THE NEW CONSTITUTION ALTRO;e:aH our fnends m the Temple of \V1sJom m Bomke street appear tQ be commg slo:wly to the convJCtwn of the .ex pcdtoncy of adopting the course we ha\Ve suggested, <J-f sttckmg steadily to the New

~· Conbtttutton B;jl ttl! 1t 1s completed, the

! ,

necesstty of such a proceedmg does not seem the less certa~nly to be forcmg 1tself 11pon the1r attentwn. Much progress tmght have been made, even by lhts time, 1f they had condescende<l to a,ct upon our suggestwn, when, on Tuesday, they first found themselves m comm1ttce on the B11l, and we pomt to the manner m whrch much of the time of the Counc1l has been fnttered away dnnng the last two days, as proof of the 1mpohcy of allowmg any questwn whatever to mtcrfere With the closest atten twn to thts gre >t measure

Constdcnng the expenence whiCh most hon members have had of the endless ramt ficatwns mto whtch any posstble subJect 1s pretty certam to d1verge a fter tts mtroduc twn m t h e House, l,nowmg, as they all must know, how the " one wonl" of each honorable member leads to the sacnfice of hour aftm hour, and findmg, by bJttCI ex­penence, tho amusmg aptness of the Cotwc1l to get 1tself entangled m some ndi

culous difficulty, whtch notlung but a long and elabomto talk can help It out of agam, we cannot but adm1rcthe beautiful s1mphotty of any hon01ablo member pledgmg himself that h1s partiCulm motwn Will not occupy long , we r.:mnot feel too deeply charmed wtth the mfanttle artlessness wtth whtch the llouse lends 1tself to the dtsousswn ..

¥Ye say, as we have smd before, that no ~; other subJect whatevar ought at present to

be entertamed , that the House ought to ~: de""ote Itself solely and entuoly to th1s " on• groat wmk , and that any member,

GoTernment, Ieprosentattve, or nommee,

's

who presumes to drag m any pet measure of his own, to act as a di8tiactor of atten­tion, 01 general time waster, ought to be handed our to the SerJeant-at-Arms, and

: 1mpr1soned m wmll daik cellar, 1f ihe - Counctl Chamber be posse~sed of one

Little prog1ess, however, as has yet been madi With the Btl! , we thmk that the House has :mcceeded m etumblmg upon one groat m1stake Tho summary manner m whtch the petition of the d1ggen to be heard at the Bai of th e House was cbs-

= m1ssod, and the style of aigum9nt by whwh that &omee was aought to be JUStified, etnke ue as m the Tory b tghest degree rmpoh i1e and tmproper Whatenr proportiOn the d1ggere ma1 be:~or to \he reet of the eommumty, be 1~ two-thuds, one-half, or one quarter, they &tall eTents ocenpy ~neb a pos1t10n Jill tins eolony thai they han a perfec* r1ght to an opportumty of e:xptesemg theu optmon

~ upon tho New Con!t1iut10n; m the proTJ-5JOIH of whiCh th ey are so tmmed1atel] mterested By the neglect of th9 CouDcJl Itself, m havmg taken no 5teps hitherto to enfranchise them , they :.ue precluded from

s, domg anythmg m a regular and eonsbtu

11 twnal m ode, calculated m anr W&.y to mflue•oe ihe d11eJs1eu of the House .And

18 when they 110me forw11.1d, and alhJg:mg thd w ihey have no representatnes, ask that 1e onew, at all•nntl!, t heu TOICe may be heard

m the House, to exp1ess upon one emgle 1e oceu1on thou v1ews upon tlu1 fpeat mea.­ts eure, that, too, 1e most ungraeJOURlJ refused f Capt->un Cole may N3nd his counsel there to rs pl11ad fo1 all mstgnrficant 11um for wh~rf­ld age , thw l11.wye:re m~y employ Mr MJChiC :lt to urge a tender cons1dcratwn for the1r s1x to ~nd e1ghtpences, w1th a pathos eo geanme ie and wuchm g, all noth.mg bu t a Tory hand­ry some fee mdeed could haTe mepued , bub

