COLONIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

Colonist, Volume VI, Issue 625, 20 October 1863, Page 3

COLONIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

(From the South- Australian Register) We have seen a letter from Mr. Torrens [the great Eeal Property Law Reformer] which came by the last mail, and which shows that he is indefatigably serving the interests of this colony during his visit to England. He has been in communication with the Duke of Newcastle and the Down-ing-street authorities, with a view to get a bill passed through the Imperial Parliament, which would have the effect of constraining colonial judges to accept and administer every imprint of an act of the local Legislature presented by the Government printer and duly certified by the clerks of Parliament, leaving all questions of repugnancy and ultra vires, and the observance of due formalities in its passage through Parliament, and the propriety or otherwise of the Governor's decision in giving the Royal assent, to be raised on appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Mr. Torrens?s impression is, that the policy of the present Minister for the Colonies is not only to permit but to urge the colonies to manage their own affairs, without troubling the home authorities. The Government will not interfere to do by Imperial legislation what they hold the colonies can do by their own legislation. They wish to teach the colonies to walk alone, and will rather promote independent legislation than check it by narrow arid rigid stickling for Imperial prerogatives in non-essential matters. Mr. Torrens had been promised an interview with the Duke of Newcastle, when he hoped to have an opportunity of bringing these matters under his notice.

Mr. Torrens has also been earnestly protesting against the continuance of transportation in Western Australia, and has brought the subject before the Law Reform Society in a speech which, we observe, the Spectator praises highly. He is going to the annual meetings of the Social Science Association, which are to be held in Edinburgh, to ventilate that and other important colonial questions there.