Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-18 00:00:00

--.......,---

Despatches were sent off on. Saturday evening from th
Colonial Office to the Governors of the West India Islands.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon at the
official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer

Downing-street.

MAIL NEWS.—The steamer Oneida, with the English
mail for Australia of Feb., arrived at Aden from Suez on
the 22nd of March, and left on the following day.

Among the notices on the business paper of the House of
Lords for this evening, is one by the Earl of Malmesbury,
viz.: "To call the attention of the house to 'the state of
affairs on the Continent. "

The Earl of Ellenborough has given notice that he shall
ask• this evening "Whether her Majesty's government has
yet adopted any measures for placing the army in India in
possession of prize property; and, also, whether her Majesty's
government are willing to give directions for the making of
accurate plans of the several cities, towns, and forts taken,
and of the several fields whereon battles have recently been
fought in India ; for the purpose of preserving the memory
of the great actions performed there, and of giving instruc-
tion to military officers. "

THE JEWS' ACT.—The report of the select committee
appointed to consider and report tel the house on
the best mode of carrying into effect the pro-
visions of the act 21st and 22nd Vict. c. 49, to provide
for the relief of her Majesty's subjects professing the
Jewish religion, was issued on Friday. The committee ex-
amined Mr. Thomas Erskine May, the clerk-assistant of the
Rouse of Commons, with a view of ascertaining the rules
and practice of the house in reference to resolutions and
standing orders, and to apply the information so obtained
to the provisions of the act of parliament which had been
referred to their consideration. The distinctive feature
between a resolution and a standing order appears to be
this---that a resolution is in force only during the session
in which it is passed ; but a standing order, on the contrary,
continues in force, not only beyond the prorogation, but
beyond a dissolution. Orders, as distinguished from standing
orders, are, as regards their duration, the same as resolu-
tions. The only distinction between them is that by a reso-
lution the House binds itself, or declares its own opinion or
purposes; by an order the House generally binds or
directs other people. Such is the opinion of Mr. May,
and the late speaker, now Lord Eversley, concurs with'
him that a resolution is only binding during the session
in which it is passed ; whereas a standinj
order is binding in all future sessions and parliaments until
it is repealed or altered. Applying these opinions to the
act in question two questions arose—first, whether therd
ought in every case to be a distinct resolution when a mem-
ber professing the Jewish religion come to be sworn even
in the same session in which a resolution has already been
agreed to ; and, secondly, whether the resolution may be
made to endure beyond the session in which it is passed
and if so, whether it might not have a binding effect in a
future as well as in the existing parliament. Upon the first
of these questions the committee entertain no doubt that one
resolution suffices for the entire session. The solution of the
second question, however, was more difficult

but after

deliberate consideration the committee arrived at the conclu-
sion that it would be expedient to abide by the practice
adopted in the last and present session of parliament, and to
pass the preliminary resolution in every session whenever a
Jewish member presented himself to be sworn. The only
remaining question was, on what day would such a resolu-
tion be best considered, so as to secure the deliberate judg-
ment of the house, with a full attendance of members,
at the opening of a new parliament. The committee
arrived at the conclusion that, on the whole,
the fourth would be the best day for settling the
question in case it should arise, and with a view
of giving effect to their suggestion, they recommend the
passing of the following standing order :—" That in the
meeting of a new parliament no resolution in pursuance of
the act 21st and 22nd Viet., c. 49, which shall have the
effect of admitting a member professing the Jewish reli-
gion to be sworn at the table, be taken into consideration
before twelve o'clock on the fourth day appointed for taking
the oaths required by law." The committee was composed
of the Right Hon. S. H. Walpole (chairman, Mr. T.
Duncombe, Lord J. Russell, Mr. Henley, Sir R. Bethell,
the Solicitor General, Lord J. Manners, Sir G. Grey, Lord
Hotham, Mr. Byng, Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Dillwyn, Mr.
Adams, and Col. Wilson Patten.