1g the digger!!, appeahng to be heard upon so Talli a meaeure ae thts, appeal Ill Tam, and

al are moreonr eomewhat eontemptuously r" ennbbsd m makmg th en appheat10n

The d1gger!l ought ere th1s to have h~d bctea jttU I epiesentatJves of the1r own

i- Mr. O'Shanassy may t:i.lk as h e pleases, e- about the dJfficult iCs m the way, and the 'S, delays wh1ch must necessarily mtenene [e before such a conce5sion could have been

18 :~oocorded But the very cucumstance of ~y the necess1ty for tho•e delays should

haTe been au additwnal mcentlve k! to promptttu dQ m the m JtJatwn of Ld ilie measure, and 1t ehould not bo to fW14', when the d1ggt•g mt•rest h~ beeD. a an important one for -apward.11 of iwo years,

that; a :l1l1 to gtTe them a Toiee m our a Lepslature .11hould for the ftrst time be m ­

~•* 1a1io 11w Ho"8J9, n 11 ;pr9Glee!T

because smdh alliin wtl llh.~>-.,e.to be sent hom:c I one <we~"' m du" t«l the attc••twn of li!'Jn I melll!b~Js to tl c fret that pcttU•Olb eotl!H out

fur r:.tttfl~ton, t/Amt steps ·~nght ear h er te, be re<'ctved " h.eL "' 010 only 81gued by norS<ms ha> e been t~'kon tc 001:\}p"ktc 1t h ere AI<(l. (i)l1 ~l'e pat t of 41' llet s l n the ~lc£<mt G..-.sc Mr O'Sh:lllll1SE¥'S :.tt.ton~{tt- to excuse hmn- ht)'<"cv.ct t lwugn...tlw petttton w•~ <.I HB £,g.acd self and liii.~; il~~.sl11trve' br-ct hren for havu~g tthe Cor.' 11

1"11 _!'au 1 cccnedt, ~d ~e ~:,~

1 p&<tHlll o L 1c I>&•'-'"' stgnmg 1 • • done notbamg kcMlev sclh ng rt tunc Jmast miL tank 1t "~ttiJ be 11,sht uo\1, .a!tet it had ehpse bcf.a.~e ;m:,y eff<DI ts e.mlcl be effecttvc., bo n wceiv< d to eJect 1t

1s JUSt oiDe of <hasc nr~ucntattve ~uli.£., I !"'.It J 1 Li071LP::-J0)f They Jidlt1CJJlcd on ,~ I Uu put ot the!.! ,~hes a "ell •s illl tA pat t

\\ Jth \\ htd, 'ffir C ~h::U.,!:,~~y frequent!q li e ' <tlht!S fJ Ctt vlltiOnets M~rv tJ~eJ<Ji<:te pe f,tvors us, r. SiabJhty to wh10h forms 'l'l<'l I i~<~h 11 mdeJ lCfJcshtn"' a icnhtl'e m the chJTacter1 <lhe :->1:'1 "\.ldM..t Thcpet,twn,:lltao l"'cnt., of "' ~l<ffilrrm,sornchJE<;" qumntly stylcCJ ' 11.ail. ben lccc!16:l aiJll the cu11 .wl.~Jttinn uf

a, ,en 1., <lont~llh he,.] }>veil hxed a" an u.r.;;~- of the the ' ungtwwl "~nembe.tftl< :Melboume ' llnl' the\ s.hnuld1•hctefot" lHOcccd With. It

But apart wt<>In tl.e d,}'Lm:ltws of tffor<l- Af:t l A \VI\ NJ"R then proceedL~ tJl b1mg mg 1 cf!l.!l!l-1 !re-mesent tblen to the d t mers l ~-"' ~ a1 tl h1o n~ ;A. ILl. \VIwn the pt e<em, Lc"l nnmccl~ately ,~e; tepo,1t "~• .._t \\ 0 have ~ftelil I t.tve Conne1L ~~ .,, 'kcte~ the pop1;ilaL1< n of .he

• ca!<Hl) d1tl ;wt tt>:< ecJ 1!) 000 S(llll~ •t no11 1 s,ud before, rffiult th<?rc .s mw chfticulty m. l qoJZtamed 1 popll~Hun nmounhog ita about

