VICTORIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 171, 3 June 1862, Page 5

VICTORIA.

(FROM OUII OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Melbourne, May 2(3th, 1862. The groat Privilege case lias passed its. first stage. The Supreme Court having.decided that the Parliament of Victoria possesses .ill the rights and privileges of the House of Common-, Mr. Dill surrendered himself, on Tuesday last, to the custody of the Scrgcant-at-Arms. After some preliminary business, and after Mr. Ireland had informed the House of the above csult of the case, Mi-. Hood moved that Mr. Dill be discharged. In doing so he said that as the privileges of the House were now established, there was no reason for his detention longer, and that he was anxious to set him at liberty, because be did not concur in the decision of the Judges. Mr. Ireland warmly opposed the motion, because the reasons alleged were derogatory to the dignity of the House. Mr. Wood put the ease more fairly. He argued that Mr. Dill was not confined to maintain the privileges of the House, but as punishment for a breach of those privileges, and therefore the fact of the Judges having uplicld the privileges was no reason why Mr. Dill should be then discharged. He thought, however, the past imprisonment: and the heavy fees were enough to warrant the House in considering the punishment sufficient, and to agree to discharge him on that ground. A general feeling was expressed that the debate should be adjourned, in order that precedents might be looked up, and that a unanimous decision might be come to on the following day. The adjournment was carried by a large majority, and Mr. Dill was for another night securedby the great historical padlock of gigantic dimensions. On the following afternoon Mr. Erazer rose, and stated that precedents had been looked up by him, and that he had consulted the leading members on both sides. He found it usual for a prisoner to be liberated only on petition, but in the case of Stockdale v. Hansard—an exceptional case—a different course was pursued, and as this might be called an exceptional case, and as the House appeared to consider the punishment already undergone sufficient, he trusted the motion of the hon. member for Belfast (Mr. Hood) would be .carried. No other speaker rose to address the Chair on the question, and the motion was put and carried without a division. Mr. Dill was shortly afterwards liberated on payment of the fees (£5 a-day), which were paid on protest. Mr. Dill has since commenced an action against the Speaker and the Sergcant-at-Arms for false imprisonment. Of course v verdict will be given for the defendant, and then Mr. Dill will appeal to the Judicial Committee of the. Privy Council at home. It is stated by our leading lawyers that this is the only way by which an appeal can be made, nnd will probably result, as I previously told you, in Ireland having a trip overland to see the Great Exhibition. Mr. Dill's portrait and a concise summary of the case have gone home by ths mail to the Illustrated London News, so he is in fair way of becoming " well-known." Another frightful accidcut has occurred on the Suburban Railway, at Elsternwick. It appears the up train got oil'the line, and the usual down train was conveying assistance. There is only a single lino of rails. The up train-got on the rails mo: c speedily than was anticipated, and, in spite of the remonstrances of the guard, proceeded on to Melbourne. As a matter of course, it met the down train and a collision ensued. The engines were seriously damaged, and one engine driver got his leg broken ; the guard's van was smashed into vcrv small pieces, commonly called " atoms " in such cases, and the guard mysteriously and miraculously escaped with a few bruises. He found himself on the sandbank, but how he got there ho doesn't know. The carriages were broken and damaged, and the passengers much hurt. Mr. Thomson, the Chairman of Committees in the Upper House, had his right leg broken. He is a man of great dimensions, weighing about 26 stone, and it was feared the shock to his system would prove fatal. However, the fractured limb was reset, and he is progressing favorably. The other cases were not of a serious nature. As was expected, the publ'c were greatly alarmed, but confidence was partially restored by the Suburban Company giving up the Brighton traffic, and the Hobson's Bay Company resuming command of the line from St. Kilda to Brighton. It is somewhat singular that the same engine that occasioned the first collision was repaired, and this was its first performance since that catastrophe. The Legislative Council have come to a dead stand on the Land Bill. Arpap, showing the ten million acres open for selection, was sent from the Assembly to the Council. Mr. Duffy had agreed to add certain lands to the ten millions at the instigation of members of the Lower House. This he. effected by coloring the required portions blue. He then thought it right to take away as much as he had added, and deducted nearly half a million from the land originally intended as open for selection. This was noticed by the members o the Council, who discovered the name of an iuKmate friend of O'Shanassy and Duffy on part oj the land so withdrawn. Two runs of Mr. Hugh G-lass had,. by the operation, suddenly risen in value. Mr. Duffy's son" is on one of the stations ; Mr. Ligar's son is said to be on another, learning the trade. The Council were indignant, and Mr. Duffy sent explanations, which were not considered satisfactory, because the clause referring to the map speaks of" ten millions and upwards," and, although a tacit understanding with some members may have been come to, there was no authority implied or understood, and no necessity for withdrawing any of the land previously set apart. What made the matter worse was, that the half million withdrawn is taken from the four millions to be at once thrown opan for selection, and the lands added may not be open for a long time to come. This manipulation was the cause of the Government being severely handled by the Age, and Mr. Duffy made a long statement in the Assembly on Friday last, to the efFect that he was desirous of proceeding against that journal for libel, but that a majority of his colleagues advised " silent contempt." It is very difficult to foresee what the result will be; the Assembly have taken no action in the matter, and the Council have adjourned till to-morrow to give time for a proper explanation. A number of rumors are afloat relative to approaching resignations. It was asserted in some of the papers here that Mr. Pyke, who is'in your colony with the intention of settling amongst you, had left his resignation in the hands of a friend in the ministerial interest. The Castlcmaine Mail denied this. I am told, however, that the resignation is really in the hands of one of Mr. Pykc's friends.in this colony to be used ns occasion offers. Mr. ;Cathie, of Ballarat, and Mr. Wright, of Beech worth, are also spoken of as amongst those who intend to retire into private life. The Assembly have passed the great scheme of immigration, whereby one hundred and twenty thousand is availaole for immigration. Sixty-five thousand is set apart for the introduction of single females and persons nominated in the United Kingdom, and the remainder will be available for vinedressers and others skilled in dried fruits, &c., and for generally carrying out the foregoing scheme. There is some hope of a national system of education being introduced into this colony. Mr. Heales has carried the second readingof bis Common Schools Bill through the House, and Mr. O'Shanassy's Primary School Bill, intended to defeat the former by throwing dust in the eyes of the Assembly, has been thrown out. Ie is generally expected the present session will shortly terminate, and that the prorogation will take place about the end of June.