The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-09 00:00:00

THE SUN,

elective legislative councils, similar to the other colonies,
and it was proposed to extend to South Australia
councils on the same model. Government proposed, on
the proposition of two of the colonies, to have an Assem-
bly different to that of the Australian provinces, which
assembly should have other powers that might be use-
fully employed on questions affecting the interests of the
whole of the colonies. With respect to that body it was
likewise proposed to refer to it the power of dealing
with that question so important in the Australian colo-
nies—the price of waste lands. After many changes on
this subject, Parliament enacted in 1844 that 20s. an
acre should be the price fixed for the waste lands of New
South Wales, and in the Australian colonies, and that
price was not to be capable of alteration. Government
now thought great mischief would ensue if an alteration
was made in one colony and this alteration was not ex-
tended to all the other colonies, because it would set one
colony bidding against another colony for emigrants.
Government therefore proposed, if an alteration was
made, to extend it to all alike. He did not know that
he need now enter into a further description of the Bill,
because the Bill of last session was in the hands of
Honourable Members, and the new Bill would soon be
ready, when he trusted its provisions would all
be maturely canvassed. He had, he thought,
stated enough to show that in the North American
colonies, and in the Australian colonies, it was the
disposition of Government to introduce representative
institutions, so as to give full scope to the will of the
people to work out their own prosperity, as a better
system than if their affairs were regulated by ordinances
from this country.—(Hear, and chsers.) With respect
to New Zealand, Government began in 1846 to show a
disposition to confer representative institutions, but it
showed too much haste on the subject. The able Go-
vernor of New Zealand had since pointed out the fact
of the existence of different native races in New Zea-
land, and that a different system was requisite than
would be the case in North America, New Holland, and
Van Diemen's Land. The Governor pointed out the
amount of capacity for a system of government; and
showed how ill a large number of natives of different
races grouped with a small number of English settlers,
who had the sole legislative control. This objection
was felt by his Noble Friend, and it was determined by
Government to suspend the constitution that
had been conferred on the colony. The Go-
vernor wrote that he had introduced a legisla-
tive council, and he thought at the expiration of the
time fixed by Parliament representative institutions
might also be safely introduced. Believing his opinion
to be well founded, Government proposed to wait
until the proper season had arrived for putting into
operation the'new constitution.—(Hear.) He believed
he had now gone through all the colonies which the gen-
tlemen he had referred to thought advisable should have
free institutions, such as existed in the West India
islands. He must say, with respect to the West India
islands, the gentlemen expressed more moderation in
their views than in some of the other instances. He
would state, with respect to the West India islands, what
had been done, and what was proposed to be done. With
regard to Barbadoes, and Jamaica, and other West
India colonies, they had for a long period enjoyed go-
vernment by council and assembly; and though from time
to time differences arose between the Governor and the
Assembly, he did not think it was likely any permanent
derangement or evil would eome from them. Although,
for instance, the Assembly was disposed to press for the
reduction of the judges' salaries, and other reductions,
yet the able opposition of people of influence in the
Council had been able to check any mischief. The re-
ductions already made in the expenditure in that colony
amount to 70,0004 With regard to British Guiana,
when Mr. Barkly proceeded to take the government of
that island, he (Lord J. Russell) begged to see him,
and then told him his impression when in the Colonial-
office 0 the particular position of that colony. The co-
lonists had recently been emancipated. They had passed
from slavery to freedom, and he requested Mr. Barkly to
pay attention to the subject and inform him whether the
new constitution could be so amended as to admit of an
extension of the franchise. He would not detain the
House further than to say he had received an able letter
from Governor Barkly, and with reference to the pro-
position for an extension of the franchise the Governor
had already carried a measure for that purpose, and a
new election had taken place; though the electors were
not so numerous as it was expected they would be
hereafter, yet they were more numerous than ever they
were before. With regard to the salary of the
Governor of British Guiana, he might say that ques-
tion showed how difficult it was for gentlemen to
carry into effect the principles they asserted, that the
colonies ought to be allowed to manage their own
affairs, and that Government ought not to interfere
except in cases of necessity. With respect to this
salary Government had determined to leave the matter
to the colonists. The salary was to be 5,0001. a year,
and the colony was to contribute to it. Government
left the colonists to dispose of the question. He would
here remark with respect to salary, that if a large and
liberal salary was given, there would ho more likelihood
of getting competent parties to fill the office than would
be the case if there was a restriction in this respect.
But as the salary was a contribution from the funds of
British Guiana, and part of its expenditure, it was far
the representatives of British Guiana, and not for Par-
liament, to prescribe what ought to be the sum.—(Hear,
hear.) With regard to other changes in the colony of
British Guiana, although Govenor Barkly was of opinion
other changes might in time be introduced, yet he did
not think it would be advisable to introduce other
