New-York tribune., 1867-08-22
AUSTRALIA.
AUSTRALIAN EGISLATORS-POPULAR EDUCATION
FEARFUL RECORD or CRIME.


Special Correspondent
THURSDAY, June 27, 1867.
Some Of our legislators are coming to mot
undeseryed) grief One Of them Dr. McCann Member Of
the Legislative Assembly for South Grant is out on bail
charge OF forgery, and another Mr.. Lands member
Of the honorable House for the Electorate Of
don is put his trial to-day Kyncton mining town
ship in the north Of the Colony for perjury Not that
these gentlemen specimens Of the representa-
tyes Of the people who egsate for the Colony OF Ycto
ria but they certainly specimens Of class Of men
who ought mover TO be IN Parliament Mr. Mccain is a
gentleman whose great desire been for some time to
DO considered a newspaper man and who therefore,
lately bought share IN newspaper I'm the lively viii
lage or township Of Geelong He the gentleman who
some time ago, you may remember, wrote you had
NJ d. sylne, the proprietor OF The Melbourne DGiy Age
summoned to the bar Of the Assembly for having dared
to insert am article in his paper rcfoctng on his
conduct, and aid SO, he said, purely out Of
regard for the corporate honor OF the House"
Hardly however, had the excitement caused by this
breach OF privilege case died away, when unpleasant r
nors were heaIq clrculatng about the city, and few
ANONYMOUSLY brought up at the police court charge Of
fclonously utering forged acceptance Of bill OF ex-
change for a2i7 on which charge ke was committed for
trial Nor this ALL for the following week he was
again committed for trial another charge of having
feOnously forged the signature OF the Registrar OF Titles
% memorial Of registration Of lease On tho first
charge he was tried last week and after two dav snent
taking evidence and four hours spent in the jury con
sderng their verdict was acquitted the gst OF the de
fense being that the prosecution political His
trial the second charge postponed until next ses
sOn and there several other charges hanging
his head Of similar character Whether he be guilty or
innocent, and suppose that, according to English law
bound, yet 10 consider him the latter the ev
adduced proved beyond doubt that he had been
guilty Of such conduct with regard 10 monetary ransac
tons and had shown throughout the whole transaction
such consistent disregard for truth that he was
tainy not fit 10 sit In House OfPaIament although
the evening Of the day Of his examination at the Police
Court he had the assurance take his in the House
nothing particular had happened. The other inter
estng gentleman Mr. Sands Is who also took umbrage
at newspaper report and who is also strange to say
a
tOf Obserer and who brought civil action against the
proprietor OF rival newspaper IN the same town Mr.
Sands laid his damages at 45,0O0 and got from the
jury verdict and damagesOne farthIng Nevertheless
he also made martyr OF himself, and took his seat
in the House with the air OF i'll used man. The country
could however hardly stand this ard loud and bitter
were the complaints appearing In the press at this insult
appointed to deal with tho case and to SEQ whether he
ought TO be elected from his not which cOmnis
tins In the mean time, however 1t leaked out that some
OF Mr. Sands's evidence of suspicious Character
doubt he found that fine morning he summoned
TO charge OF perjury the trial OF which charge
came on, as have stated, to-day What the result VIII
be II is Of course impossible to say but 1t is quite clear
that no man having such mputaton resting on his
character Mr. Sands has ought II he have the feelings
OF gentleman or a man Of honor, to take seat In
place where every person ought to be, Like Caesars wife,
above suspicion"
Perhaps the subject that has engrOsed most public at
Shuoh during the present session, is that Of education
Inc lear ana trembling with which an Engiishnan ap-
proaches any subject that may cause him. If he act con-
scientousy to outrage the proprete the convention
antics 10 Iaet are proverbia and little praise is due
~ 20 III the Attorney General OF the colony,
Ior having taken up the question in the free and indie
pendent manner and dealt with II I'm the fearless way he
aS trs. Oi a e boldly stated that the progress Of
the leaders OF the different sects fact which We All
Know Wen enough put which few OF MS have the courage
to make the hair OF all respectable men stand ON
ehd WIN horror Then he had the temerity 90 contend
that the laynen OF the community had right 10 Interfere
IN the matter Of the education their children and n
necessary 10 OVeide the pricsty rule altogether WeD