The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-09 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES.

(From a Correspowlent of the Times.)
SYDNEY, SEPT. 14.

The first session of the Reformed Parliament of
New South Wales was opened on Tuesday, the
30th of August, by commission. On the follow-
ing day the Governor-General came down and
delivered the opening address. In this address,
congratulations were expressed that the late elec-
.tions had been conducted in so quiet and orderly a
manner, and that the measures passed last session
were working satisfactorily, reference being espe-
cially made to the Municipalities Act and the Dis-
trict Court Act. Despatches relative to the Panama
mail service and telegraphic communication with
England were promised, and the attention of the
Legislature was invited to both undertakings. The
reparation of Moreton Bay was announced as hav-
ing been officially notified, though not legally car-
ried out. Hon. gentlemen were invited to renew
their inquiries into the questions of departmental
reforms and secondary punishments. The establish-
ment of free grammar schools in the chief inland
towns, and also of a free public library in Sydney,
was suggested. The public revenue was announced
to be in a very flourishing condition, and the deficit
of £150,000, which existed when responsible Go-
Ternment first commenced, was declared to be cleared
off. Measures were proposed for reconstructing the
Upper House of Parliament, and changing it from
a nominated to an elective chamber ; for regulating
the sale and occupation of the waste lands of the
Crown; for modifying the system of primary edu-
cation • for a repeal of the schedule of the Constitu-
tion Act which relates to the provision for public
worship, and amending that which provides pensions
for the judges ; for amending the insolvent law, the
customs' laws, and the Licensed Victuallers' Act ;
and for simplifying the transfer of landed property.
In both houses the reply to the address was passed
without opposition, though in the Council the Oppo-
sitiln, who are in a majority there, took the reply
out of the hands of the Government representative,
and substituted one of their own for it.

In the Assembly Sir Daniel Cooper was unasi-
mously re-elected Speaker ; but when it was pro-
posed to reappoint Mr. Arnold,. the former chair-
man of committees, the Opposition showed its front.
Mr. Arnold has always been extremely unpopular
with the anti-Ministerial party, and his first
election to the post of chairman was keenly con-
tested. He is not only a very strong political par-
tisan, but of particularly pugnacious disposition,
and anything but anxious to avoid giving offence.
His ability for the office was not denied, but his
manner had created such a strong feelingof repug-
nance to him on the part of his political opponents
that it was determined to resist his reappointment.
Mr. Piddington, a gentleman of somewhat more
neutral politics, formerly a supporter of the party
now in power, but now detached from them, was
proposed by Mr. Murray. Mr. Murray also had
once been a supporter of Mr. Cowper, and had even
been his colleague in the Cabinet, yet he now
avowed himself a decided opponent, as being dis-
trustful and suspicious of the policy and the honesty
of the Ministry. At the same time he disclaimed
all party views in the nomination of Mr. Pidding-
ton. The Government stood up stoutly for Mr.
Arnold ; but though the Opposition were in a mi-
nority generally in the house, the arguments they
adduced against the election of Mr. Arnold found
favour with many of the new and neutral members,
and Mr. Piddington was voted to the office by a
majority of 36 to 33. This division, though neither
claimed nor admitted as a test of party strength,
was felt to be somewhat damaging to the prestige
of the Government, some of whose members had
been boasting rather prematurely of their immense
majority, and of the ridiculousness of all opposition.
On the following day Mr. Parkes moved, pursu-
ant to notice, that all the Customs duties on tea
and sugarshould be forthwith repealed. Mr. Parkes
was the late proprietor of the Empire newspaper,
and has always been a favourite popular leader,
and though his recent insolvency, from which he
has not yet 'emerged, has somewhat damaged his
position, yet he islooked upon as the " coming man"
to head the Democratic party. As such he was re-
garded with considerable suspicion by Mr. Co wper,
who felt the possibility of his being a dangerous
rival, arid whose policy it has been to anticipate
and supersede such rivalry by successive and
gradual concessions to Democratic friends. He
used his influence to prevent if possible the elec-
tion of Mr. Parkes to the Assembly. In this he
failed. lie was more successful in preventing Mr.
Parkes from reobtaining possession of the Empire
newspaper, which journal has been safely lodged in
the hands of warm supporters of the Ministry.
Mr. Parkes, therefore, owed the Premier a-grudge,
and resolved to have his revenge on the first oppor-
tunity. His resolution was framed for that pur-
pose. No reference had been made in the Gover-
nor's speech to any alteration in the tariff, there-
fore it was fairly inferred that no extensive
alteration was intended, much les3 an entire
abolition of the tea and sugar duties, which yield a
revenue of about £150,000 a-year. Yet Mr. Cow-
per when in opposition had made a strong attack
upon those duties, and acquired some political
capital by taking the popular side on that ques-
tion. He was therefore placed in a position of con-
siderable embarrassment by Mr. Parkes's motion,
for if he consented to abolish the tax he would have
to part with a large slice of revenue which was

