New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-04
CANADIAN AFFAIRS.
correspondence of the Tribune.

TORONTO, Jan. %, 1851
A dispatch from the Colonial Secretary has
been received by the Governor General, author
izing the admission into Canada of American re-
prints of English copyright works at duty of 20
per cent AID vaL0rem, in accordance with the
terms of the Copyright Act passed last session OF
our Legislature. This is merely provisional ar
rangement but it is afterward to be rendered
permanent. The Canadian Copyright Act cannot
become law till confirmed by an Act of the I'm
peria Parliament: in anticipation OF that step
being taken its provisions are at once to be acted
upon, without, however, the act itself being In
force. The 90 per cent. to be collected by our
Customs Department is to be paid over TO the pro-
prietors Of the copyrights, on the American re-
prints, of which the duty is to be levied 1t the
proprietors of the copyrights nege to enter their
claims and to furnish the Customs Departments
here with list of their works, the American re-
prints will be entered duty free. Under this law
the American publishers will! be aOle 70 supply
this market with all the works they may think It
worth while to reprint; for the 20 per cent. Will
not make the American edition nearly as costly
as the English copyright edition. On the Wnoie,
it is not bad arrangement, as the author VIII
not be wholly deprived OF the fruits OF his labor,
even in this market.
from the Colonial Secretary dispatch, communl'
eating the assent Of the Imperial Cabinet to the
Post.O Office Law passed in the last session OF the
Canadian Legislature. The law is not proclaim
ed though it is expected that 1t Will be In snort
time The Post Office Department is only now
being surrendered to the control OF the local gov
ernment. When the new law comes into opera
ton there will be an uniform three-pence (hye
cent rate Of postage for half ounce letters through
out these British Provinces, including Nova Scotia
New. Brunswick, Newfoundland and Pnnce Ed
ward Island. There was rumor some time ago
that the Legislature Of the last home Province
had not made the new postal system, but nope
this rumor is unfounded. Exchange newspapers
between editors, hitherto charged copper eacn,
will go free. Papers for the United States VIII
go free to the lines.
Inspector General Hincks arrived In town yes
terday from his reciprocity mission to W ashlhg'
ton.
The provision of the new Common School law
for establishing separate schools for Roman
Catholics is creating trouble in separate parts Oh
the Upper Province. In this city, bishop Ohar-
bonnet addressed q note to the School trustees;
claiming seven separate schools for the Cathoilcs
as right, but offering to compromise the matter;
and be satisfied with one. The Trustees turned
to the law, but they found it SO muddy that they
could not see through its intention. They there
fore sought the opinion Of the Attorney Generai
on the point whether they be obliged to estaosisn
sectarian schools against their own judgment ana
ordinations. The learned gentleman repled,
that he, like themselves, was unable 70 say "nA'
the intention of the law in that particular
and that until the construction to be put upon the
Act was settled by judicial decision one opinion
T0uid Be as good as another. The Trustees re-
fused to establish any sectaran schools, ana tne
Roman Catholics have had recourse to the
Queens Bench to compel them. There the mat
ter stands at present In some parts OF che couh'
try there is good deal ofteeling on this quesllon
of sectariAn schools and it is feared that 1t may
display itself in some excuses. Already has one
school house been burnt in the neighborhood oil
Port Sariia.
The Quebec lawyers still refuse to serve Their
clients at the rates Of the new tariif ana IL
said they intend 10 absent themselves from OousT
till the question Of the legality OF the ne" ta.ii
can be decided in the Court Of Appeals, whlch
does not meet till April The Bar is enlarglng
the original quarrel by general onslaught on tne
proceedings Of the judges Of the Superior Court
whom they charge with having been ha0ltuaHy
guilty of rendering informal judgments, ever SINCE
the creation of the Court, and whose derilctloos
they tire aten 10 bring before the Legislature
Many people think that the Bar would never have
made this discovery il their tariff of costs had not
been reduced. In fact, it is evident that the gen
temen Of the long robe are trying TO bully al
oveIawe the Bench, with tie view OF forcing tne
latter TO assent to higher tariff than that lately
| promulgated
Two retiring professors Of the University OF
/ Toronto have been granted $1,000 and $4,000 re
spectively out Of the University funds. d..
Bevsn who receives the larger amount, was ate
professor OF theology on Church OF Eng and prln.
cples and he claimed q retirement on account oil
being deprived of bis emOaments by the abOll-
tion Of the Divinity professionally
The weather is very variable the snow has
J Left US. Lc.