REFORM IN AUSTRALIA.—At this moment, when the
Imperial Legislature is at a loss for a Reform Bill, a copy
of the "Electoral Act," or new Reform Bill lately passed
by the Legislature of New South Wales (printed on the
motion of Mr. Berkeley, M.P.) will doubtless be eagerly
studied by our Parliament men and the public. By it the
Electoral Act of 1851 is repealed. The Assembly is to con-
sist of 80 members (one more being reserved for the Uni-
versity of Sydney), and the colony is to be divided into
about 65 " electoral districts." In looking over these the
memory reverts to bid England. There is a district of
"Paddington," to remind one of Marylebone and Mr.
Edwin James, and one of " Windsor," to recall the Court
borough. One district, called "The Williams,' would
appear to be named in honour of the
member for Lambeth and his aristocratic aspirations,
"The Ilume " district is, perhaps suggested by the
merits of the once celebrated member for Middlesex and
Montrose. Then there is " Darling Downs" for the nava
representatives, the " Glebe " for the eclesiastical (if the
clergy be allowed to "sit" in New South Wales); the "Upper
aid Lower tlanfer " for the country squires, and others whose
puruits are of a venatorial as well as senatorial character,
the "Orange" for ultra Protestants, "Patrick's Plains" for
the Irish Romanists, and the " Gwydir " for those of a
centralising tendency. The "gold fields" constitute three
separate electoral districts (" North, West, and South Gold-
fields "). Every male subject of the Queen of twenty-one
years of age and absolutely free, or a naturalised resident of
five years, is qualified to be elected a member of the Assem-
bly, and every male subject of the Queen of twenty-one years

retiring

of age, natural born, or a naturalised resident of three years,
is qualified to vote at the election of the member
of the Legislature. Criminals, lunatics, paupers, sol-
diers, and policemen, are disqualified- from voting.
The miner's license will qualify him to vote. The
votes will be taken by ballot. This mode of voting is
so peculiar that we extract it from the Act (clauses 42 and
43). "At every polling booth one or more ballot' rooms
will be provided. The presiding office will provide a locked
box, of which he will keep the key, with a cleft or opening
in such box capable of receiving the ballot paper folded as
directed, which box will be open to inspection by the poll-
clerks, candidates, and scrutineers previously to its being
locked for receiving the ballot papers, and such box will
stand upon the table at which the presiding officer or poll-
clerk and scrutineers preside and are placed. And each
elector having previously satisfied the presiding officer that
he is entitled to vote at such election, will then receive from
the presiding officer or poll-clerk one of the ballot papers
initialled by the presiding officer, at the time of the delivery
of which• ballot paper to any elector, the presiding officer or
poll-clerk will, upon a certified copy of the electoral roll,
snake a mark against the name of such elector, which mark
shall be prima facie evidence of the identity of such elector
with the person whose name will be so marked on the electoral
roll, and of the fact of his having voted at such election.
Every elector will in one of the compartments or ballot rooms
provided for the purpose strike out from his ballot paper
the names of such candidates as he does not intend to
vote for, and will fiirthwith fold up the same in such man-
ner as will conceal the names of the candidates and deposit
it in the ballot-box in the presence of the presiding officer.
Provided that while an elector is in the compartment or
ballot-room, preparing his ballot paper, no other person shall
be allowed in such compartment or ballot-room. Provided

nevertheless, that in case any elector shall be unable to read,
or shall be blind, he must signify the same to the presiding
officer, who will thereupon in the booth or polling-place
strike out the names of such candidates as the elector shall
express his wish to have struck out. And no elector must
take out of snch booth or polling-place any such ballot paper
either before or after the same has been so marked. And
any elector wilfully infringing any of the provisions of this
section, or obstructing. the polling by any unnecessary
delay in performing any act within the ballot room will be
deemed gu

will, after counting and sealing up all the ballot papers,
forward them to the returning officer at head:quarters, and,
he, after " totting up " the whole number of votes, will
transmit the papers to the clerk of the Assembly, by whom
they will be duly and safely kept for five years. Contro-
verted elections will be decided by select committees of the
Assembly, consisting of seven members.