~1 the '' ~y of g tv:uug them Ie£ll. represcut ttwn. .2 tO~iJOO mchvldu~r.,_ rl ntsthe grc •t.l1".JOitt\ of 1 a,t once, if t};,e wWl to gwe< fU~re , eally theu tlte ptc~cnt pQPul ot1on o! the co unv lutd come

Jni•Ht >!!lee tho .L.v_giShtl\ c Uoune l had been

I r\\ o or three ge~lemen 1.n vl om t h ey h ad calle.d mco exlste!J.ee '.r, catmg of t 1e RUl.!Je< t eouficlence mi,tl~L lle sul>shrtutcd f01 mere o! O.m"tttutJOns l4ll An:ottal ta the :C~1u>s , t t>_ypher nom 1a-e6<>, who FE!Ptesent n othmg L~"1d.Jn ot la~t 0 tobet 31, thus des 11bed

th but iil..ealsdlvecr"u:.d au CX{Jloded the 11onanner 111T,w hk"lt the ex••tmg Lcg}slat1>e ll;P011 ear " C01u1cll w 1:\ e,;, South ' Vales lu•d been lY.,rbausm A ilat:llll<le atte.tilFt 111 t h ts way f<Y" no4! - It oo h~ppened th 1t at thJ;J tune \l.'llS ma.de evet< hf the Go1iOl!llmen t, while >l [il3rf~ maclc ' IP <lf•he rcltc" of the" Email( I the h tt'e rod nli>li>ffil ~vas se&nwg tho Exo pti!lt" fa.c.t10n nntl of settlm• mtetest~d m gtv

tog \\e.tgnt and pre,oondei1nce to tho licensed cuhve from Its l."lliFlel\y' b!U't because the occnp~;st' of CJO<\D~hnds Wi!S vmy 1powetful man chosen was lllffitnu table, ~lltl th e extent m thle Conned 'T:bus p<~rty um ccd \HLll thv .ofrlihe concessto!l M'&S -seen t@ be n d.cu Gove1:runent, ani! <together they p11ssocl. an wu~ m adenuate -j;(j) <illite OC<l<'\Slan th e offer cleci0 a!! law so co 1t11ved as to gtve the pre

Y "- ' ponde.~a.LH:e among t,ll elcctlve membe s of W!ll.S mot followed up, .amd the ~Constttutwn Connell ne.tthet to ,.,.eclth DOt populatwu l ut to Bill oomes on for dl!lall8SHln ,or;-;tth ou t any the t hm[y 6Cattmed mb.ahitants of temote p..1s eppOiT~Ulllty for the €3::l_').lless10n tOf opunon toral d1~rwtB' 'I' hat 'lili~s exadly the wav m

wh1ch the e:oa t~ug L eg.!!!lat1ve Cour c1l of V1c of the ~argest, and not I!B.a.e 1east:l!lltelhgent, ton a had been fld.Ulc d. 'l'lle 1'zmu HI ilese11b !n ter.e:tt Ill th e commum.~ [i'l~ the dog mg the Uoonml of New &uth Vvalc•, h 1d e x ret~Uillt,g to h1 s Tomtt, the Go.v.ern ment aetl) dcse11bed tne.Hs <J.!!.(} T he Ttme3 ~' cnt sttll ehno-s to Jt~ suppo.ed >l! hT!llil:~th but on fttrther to Ba) - Tlae p1escnt LegJsl>\ti~e

0 ' Council ,. tne reol.dt of tlu· liDpoll tle .. ud Ull re::~l Vferlkness, a nom mee maJonll.y m the ; ust law, and upon a hady thus v1t1ated m 4 ts House llit has not sense ro «ee t'.hrtt lt p ur vcr) ollgm has de>oheGJ. tl1e t1sk of ft a~mg eht,ses 1hatt1mnamary adTantage at <too hwh " tlh JU.dgment amd l""[)m:tlahty a con

o 0 stttntwn for t'lctf ftUow colomat" H

a.r.,te, w)1elt 1t IS procured at tb.e {,"(;)St <;(th o That w118 exactly thct. pos1uon too The e.om.tm u ad <ibssrtt1sfactwn of so large a l!OC- Council <.ltd not !Opteseat the people of the ti-0\1. ctf the 1peoplo of Y10tona colony The gold d1ggms who had rat sed

