The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-09 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

NEW SOUTH WALES.—We have received ad-
vices from this colony to the 9th of January. The topics
which were at that time engrossing public attention were—
a devpitch from Earl Grey to Governor Fitzroy, dated July
31, 1547, recommendince a change in the constitution of the
legislature, or announcing that such a change was in con-
templation; and the new land regulations.
The outline of the new constitution propounded by Earl
Grey appears to have met with pretty general condemns
tion. A preliminary meeting was held at Sydney on the 6th
of January, at which a committee was appointed to prepere
resolutions declaratory of public opinion on the subject, to
he submitted to another public meeting on an early day. On
the 6th the committee met, agreed on a series of resolutions,
and decided that the meeting to take them into consideration
should be held in the City Theatre on Monday, Jan. 19.
, The substance of the resolutions is as follows :
1. That the inhabitants of New South Wales regard with alarm
and diumay the propoeed change in the constitution ot the colony, as
set forth in the despatch of Pad Grey to Sir Charles Fitzroy, dated
the 31st July, 1847.-2. That the alleged grounds of the propos. d in-
novatesu are an inadequate cause for so serious a change.-3. Th it
such a change is a privation of the people's right to elect their own
ripreeentative.-1 right which they claim as inalienable from British
aubjects.-4. That the colonists of New :South Wales, having elected
th,,evier
are prii;eet ntataen:es in
thatpect, te
pletreb,letive
tous ;.:070U.noc:Ichf.ar tbe
nge inlast4tiv.eLetn:
lion of the colony, every inform lion on the subject should be gio n
to them, and their opinions deliberately eonsidered.-3. That peti-
tions embodying the above resolutions be prepared, and resented to
the Queen said both Houses of Parliament, that Lord Brougham be
toque ted to present the petition to the Lords, and the lion. Francis
teat that for the Commons.
Respecting the new land regulations, there is an able and
temperate article in the Sydney Morning Herald of the sth
of January. The writer does all justice to the liberal spirit
in which the regulations are conceived, and points ont can-
didly the benefits they confer en the squatters. But he
points out at the same time that the right conferred on the
stockholders in their runs and stations being merely per
sonal—unsusciptible of being mortgaged, given, lent, or
sold—will materially obstruct the development of the re-
sources of the country ; will prevent permanent improve.
menu'; and will !tinder the permanent settlement of
families. In short, this mode of tenure is cal-
lculated to keep the stockholders poor, and prevent
the formation of those family ties indispensable to a sound
moral tone in society. This is but too true, and is the nccea
eery consequence of any mode of dispoeirg of tne waste
lands by which an entire and indefeasible property in the
soil is not conveyed to the grantee.
The state of the relations between the mother country and
the colony continues to be, in consequence of these mistakes
of the home government in disposing of waste lands, and in
tampering with constitutions, anything but satisfactory and
miming for the future.

LECTURING IN AMERICA.—In all the large towns
of Massachusetts, men and women have associated together,
established lyceums, and secured to themselves courses of
lectures every winter. This movement shows the want of
something more than schools, colleges, end churches have
hitherto afforded. The effect of these lyceums with their
lectures is excellent in many ways, intellectual, moral, and
social. But as yet little is accomplished by them in compari-
son with what may easily be done. No system is pursued by
such institutions; lectures come pell-mell after one another,
without order. There is no sufficient body of men well
trained for the business of popular lecturing. Brilliant and
showy men serve for an hour's amusement, hut fail of ac-
complishing the great work which waits to be demo. It
seems to us that the lyceums of seveml towns might combit.e
toeetker, and have regular and systematic courses of lectures
delivered in each by the same person. In this manner men
of ability and suitable education might easily be well paid for
the labour of preparing valuable lectures, and the people
receive the advantage of instruction from the best minds in
the land. The bu.iness of a popular lecturer might soon be-
come as important as that of a judge ; his social rank as high
and his salary still more. In this manner some of the best
talent of the state might be applied to its most annul-
priate work—the education of the people.—Massachusetts
Quarterly &view to March.
QUANTITY Oti BEER EXPORTED.—The total num-
ber of barrels of beer exported in PM was 116,621 ; in
1844, 171,927; in 1144.3, 1&5,152; in 1816, 137,270; and in
1847, 132,357. The quantity of quasai* imported within the
same period was as follows : In 1843, 3,42 a cwt.; in 1844,
2 qrs. 4 lbs.; in 1845, 19 cwt.; in 1846, 99 cert.; and In
1847, 163 cwt.
INCOME-TAX RETURNS SOLD AS WASTE PAPER.—
A weekly contemporary states, that a few data since, W.
Ca'eutt, a butcher residing at Kisg'scrose, purctussed
a quantity of waste paper, sad upon making an exami-
nation of it he dicovered that nearly the whole of the
inoemc-tax papers which had been returned by the inhabit-
ants of St Mary's, Islington, and St. Luke were among the
purchase. As soon as Mr. Calcutt discovered this distraceful
violation of duty on the part of those whose care should be
to keep inviolably secret the private affairs of taxpayers to
the income-tax, he put aside the documents, whic he still
retains in his possession. It has been suggested thah t a tom-
rrittce should be forthwith formed to rep:esent the matter to
the government, and demand • smirching inquiry into the
whole of the circumstances, with the view of punishing the
uilty parties who have so betrayed a public trust and in-
ainged the statute. It should also be stated that in addition
to the filled-it notice papers are the ,OMST.lssiontr; s,4ss-
merits and not,. of appeal.