The Express.
London, England, 1848-07-11 00:00:00

would now also inform the bon. member oppesite that he
proposed to no into committee of supply on Friday se'nnight
and on the Monday following.
SIERRA LEONE.
Mr. C. ANSTEY begged to ask the Under Secretary for
the Colonies for the reasons of the recent removal of themes
O'Brien, Esq , from the office of Colonial Secretary for Sierra
Leone, and fur information as to she charges brought by that
gentleman against the present governor of the same colony.
Mr. B. HAW ES said that Mr. O'Brien had been removed
on two grounds : the first was his general unfitness for the
situation of Colonial Secretary; the second that he wee so
overwhelmed by pecuniary embarrassments, not only in
England but also at Sierra Leone, as to render it im-
possible to continue him in that office with advantage
to the public service. As to the charges made against
Mr. O'Brien an inquiry had been institued, but whilst it was
proceeding, be wrote to the Colonial- toffice a letter against
the Governor of Sierra Leone so offensive and so full of
acrimony, that it was fe.t to be impossible that.he Omuta
continue to serve in conjunction with the governor, but that
one or the other must be removed: his noble friend (Earl
Grey) resolved to remove Mr. O'Brion, in hich he entirely
concurred. As to producing such a correspondence as he
had described, be telt that no benefit could result to the
public service by so doing, sad no should therefore not pro-
duce it unless he was compelled.
Mr. ANSTEY thee gave notice of his intention to bring
forward the whole case at a future period.
COLONISATION.
The Earl of LINCOLN, in asking the Under-Seore-
tary the question of which he had given notice, ?Jeered
to the discussion which had taken place on the let
of June, when his motion for an address to the
sown on the subject of usloaisation was agreed to.
On that occasion the noble lord at the head of the govern-
ment promised inquiry, and said that he was ready to give
instructions to the governors of the respective COI( Dile to
consult the executive councils aad legislative assembly as to
the best mode of promoting colonisation. On the same occa-
sion some doubt was tweezed as to the noble lord's mean-
ing, and Sir W. James asked whether there wee to be any
more than the usual inquiries, to which the noble lord re-
plied that special iequiries would be made, but riot through
the medium of a cemmission. To the address that was
agreed to on that occesion (Ist June), her Maj. sty returned
a gracious answer to the effect that her Majesty wa.
deeply sensible of the advantages of colonisation, and would
direct such inquiries to be made as would facilitate
legislation on the subject. On the 20th December following,
the day before parliament adjourned, he (Lord Lincoln)
asked the noble lord whether any answers bad been received
to the despatches sent out in consequence of the address, mid
the noble lord promise) that all the papers which had been
received by the Colonial-office should be laid on the table.
During the recess papers were tail on the table, but not any
despatch from the noble lord at the head of the colonial de-
partment directing inquiry, or any papers indicating that
such inquiry had been made. Since that time thirteen
months had elapsed, and he (Lord Lincoln) wished now to
ascertain from the noble lord whether any inquiries had been
made or steps taken punt sant to the address, and if so whe-
ther the noble lord would have any objection to lay the de-
spatches sent out and tie answers from the colonial govern-
ments en the table of the house ?
Mr. HAWES said thet the noble lord had quite correctly
stated the motion which he had made on the let June,
1847, and which was to the effect that an humble address be
presented to bee Majesty, praying her Majesty to take into
consideration the mess by which cilonitation might be
made subsidiary to other measures for promoting the we.fare
of Ireland. A commission was objectea to by the govern.
ment, but inquiry was promised. Oa the 4th of June a
select committee was appointed in the House of Lords
to inquire into the matter, and that committee had
not as yet Mused its labours. Whether that committee
world strike out a plan by which colonisation might be pro-
moted without a large °miry of public money, he did nit
know out government eaited the result of that inquiry. But
the house must not think that they bad remained wholly
quiescent pending that inquiry. A passenger act had beta
passed by lett ch the mortality in the emigrant ships had
been greatly abated, and some papers had been recently laid
on the table to which he wished to call the attention of the
house. Some time since his noble friend at the head of the
Colonial-office had sanctioned a loan of loo,oot. to pro-
mote emigration to New South Wales, and on re-
ceiving intineation from the colony that the deben-
tures had been paid off a further loan was guaran-
teed on the territorial revenues of 300,000/. These
loans were graduaily coming into operation, and a larger
emigration was in progress. But Insides this important
measure, it was will known that settlers in America were
in the habit of sending home large sums of money to bring
out their friends, but hitherto there had been few facilities
for a similar practice in New South Wales. Arrangements
had, however, been made, by which motley paid into the
hands et government there would oe paid out by the go-
vernment here, and the emigrants to New South Wales
would have the same facilities as emigrants to America,.
The emigration last year had been enormous: to New
South Wales and South Australia, 17,000 ; and to Canada
arum January to June), 174,000. This year, during the
same period, it had reached 124,000. There facts would
show that the subjects alluded to by the node earl in his
question had not been wholly overlooked by the govern.
ment.