'li"l:!.e d1 Y ·~s are told that they oa from the sot! and exponcd "lthm the la,t two gg Y ) eat some t\\ enty five null10ns t;l;eJ lmg worth

" petiho.n t" ~ w-ery htgh pnv1lege, for-seGJ:th, of gol<l-a body that ce1 tam!y should have and probably a ~ery effectual one t But the SOIIIC little \\eight md mflttence m the couos ls Honse has l1ea,rd pl unly enough, be!~re of the State-\\ e1 e "ltolh unrepresented He

• t hought that the officero of the Colomal (70\ e1n to-day, that tt IS ci!istrusted by the dtggcrs' mont might tf\1-e .I lesson from the conduct ancl 1t IS an !nsult ito mtelltgent men to tell of the nHmstl'lS of state m Gt eat B11tmn In them to pet1t1oo an-&ssembly m v;hJch they Octubet last, Lotd Paltnmst!ln and Lotd John have no confidence, 1'h e IIousc ouaht Uu<sc'l both at Pctth Gltsg<m and ot'•e'

" pl.~ecs when add1essmg the peopl• d •<lm ed never for an hou1 to 1<Jsc s1ght of the con- tit ~t they as mmtstets of the C1own tl1d not ~htutwn of ,ts OWj;J. body It ought to ti>Nllll.e to have mo1e polmcal mtell1gcnec or study datly, ill saekeloth and ashes Judgn.dlt, 01 a more pm feet 1nstght mto the

want~ (Jf the people than other men and the hum1hatmg plctUHl of Jts faulty that tl1ey "t~Ould ah1a)s gladly 1ccetve any construction And when It hears hmt~ or snggest10ns f1om the people that 1t JS not popular w1th th1s or that whwh m•ght conJuce to the better go,eJn ehws, Jt ought to ask Jt:iOif whether It de- mont of tiH natiOn m the Jemoval of abuses

If tho mm1ster~ of the Impe1ul Government senes to be so popular We have told 1t "hu at ~~~events, "llerc equal or nearh so h<lft>JC to-day that so far from bemg a cor m mtel llgcnce to the P11me iVl1m~tcr of Vtc rect JnLlex of pubhc optmon, 1t m reahty torta and h1s collcgues, adopted so "\\ tsc ancl

conuhatmy a cout se, the colom11l functwna represents but on~ per cent of the popula tiCs m1ght not deem ~~ beneath them to twn Wo haTe proved th1s by figures defer to the cxpresston of publ1c op1 We haTe kept the fact hangmg constantly mon m tlm commumty It the) hko a ,w-orJ o! Damoclcs above 1ts head dtd they 1\0Uld find that amongst the gold

' d1gge1s great dissatlsfactwn cx1"ted at then and we belteve that the knowled.;e of such bemg tmrept cRenteclm tha~ House, espeCially a fact has had some effect m preTentmg on tlw occaswn when the futme charter tt f10m runnmg mto some ol the ex- or the n,sht.; and hbet ttcs of the people

h h h 11 l £ of the colonv was unde1 cons1detatwn travaganccs ,.,. tc ave signa 1"ec or In mgtng then the prayer of the present mer sesswns In tho d1~damful refusal of pcttt1on, he only asked what was fa 11 reason honorable members to hsten to tho able, and JURt, and no mo• c, and he should dtggers, they are gmlty of usmg a no" therefore m0'e that the petttwnctd he

heard hy counsel at tho bar of the Lrgtslatn e tytanmcal maJonty whtch they h1no Uounc1l on Thmsday next w1th respect to almost accidentally acqturecl, and to the representAtion of tho d1ggmg commumty which they have no ac~ual clatm, and they under the New Consttt thon Bill

d fi The COLO~IAL SECHETARY regretted are actmg a most unwise an UnJUStt able very much that lt was not m Ins pow ei to as part, m thus shuttmg out IQ large a eectwn ~ent to the motwn It was abundantly c\ 1

of the colomsts from any expressiOn of opt dent from all the bteps taken by the (}o, ern mon upon the tmportant measure DOW ment, that they wet e only too amaou~ on

eve1 y occasion to allow tho utmost latitude of occupymg public attentwn, and m furmsh dtscu~s1on and to g 1ve evmy facJhty to the mg 5ttll further reasons for d1strusl of a mha!J1tants of the gold fields to state the1r body to \Vhtch that class ought to be l.au~ht gtJevances Wtth lespect to the coutse ll'tnch

