The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-09 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

JAMAICA.— The news from this colony wears
rather a stormy aspect. On the 23rd of February the Re-
trenchment Bill, sent up by the House of Assembly, was
thrown out by the council. The House of Assembly next
day met in a state of great excitement. Dr. Spalding and
Mr. Leslie hinted pretty unequivocally at the extreme step
of stopping the supplies. Mr. Moncneffe gave notice of a
bill to reduce the salaries of the public officers commensu-
rate with their services to the public. Mr. Geddes intimated
that he intruded to introduce a bill to impose an income-tax
en official salaries. The two first-mentioned proposals ema-
nated from members prepided to bring on a collision betwcm
the houses—Mr. Geddes represents those members who
would stand firm to retrenchment, avoiding measures calcu-
lated to paralyse public business. The opponents of the Re-
trenchment Bill attempted to have the house counted out,
but failed. Ultimately, however, the minority and more
temperate of the majority carried an adjournment ' • but
amidst a scene of most "admired" confusion. On the 25th,
atter some rather strong attempts by the speaker to prevent
it on points of form, the house went into committee of the
whole on the state of the island. Dr. Spalding moved two
resolutions the fires declaring that the tame necessity for
retrenchment stilllexisted as when the Retrenchment Bill
passed ; the second, that the house will not proceed to pass
the revenue bills. The first resolution passed. Mr. Mon-
crieffe moved, as an amendment to the second, the appoint..
ment of a committee to introduce a bill to impose on income-
tax on the recipients of public money. The amendment
was, after a hot debate, carried by • majority of Di to 17.
Oa the report being brought up, Dr. Spalding moved his
second resolution as an amendment ; on the division, there
appeared 18 for and 18 against this amendment: the
Speaker's casting vote was given for Mr. Moncrieffe's In-
come-tax Bill. The determination of the assembly has

given rise to much. angry vituperation members
who adopted a course calculated to prevent the
stoppage of public business have been freely de-
flounced as traitors. The editor of the Despot h
for some rather strong but not unnatural strictures on the
attempts made by the speaker to trick Dr. Spalding out of
the power to make his motion, was called to the bar of the
house. It is highly probable; that the bill, taxing official
salaries, will share the fate of the retrenchment 101 l ; it is
too obviously another way of attaining the came end for the
council to give into it. But before it can come before the
council, the indispensable business of the session will have
been got through ; and the great question of public economy
will fall to be discussed next session, when men's minds have
somewhat cooled. If our Jamaica countrymen possess the
good sense for which we give them credit, we believe that
an arrangement will then be easily effected. That sweeping
retrenchment in the public expenditure of Jamaica is neces-
sary, no person can deny who has examined the island ac-
counts: that the retrenchment bill had in its concoction
somewhat of a vindictive feeling, and dealt more harshly
with public officers than public faith or even common hu-
manity warrant, its authors must allow us to say—that the
council—the parties mainly affected by the rejecting,
instead of seeking to modify it, have placed them-
selves in an insidious position, they themselves must feel.
Next year we look for just and extensive retrenchments,
either (as proposed by the Jamaica Times) by the instru-
mentality of a general income-tax, or by concessions on the
part of salaried officials, and relaxations of their extreme
demands by the economical reformers. Among other im-
portant business making its way through the legislature,
was the act to repeal the duties levied under the British Pos-
sessions Act, which was read a third time in the assembly on
the 3rd of March, and immediately sent to the council. Out
of doors the most important improvements, discerned with
interest, were the establishment of central sugar manufac-
tories, and the repeal of the usury laws. A general
anxiety was expressed that the privilege of receiving immi
grants direct from the Kroo coast, conferred on Trinidad
and Guiana, should immediately be extended to Jamaica.
The weather was generally favourable for sugar-making the
crops of the present and next year both promise well.

GUIANA.—Though the Court of Policy had met
twice or thrice during the fortnight, the only business of
moment transacted by tbcm was the unanimous adoption of
resolutions moved by the Hon. Mr. Rose, recommending
a drainage act for the colony. These resolutions, after enu-
merating the various indications of the depression brought
upon the colony by the legislature of the mother country,
and declaring that thorough draining, essential to the in-
crease of its productive power, had been rendered impossible
by that depression, express a hope " that her Majesty's
government will be pleased to extend to British Guiana that
most necessary and judicious measure, the act 9 & 10 Vie.,
cap. 101, under such appointment and regulations for secur-
ing the fair and equitable administration of the same as may
seem meet." The governor has been requested to transmit
the resolutions to the secretary fur the colonies, and a peti-
tion, founded upon them. was preparing for general signa-
ture. The Combined Court was summoned to meet for des-
patch of business on the 23rd of March.—The business
expected to be taken up by it was:—The re ontanisatinn of
the scheme of customs' duties, in pursuance of the British
Possessions Bill; tkemodification of the importdutieson cer-
tain articles of food ; and the introduction of measures fur
placiug the colonial customs establishment on a better foot-
ing. The intelligence of the bill's initiation in parliament
to permit the use of sugar in breweries awl distilleries, and
reduce the rum duties', had given a fillip to the spirits of the
colonists. The prices of colonial produce had advanced.
There was a difficulty in finding shipping, British vessels
being to generally employed in the transport of grain ; but
relief was looked for to the suspension of the navigation
laws. Little sugar had been made during the fortnight,
owing to the tains, but the prospects of cultivation were good
andthe standing crop of canes extensive. Considerable in-
jury had been done in Demerara by the washing away of sea
walls, under the influence of continued high north winds.

