The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-27 00:00:00

COLONIAL POLICY.

In a letter to the secretaries of the Royal Colonial
Society, Earl Grey strongly condemns the policy
of the present Government in respect of the
British dependencies as likely to lead to the dis-
memberment of the Empire. This policy, however,
he points out, was adopted to a certain extent by the
predecessors of the Liberal Ministry, and is in Accor-
dance with what is now the prevailing opinion of
Parliament. Nor is it difficult to account for the
sudden adoption of the principle that the colonies must
bear all their responsibilities, and take care of
their own interests. Tho inhabitants of the British
dependencies have brought about the change them-
selves by their demands for freedom of action. The
local Governments have not only claimed to be,
allowed to manage their own internal affairs, but have
sought, Earl Grey complains, to have a share in the
decision of great questions affecting the whole Empire.
They have obtained their wish; they are semi-
independent, and likely to become completely so. But
it is quite natural, in the opinion of the " free lance "
of the House of Lords, that the Governments and in-
habitants of our dependencies should have discovered
their mistake, and have found themselves unpre-
pared for complete self-control. If, however, they
would retrieve this error, they must retrace their
steps. They must be ready to submit to the exer-
cise of a larger measure of authority over them by
the Imperial Government. On this condition Earl
Grey strongly approves of the suggestion that
representatives from the colonial governments should
meet in London next February, to discuss the best
means of placing the relations between the mother
country and her offspring on a better footing. It will
be well if Earl Grey can get the colonists to
"see it." They are generally pretty willing to take
any we can give them, but their
readiness to
offer anything in return has yet to manifest itself.

SCHOOLMASTERS' SALARIES.

A. deputation from the national schoolmasters of
Ireland has waited upon Mr. Chichester Fortescue to
complain chiefly of their inadequate payment. Their
salaries were previously augmented by the pupils'
fees, but since the decrease in the population of the
country, those contingent emoluments have fallen
off, while the price of the necessaries of life has
greatly increased. They have not the power of en-
forcing the payment of fees from the pupils, so that
the receipts from this source are the more precarious.
The Chief Secretary promised (of course) his " best
consideration." It may be noted that schoolmasters'
salaries in England have materially risen of late.
The improvement was necessary. One of the effects
of Mr. Lowe's new code was to greatly decrease the
remuneration of Leachers, who fell off alarmingly both
in quality and quantity. It was clearly absurd to
expect that a respectable lad would serve an appren-
ticeship_ of five years, and spend two years at college,
for the remuneration of from £5O to £7O a year,
without gaining any social position, like that of the
clergyman,
to make up the deficiency.

THE LAW COURTS.

Most residents in London will probably rejoice at
the departure of Mr. Layard to Spain. The Law
Courts will now probably be built on the site first
designed for them, and the " howling wilderness " of
cleared land by Temple Bar will in due season
cease to appal the passer-by. It will be remembered
that after this site had been purchased, all
the houses demolished, and a hideous hoarding
covered with still more hideous posters duly
erected round the desert, an agitation was got up for
knocking down more houses and building the courts
in anothr place. A committee, appointed specially
to reconsider the matter, decided in favour of
the original site. But to the amazement of
the public a third scheme was then put
forth by the Government to erect a set of courts on
a diminished scale on the Thames Embankment, thus
setting the decision of the committee entirely at
nought. The Chief Commissioner'of Works was
the head and front of this strange proposal, which
will probably not be persevered in now that he is
gone. Thus while Southwark weeps for her Lay-ard,
the metropolis in general sees cause for contentment.