tho hon gentleman had pomted out to to look up With 1mphctt confidence them as an example fmmshed by the

memb01s of the lmpet tal Govemmen& to adopt, he qmte concu11ed m the \HSdom of that comse, and the officets of the Govctn ment of the colony, w c1 e qmte read) to listen to any suggestion• whtch m1ght be made to tlwm, and "h1ch 1t mtght be dcsul\blo to follow But tho quc~tl m "\\a.' m \\hat w that mformatlOn was to be obtamed- whet r lot mstance, Ill the pt cscnt case any caus ~ been shewn fo1 the llouse depa>tmg t m ts usual p1actice ]fan) person had a io:e nee to bJ mg before the llousc tlw op way "~~as to do so by pet1t1on wlnd~t wu the House should take mto const 1 a n But what did the pre-ent pet1t10n m d? ¥¥ hy th~t the pct1tH.mer' shoulri b aU v1 d to t11ke pat t m the d!~Cusswns and d 1b~ratwns of the House dnrmg the debates on tlfe .New Conat1 tutton 13111 It was not to J,o hea1d at the bar but to assume the funchons of IDPmbers of the llouse, and take part m lis deliberatiOn ~ ~nthout bemg rnemhe·s 8f the Conned Jf th" pr:n CJ of that pet1tlon were granted the elPctwn of a ruem ber to " 8eat m •hat House would be ~ mere .farce He dtd not contro veri the statement that ihe mhal1tants of the gold fields were ent1tled to the franch1se , and tt was only l11st evomng that h11 had mtro dueod a Ihll to gtve them the franch1.se They dtd not deny that the gold d1gge~ s were a TCfY 1roportant and numerou& class of the eommu­miy, bni the question now WM, How wu the House to recer.-e the opmwns of that elas! It was d early la1d down m May on the P1 a diCe of Parhanwni, thflt on all public Btlls, not es pe8Jally affectmg any pnvate miereat, the &I

gumonta m Parliament should be rest1 1eted to the merubere of the Houi!C, bca1de8 m the Houae flf Lord•, on the oceaswn of" Btl! upen thts very anb.ect of ~rantmg oonst1tutrone to the Australlan •olomes, when applteat1on w1u made to be h eat d Lv counsel a& the b11r of their Lordstups' House, Eat! Urey opposed ihn ap phcat1on, on ihe ground that 1t .,.115 eon trary to the pi act we of tho Houa e and the appltcatwn wu reJected. 'l.'he case then was clear that the prayer of the pte sent pet1t10n 11 a, 1na.dm1S8lble on 4he score of the praetlce of Parliament, But thel'e were otheJ ground~ If the prayer were 1\C~..eded to, how waa the busmcss of the House to be can 1ed on? If eTery perron who happened not to be a voter. aacl thf refore felt aggneved should clam> to be heard on the sub;ect at the bar of the H ouse, and that pray1 r fl'ere granted, how w:w the pubhc bwmeS~~ of the legl3lature to be ean 1ed on? The onl.r pomt theT had to detnde waa, \Vhdhei the present peiftiOnel":ll w'-lle to uonTey ihc1r opmwns llo tl1• Hollse 1.11

the usual way, IF m iht~ mannei wh1~h they t.hemsel nll proposed ? If lilt.o:r -wne 110

be h~ ai the bu h~ hod 113 "bJee­i!On io hQanng themaelvea more thu eouu~l, but he obJQCted to hearmg e~ther ilile one or ihe other Fe-r th- rta.tion& he m.u11t opp05C the motwn

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Wednesday, lst .fiebruary, 1851

J!.OYAL ASSEN r The SPEAKEH. announced that the Roval

Assent had been gtven by the Lieutenant Govetnot to the App10p 1at1on Act

THE SUPJ~L~H; COUR1' RULES The SPEA.KEU also announced that he

had 1ecened the reply of the Lteutenant Uo verno1 to the Addre8softhe Counct> agreed to, on the motion of Mt O'Shaoassy ou thlB sub JeCt m wluch His Excellency otatcd tha.t ho dcclmed to com ph· w1th the prayer of the ad dteM to dls>\lluw that portiOn of the ne\'1" rulee wluch refm red to the fees to be pa1d to pnetttwnerK on the ground that ~nch dtsal l0wance would preTent the collection of auy Court feel, but that he would tcfer the sub ;ect to the1r Honors, the Jndges, aml '~hen h e had received theu report he would 1ef01 that report to the Council, wlth a Vlew to thom eonSidet mg the questwn anew