essential to him to carry out works that had been
promised to gratify various constituencies; and if
he refused, he would show himself recreant to the
principles he professed when in opposition, and
give Mr. Parkes the opportunity of figuring as the
consistent advocate e popular rights. To get out
of the difficulty, the Treasurer moved "the previous
question," justifying this evasion of any specific
statement of the Ministerial policy on the ground
that the proper time for that statement would be
when the Budget was brought forward. After
a long debate, however, "the previous question"
was rejected by a majority of three, and Mr.
Parkes 's motion was carried by a majority of one.
This division took the Government by surprise, as
they had confidently calculated on a majority, but
they met the difficulty with great cleverness and
promptitude. They resolved immediately onresi,gn-
lng, and in tendering their resignation next day
Mr. Cowper suggested that Mr. Murray should be
sent far. He has defended this suggestion on the
ground that Mr. Murray, having been pit forward
to oppose Mr. Arnold as the chairman of committees,
had assumed the post of leader of the Opposition.
Others find what they think a better reason for the

suggestion in the fact that Mr. Cowper was perrectly
well aware that for personal and political reasons
,Mr. Murray was not likely to form a strong Cabi-
net or, make a successful Premier. Mr. Murray
hitheelf felt the, unpleasant predicament in which
bohad been placed by the ambiguous .compliment
paid him by Mr. Cowper, and was half-inclined to
abstain from any attempt to form a Ministry, but
lie was urged on by friends whose dislike to Mr.
Cowper was stronger than their political prudence,
and who caught at the chance of turning him out.
Mr. Murray's first effort was to secure Mr. Hay,
to whom he offered the post of Finance Minister.
Mr. Hay had been a member of the late Adminis-
tration ; but then he had opposed fie abolition of
the duties on tea and sugar, and several of his
political friends had done the same, and he declined
therefore, to take office under circumstances which
would involve his reversing that vote. Mr. Mur-
ray, foiled in this quarter, tried to make up else-
where for the lack of Mr. Hay's services, but in
vain, and was obliged to resign his commission into
his Excellency's hands. He explains that he did
not consider himself at liberty to suggest that any
one else should be sent for. Accordingly when the
house met again the Ministry reappeared in their
places; but Mr. Cowper gave notice that, before
resuming the business of the session, he should
move the rescission of the vote come to on Mr.
l'arkes's resolution, which he considered to. be
tantamount to a vote of want of confidence, and
that if the rescission were not carried, he
should resign again. After a debate extending
over two nights, in the course of which "the
previous question" was moved as an amendment by
Mr. Martin Calso, formerly a colleague of Mr.
Cowper, and now an opponent, the vote was re-
scinded by a majority of 40 to 21. This large ma-
jority is to be accounted for by the fact that many
of the new members who had voted for the repeal
of the teixes, because they knew that that was the
popular side, had no intention of upsettinc, the
Ministry, and have, therefore, recanted, though
not over well pleased with the Premier for forcing
them through such a humiliating process at the very
outset of their Parliamentary career. The majority
was strengthened by the votes of many opponents
of the Ministry who disapproved the abolition of
the tax. The vote, however, has acted as a definite
expression of confidence, and the Ministry is rein-
stated in power, and stronger and more triumphant
than ever.
Mr. F. Gisborne has been in Sydney during the
past few weeks, endeavouring, to obtain a concession
for a submarine telegraph project to connect Aus-
tralia with Singapore. Ile has appeared before the
Chamber of Commerce, and at a public meeting,
and has had several interview s with the Govern-
ment. He has been favourably received, but his
proposals will have to submit to some modification.
The absolute guarantee lie asks for of six per cent.
does not find much favour here. Mr. Gisborne ap-
peals to the Red Sea telegraph as a precedent, but
that is considered rather a precedent to be avoided
than to be imitated. The point at which a subma-
rine-line shall commence is also
.a point in dispute.
Mr. Gisborne proposes to begin submerging at
Moreton Bay, buta strong feeling seems
to prevail
in the colony that the line should be carried over-
land ut least as far as the head of the Gulf of Car-