The Earl of LINCOLN said that the hon. UoderSecretary
had no doubt given the house much valuable information
respecting the colonies, bat certainly bad not arswered his
question. His question was, whether a special inquiry had
bees ordered in compliance with the address of the IstJune,
and in the manner specified by the noble lord at the head of
the goveroment. He begged toobserve, that the committee
which hod been alluded to by the hen. lender Secretary was
appellee-11 on the 4th June, while the answer to the address
was not received until the 14. h. What he wanted to know,
in fact, was whether or no the address had been entirely ne-
glected ever since ? (Hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said thee the inquiry with regard to
Canada could hardly have been precee led with, because the
great mortality among the emigrants last year had greatly
Indisposed the legislative council and executive to giving any
encouragement to colonisation. It was but very lately that
the excitement on that subject had subsided.
NEV.' HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Mr. HUME wished to krow whether an estimate of cer-
tain proposed alterations in the new houses not in the
original estimate had been submitted to the Treasury. lie
wiseed aleo to submit, whether it would not be fit and proper
that a committee of that house should be appointed to watch
over any niture alterations that alight be projected.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that an
estimate ha l been submitted to the Treasury of the pro-
posed alteration, which, in point of fact, was the construotion
of an apartment for the j eurnal office. It would amount to
between 4,0001. and 6,0001., and he had postponed it fur an-
other year.
Mr. OSBORNE asked whether the architect was to have
additional remuneration on these additional estimates, or
whcher he was to be restricted to the ori:inel agreement ?
The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER said that a
minute had recently been i-sued from the Treasury to the
effect that no additional allowance should be made to the
architect except under exert se orders from the Treasury.
PUBLIC WORKS (IRELAND).
CA. DUNNE said that the hon. baronet the member for
Marylebone bad lately called attention to the conduct of Mr.
O'Neill, • f Bunowea Castle, in the disposal of a loan of pub-
lic money made to him to promote the employment of
labour. He (Col. Dunne) wished to know if government
had received any information as to whether the works on
Mr. O'Neill's property had been commenced ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had re-
ceived a letter from Mr. Griffiths, who superintended those
matters, to the effect that the drainage works on Mr.
O'Neill's property were in full eperatime and on the average
gave employment to 75 men. His belief was that in the first
instance Mr. O'Neill was unaware of the circumstance al-
luded to in the cmeesper.dence, and that on his return to
Ireland he ordered the immediate commencement of the
works. (Hear. hear.)
GOVERN M ENT PATRONAGE.
The Earl of LINCOLN wished to know when the return
for which he had moved of the number of new places created
since the 18th March, 184.5, would be ready ? The house
would be aware that it was in continuation of one which, on
a former occasion, bad been moved for by the hon. member
for Kinsale, from 1841 to 1845 inclusive.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the treasury had sent round circular., and in three-fourtbe
of the cases answers bad been received. Some of the legal
departments had not as yet sent answers, but as soon as they
did the return would he laid on the table.
METROPOLITAN POLICE.
Sir D. L. EVANS wished to know whether on Friday
next, on going into committee of supply, the right hon. Se-
cretary of State would have any objection to his making a
few observations respecting the proposed increased rate for
the metropelitan police.
Sir G. GREY had no objection, but believed it would not
be consieent with the orders of the house.
LEICESTER WRIT.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved that no new writs do issue for
the bezoughs of Derby and Leicester before Tuesday, the
15th August next.
Mr. A. STAFFORD did not mean to oppose the motion,
but wished to know what the noble lord meant to do with
the Horsham Borough Bill. He wished also to know
whether they were to regard the Leicester writ as suspended
for the present session.
Lord J. RUSSELL mil he did not propose either to go on
with the Horsham Borough Bill, or to take up the bill of the
hon. baronet the member fur the Flint burghs. lie should,
on Thursday next, move for leave to bring in a new bill.
As to the second question, he proposed, should the house
agree to a bill for inquiry, and should that bill include these
boroughs, to move, as had eequently been dune before, that
the writs should not issue melt ten dap; after the new ses-
sion. Of course the house 'night take a different view of the
q•—•tion on the 74•11
In answer to Col. tilintitour, the noble lord further
stated, th it he hoped to tarry the new bill during the present
session.
The motion was then agreed to.
SUGAR DUTIES.
The house went into committee on the sugar duties. The
reeoluiion fixing the duty at 13s. the cwt. having been put,
and Mr. Barkly's amendment,
Mr. HUME wished before the noble lord opposite rose to
adds, s• the house—(a laugh)—to take the opportunity of
making a few übservatious. His opinion was that no altera-
tion should be made in the sugar duties, except with a view
to the relief of the colonies. The colonies would have done
well h el they been allowed fair facilities for the employment
of free labour, but the volume which had lately been placed
upon the table showed how they had been obstructed in
their efforts in that direction. Every local act they had passed
for that purpose had been disallowed by the Colonial-office.
He wished to ask the noble lord whether, if cultivation
were abendoeed in the colonies, government was prepared to
keep up the colonial establishments and pay all the expenses
themselves. All the promises they had hitherto made to the