The SPEAKER further announced that he had recmYcd the reply of the Lteu~cnanl­Governor to an address agreed to on the mo­twu ofMr :Molhson forp3pero and documenta rc l lllmg to the eonstmctwn of p1era and harbou m the colony, m whiCh Hrs Excellency eta ted that the papers ahould be prepared, and the w1oh~ of the Council eomplicd Wl\h 1n the matter

Captain DANE gave :aot1eo fm 'I'uesday next of a questiOn rolatmg to th" amount 1e cetved nuder the head of revenue from h cellSes Issued to gold d1ggers and storek.eepen on ~he gold field" durmg a g1Yen per1od

THE GOLD DIGGERS' PEriTION On the motwn of the COLONIAL SECHE­

TARY th1o qncstwn wM taken before the orde1 of the day wh1ch itood an the pape1 f01 the Commttt.cc on the New Coi!BiJtutwn B1l1

:Mr FA WKNEU accorclmgly ro,e and moved that the petttlon of John Dow•011 Owe• and Jam ell Egan W 1111 be now read

'l.'he motwn was agreed to ani. the pct1hon was read by the Clerk at the t11ble 118 fu 1 l0\'1"8 -'Io lbe Honorable the Speaker an1 l!ombe1'8 of tbe Le

gu.;lakre Councll of the Colony of V1abOJ 1a, The Peht10n of Tohn Do,Tnes 0\fens aud Jam•s

Egan W:1ll dcleg~tea ft om the m-lb.ef:S a.nd :tul dents on the Bendigo Qold 6el<ll.

5ukw!!"rn,-Th~t yonr pet1tloners wo1e -.ppo.ntOO delegat,s at a

pubhe meeting held a& 'V to"' Pou:tt, BtB.U.igo Decem~r 31 18'>3 to represent the miners a.nd r estden.is on those J!Old fields m \helf relaltono to the Rew Conshhtl.ion Btll and the appomtment of rour petttlOIHRS waa further o:.:tens1vely and fully autllonsed by publta me<tmgs su.>ee held ~hroughout the llOighbourhood by the seTe.l'ill seetlOns of the DtggNs Cong1 eu SotnctT

rhat Your petthonors lxung del•g~ted .., prosont lhom•elns at the b.>.r of the Legtilahn C01lactl, to .,n vey to ytlar Honorable House ehe opuUons.., clesu es,tmd t:ltt.tms of the munng eommnmty, ;u the snbJe«b of ller lla]esty Queen Y1oton~ 110 detua tnedly "nd oon stikitionHJly e lde&YoYlng to obtatn thoae rlbhts pnrl leges and 1mmnnittes nQ.tar:\lly bclOilgm: to their inde. rcndent mdustnftus, and paramouni po.srtion Jft tbe de Yelo( ment l'nd progHll:lS ofth1s Col my

We therefore hnmbly'p•ar to be permitted to lie heard ab the bar of yout Honorable Hoa..,. d ,.n oarly oppor tunitJ, during the eon&JderatJon and vassmg of the New Const•tul101\ Btl! as tho whole of the mm!ng population and t he prtnetpal poriion or tho people of thtfi Colony are now gr eTOUSly deprtY'cd Of thell' legt hm:1.te prtTtlege of cleotmg er ehoosm g ptr80n~ "ttl re present them 1n the Counctl whereby l he1r 'Wants remA-m unknown- U..ei r mtere.sts vcma.ua. m1sunder~tood - t hCir mcrea.smg mfl.utnoe reraams unre«ogmzed­and the laws and theu adm tmstrntiOn l'emam un11ub