changes immediately. Many of the colonists were slaves
a short time ago, and it would therefore be advisable to
make changes gradually. Governor Barkly was of
opinion that though the colonists might be unfit now for
further change, yet this would be no bar to future
alteration. Governor Barkly proposed there should
e a municipal council at the seat of govern-
ment, and he gave his reason why this had not
been before introduced. With regard to the Mauritius,
Mr. Anderson was of opinion that municipal councils
were an advantage. In Malta the Governor had con-
sidered what was expedient, and had introduced some
elective members to the council. He need not go into
the particulars of the other colonies—he did not think
it necessary to other colonies than those he now stated
ought, in his judgment, to have representative institu-
tions. He now came to another question—a question
of very considerable importance as regarded the colonies,
but which was not in itself strictly a colonial question—
the question of transportation. (It was decided by this
country in 1766 that a penal colony should be founded
in New Sontti Wales, and, measures were taken for that
purpose. Some persons were sent out, but no provision
was made for their religious instruction. The plan and
place of transportation were subjects that more pro-
perly belonged to Parliament to determine than to the
Colonial Secretary. As far as the Colonial Secretary
was concerned, he would be well satisfied if told
Parliament had decided that no more convicts
should be sent out; but Parliament had decided
more than once that transportation should continue. It
was fir the Colonial Secretary, therefore, to take care
that transportation took place in the way least injurious
to the selected colony. He had personally no great
leaning to transportation, and in 1841 he made an at-
tempt to diminish the number of persons sent abroad;
but Parliament passed a resolution to the effect that
such a number of convicts should not be kept in this
country. A Committee was appointed, and the judges
were heard on the necessity of transportation in aid of
the criminal law of the country. In the present state of
the question the Colonial Secretary must endeavour to
carry transportation into effect in such a way as to
enable the colonies to derive advantage and to be se-
cured from injury. He had held the colonial seals, and
he knew the mischief the system had done in New South
Wales. He advised her Majesty to make a change, and
had obtained an order in council to put a stop to transpore
tation to New South Wales; and no act while he held
office had given him more satisfaction than that order
in council. Whatever might be the case hereafter,
the changing the character of New South Wales—alter-
ing the colony from a convict colony to a colony of free
people, had been productive of the greatest advantage to
that colony. He now saw 200,000 inhabitants whore
before there was only a mixed population of about 6,000
persons. He had made various attempts to introduce
changes with regard to transportation to the colonies.
When he came into office ho made various changes, the
general principle being that convicts should not be
faced on colonists against their will. It happened,
however, amongst other causes of difficulty which
arose from the famine in Ireland, was the pressure of
the number of persons sentenced to transportation and
the crowded state of the gaols, combined with the great
mortality from disease. The Colonial Secretary
thought he was justified in sending out a number of
persons not exceeding three hundred, who had been con-
victed of crimes arising from the pressure of famine, to
the colony of the Cape of Good Hope. He highly
commended the fears and apprehensions which the colo-
nists expressed that the colony was about to be made a
penal settlement. The colonists had great apprehensions
on the subject of the introduction of those convicts, and
hence arose an unfortunate state of things. The order
in council had since been revoked by her Majesty, the
convict ship had been ordered to Van Diemen's Land,
and all sorts of apprehension and opposition would be
averted by the removal of the cause.—(Hear.) He
would not enter into the merits of the controversy—he
would not enter into personal matters; ho made no re-
mark on the proceedings of either Government or colo-
nists, and he only referred to the matter to show what
of
transportation.
transportation,
of With respect to the future manage-
ment he admitted the subject was one
of considerable difficulty. New South Wales had inti-
mated a wish not to accept more convicts, and as it
was to
bo expected that a feeling of
the settled
enctoagainst
sttmloniels
re-
ceiving convicts would arise
among
of this country, he anticipated that Pa
the expe-
dient soon have to consider whether it would not be would
ci
to make some alteration with :aspect to
in-
fliction of transportation for some offences not of the
gravest character. There was another question of the
greatest consequence, the question of emigration.—
(Hear.) Now, on the subject of emigration, there were
two modes in which emigration was carried on bene-
ficially—ore where the labourer, whose labour was
wanted and valuable in certain states and colonies, went
in numbers to those places, and filled np interstices in
society where their labour was in demand, and where,

instead of being a burden on the community here, they
obtained high wages and ample subsistence. Of this
kind of emigration a great mass had lately been directed
ti the United States and to the British North American
colonies. A second kind of emigration consisted of
classes of persons who formed new colonies where society
was not already established. Of this kind there had
been a considerable amount of emigration. With regard
to the first kind of emigration, ho had some accounts
furnished to him by Mr. 'Murdoch, from which it ap-
peared the total emigration in three years was 796,354
persons, making an average of 265,450 persons annu-
ally. Now, he begged the House to consider
how very large that emigration was. It was within
some 30,000 or 40,000 of the increase which the popula-
tion of the country was computed to make yearly, He