TRLNIDAD. " Oar planters," says the
Trinidad Standard, " indeed the whole of the intelligent
portion of the community, have been quite elated with the
new! brought by the last packet with reference to the use of
sugar in the distilleries and breweries sf the mother coantry."
The same journal remarks:—" We recognise in recent des
patches which have been received in the Wen Indies front
the Colonial Office, a favourable disposition towards these
colonies, and we are encouraged to look with some degree of
confidence to the acts which must result from such a dupe-
,
sition." The Legislative Council met on the Ist of March.
A decree to suspend the ordinance fee the promotion of
emigration into the island of Trinidad, and the industry of
immigranta, until her Majesty's pleasure respecting it shall
be known, was introduced at the suggestion of the gover-
nor and passed through its several stages. The ordinance
thus suspended would otherwise have come into operation
that day; and an impression appears to prevail, that a rigid
adherence to the Mauritius system is not required in
Trinidad. An ordinance to raise money for the purposes of
immigration was also paned through its several stages. The
attorney-general gave notice of an ordinance relating to
contracts of labour, in conformity with Mr. Gladstone's ,
suggestions. Earl Grey's despatch, relating to immigration
from Wan Africa by the Growler, was read . it is said to
have given general satisfaction throughout the colony.
" We are satisfied," says the journal already quoted, " that,
with a sufftcient amount of free labour, we can effectually-
compete with slave-holding states, and prove to the world
that free labour is cheaper and better than slaves
labour." A circular despatch front the Secretary
for the Colonies, on the subject of the education
of the labouring classes, was also read : it was accom-
panied by a valuable paper containing suggestion by Dr.
Kay Shuttleworth. The month of March (to the Bth) had
been most propitious in respect of weather for agricultural
purposes. The sugar and cocoa planters were well em-
ployed. and the crops promising. There had been a few
slight showers. The change of weather had been accom-
panied by a slight catarrhal epidemic; in other respects the
island was healthy, A subscription of 3,000 dollars for the
distressed Scotch and Irish was transmitted by the packet ;
several of the Portuguese immigrants had auhscribed.
WIND WARD ISLANDS. BARBADOES. The
governor returned on the 7th of March from a visit to St.
Lucia. A commission had been appointed under an act
passed by the island legislature to determine on the
most judicious mode of dispensing the 2,0001.
granted by that act for the relief of the distressed
Irish and Scotch.- —Toneoo.—The legislature was
on the 2nd of March prorogued till the 9th of that
month. An impression prevailed that this step was prepa-
ratory to a dissolution. The supply and franchise bills had
passed both houses sigultaneowly, but a belief prevailed
that the governor-in-chief had instructerie from Downing-
street not to assent to the latter until it had been trans-
mitted home for consideration. It was originally intended
to be merely a franchise bill, bat inasmuch as it declares that
every person paying the merchant-tax (101. per annum) is
a merchant—a principle not hitherto recognised—it is in
reality a franchise extension bill. Much produce had been
shipped on the 6th of March.—Gaimatie.--The House
of Assembly had ordered the Committee of Correspon-
dence to forward to the island agent copies of the
acts providing bounties on the introduction of agri-
cultural labourers, and requesting him to move the Secre-
tary for the Colonies to extend to Grenada a participa-
tion in the measures taking to supply the other colonies with
labour.—Sr. Lucia.—The governougeaeral niched the
island in H.M. schooner Viper on the 26th of February, and
arrived at Barbadoes on his return on the 7th of March.
On the 20th a public meeting of the inhabitants had passed
resolutions in favour of exertions being made to procure a
representative government. The governor, in his address to
the council, said it was the first time he hail addressed a
legislature exclusively appoiiited by the crown. He added
that a long time must elapse before the island was fitted for
any other kind of legislature. He urged upon the gentle-
men present earnest steps to introduce trial by jury, to ex-
tend education, and improve agriculture. The real motive
of the visit appears to have been to quiet aerrities without
committing himself. He visited the public institutions,
Souffriere and Vieux Fort.

LEEWARD ISLANDS.—ANTIGuA.—It is 'dated
in the Antigua Obserrer that the governor inten•lcd soon to
visit Dominica and the other dependencies of his government.
—Dont:tic:A.—The lieutenant-governor had been making
a tour of observation round the island. Particular attention
was paid to the Caritas on the west coast and the Portuguese
emigrants. Complaints were made of the manner In which
the chain Jr -is managed.