Jeeled to the beneficial and ll<!OtS&ary mlutnus of \"fholes{)me nubl c optmon

And we furthet pray to lie ilea-rd at lhe Bar of tho ( ount1l masmnch u we are dele~ated with the saved dutv of ar1Tooattnf: and obtammg :reat polit.lca.l and socmlpr v1Leges and requtremente foF the uaenlro.ncht~cd and nnropresented peoplo of th ts ( olony parllcn larly clft.tmmg to take pa.r'L 1.n tlle •ehbera:te dzaeuss10n appwva.l or d1termuung of the organisatl•n Bf 'he proposed Nc"rt Uvvernment., under which beret.rtcr the ;>ubliel y • s>ented duty of the people alono WI !I btnd to lovally obedtonUy and w:tlltng ly &nbnnt the pre &ervatiOG of thetr 1 berties t herr liv&~, and t heir .an stJtutwnal obli gatiOn to the Slate

.And a s tn duty bound we lnll eTer pr-AT &c

{ JOHN DOWNES OWEN,} Stgned, J.AYEB EGAN WALL, Dolepb. Melbourne Jannary 31st, lllli'-Hr SNODGRASS obterved that the pet1

tton wu •1gned by the partl~ wh011e namee were at foot of tt, u the 11gent8 of othere , and h e aubm1tted th erefore, that aceordmg te the 11tandmg ordere of the Home, the petltton could not be reeeiTed , 1111 not bemg the peti­tiOn or th ose gentlemen , but of others

The SPE.A.KEB had alread-,, on mQI'I tbaa

Captam COLB ltg'reed with a,Jl that k.ul f!Ulen frolll. the Coloma! SeClle~ The colll'!e proposed b] th• pet1t1onera wo11.ld be mOJlt a eonv11ment, and would only lead to the o._ atruchon of pubhc bueiJleM I f part1es te!P ag~eveft. m their pnvat.e mte1~ lot them by all mean8 be :heattl at the har, eut m the case of pubhc busmess the prayer or the petl lwn oughi not to be aC(!cded to Had he known wha• \'fM m t"he pet1tion wl1en tl wa.s p1esentcd, he ahould have obJected to 1t.a recept10n There was too much thought about the d1ggers, there WM more aa1d about the d1ggers than thero waa any necessJLy fot He vrould !lil!Jst them m every thmg that W88 ught , he would g1.-e them enoomagement m eYery way :But they wanted too much They held meetmgt, but 1t shoulil be remembered that they w~re •cat terid over very largo distncts, and 1t could not be said that the scnttmcnt>~ expres.ed at these mcetmgs wore lhose of all tlu diggel s , or that those delegaies wore the repreaentattl'"ea of the entue body of the d1ggcra Ne1ther were they the best fuencla of the d1ggen Th• dtggere, m fact, belrsTct from what had oe­\1urret on former OCCMtOaa, that they h11d only to dictate what teruti they pleued to the au thonitea They toughi to bke p!l.ri a ihe proc.lldmga of She Lo­~n QflUI4il, Wh-,, ;c " aew

gol<l field "ere di".<O\ ered m the 1emotc dl3 tnct wluch. he represented,tltc whole bod; of the d1ggeu 'llrould be off to G1pps' Land at once, and uot e•eu tlte ca.IJ.bage gardens wh1ch the ~mveym G~n.eral hacl. -gtHm them \\Ould 1et~m them at B,tllaarat oc lf~unt Alexandet \ et they ·••keel to take pa1t m the p1occed1ng~ of that (..ouGctl He should oppose the motum

.i\L1 0 SHAN ASSY h~ m the early nart of the SCINOil, "hen .the 'questwn of ltc~~es hac! hccu btought bef01 e tl1e Hou•e p0wted out the fa.lRC strp t nken b' the d1g>ge1 m 1::.l-mg that Hm1s" to "I ant them wlut 1t had not tlw po" e1 of Itself to gt' c vtz the C'lectn e f1anclusc lite tv;enty second claul!e of tl1e Act undui wluch tlus Legtslatn c Counc1l \ as constitu ted 11 as moot expltc1t m h1 mg down th 1t the ' qnahficahon ot electots ~ &c undct the .Act could only be altc1cd b\ th Counc1l 111 a 111!1 whtrh should be JeoeJvrcl l·fo1c comn, mtl operatwn f01 Ilm JII'.J~Rtl s Jle!FU!C aUdl\ht~h-h< ulcl j)lC'IOUStO leCelllllg .t!CI 111aJest.r'o 1sscnt he on the table fo1 tl1llt) clt) s llv!OlC the r upeltal Patltamcnt The hon membCI havmg tead the clwge 111 qnes t1on ptocceded to observe that lt"'" clc<~t uom the \IOtds o( the clause thrtt netthcl the qual1ficatwn ot clectms 01 of members of the Uounctl could be changed be the CounCil 1t self 11 lthout 1 cference to the lmpeltll P a1 l1 1

