and pil-; lows into the street, to fall upon in case you should have to jump out of the window. Practise climbing out of your top windows, over the parapet on to your roof, from time to time, as the accomplishment will come use- ; ful in emergency. Also practise descending by your sheets, in your night-shirt, taking care to avoid the area Tails, and choosing a time when the streets are not crowded. Request the policeman to knock you up frequently, that you may acquire the habit of waking on his signal ; and have the engines brought and exercised in front of your house, from time to time, that they may become familiar with the premises in case {of fire. — Punch.