mcnt The p1oper cour,c then iu1 the d1ggm s to take m the mattm was to petll1on the Connetl to ft ame a Btll to Le sent home on the sUbJect The dtggers, howevm h acl th l) s asked to be Jmmedw.tel) cnf1 anclused

and the only thmg fat them to dec1de was, 11 hcther they "ould pet sl;t m t 1!-mg a coUl se w mch 11 Ul obvwusly uneon•t1tutwnal or that wln ch"as the only one tlu1t affmded leg1 tunate means of1ed•ess If the) took the con stttut1on tl cAurs~ he would supp01 t them The (Toveimuent howe vet , had alt cady mt ocluced 11 lhll to effect the ObJect whiCh he had pomted uut; and he would suggest that that B11l should be submttted to the eonstderaltOn of the d1g g rs and 1f they approved of 1ts plOVlSlOII•, let them g1ve theu adhe1encf' to 1t, 1f, on the contrat) the) d tsapptO\CU of them, let them pomt out the ObJPeLtonable p1 OVISlOn•, ;11th a > 1e" to thg1 1 emoval, 1f poos1ble

Mr CJl o\HL tON supp01 ted the motwn of the hon membm (Mr Bawl,net)

M l< A WKNER 1n reply mamtmncd the nght of so.la1 ge and 1mportant a po1i10n of the commumh as the d1gger• to be hea1d upon a matte1 of such 'I tal 1mportauce as the form~ twn of the poh t1 a! constltulton unde1 ,.,. h1ch the) ""c' e hm eafte1 to hvo He nd1culed the Hlea of the hon me n ber (Mr Cole) that the dtgJ;"eiS should not be heard on the qnestl< n became Jt v;as a pubhc one, and contrasted 1t w1th the comse tal,en by the hon membm when h1s own pecum:~ry 111teresta 11cre at stake m the case of the Melbourne "han es The hon member could see no ohJectwn on that cecaswn to ha\ mg lus o-.. n pe cumary mte1ests ad\ ocated hcfme the House uut now that the polttica.l nght~ and pt l\ 1leg( ll and mt01csts of a large and 1mpor~ ant scct10n of the co mmumty was at stake the hon member could sec no necess1ty fut any ad vocac)

Captam COLE explamed tl1at m the e~ae refe• red to luo pccun 1a1 y ngnts had be~n >ho',,hed by the L "gtslatut e, and on hts applt catJOn to Gov~rnmcnt for JU~t compen•at10n for the loss thus suotamed by lum the Uovern mcnt had ultunately taken the only eoursc that 10 JURtiCc "~~~ open t-0 1t, and placed a ~ttm to com pens1te ]urn on the e~tJmates, and that wm the House had voted lum but he mdtgnantly demed that he h ad apphed to the CounCJ! lie had demanded h1• Just nghts ftom the Guvemment, and the GoTern rnc11t had 'tClded to h111 demand T here "as no analogy m the t\\o cases

I he House lhen iliv1ded on the mot10n Aye• Noe•

lfem s 0 Shanas~y Tho Col01 I31 Secretary lftller .Attorney General 1lodgSoJI Collceto1 ofCu•llmo lfyi"'S Surveyor General A llockett .Audttor General }~m·kni.l Ch1cf ComntliSloner Dane of Pol u:e Charlto~ lfessrs Gt l!tlh Co\fu~ Srmth Burnley Cole Oree'fes t-~"raLam Hervey ..A.nnancl l:ll1 <~han (t~Uor) W Ntchol..,...

A yell Noe8

J llurphy Sl\rgood

<'-ol .Anderson lleosrs Ru.,cll

Parker Hcnty ll•ghet\ J lhompooa Moll son lf )hchobon Uutledge {lplatt .Bnod,.,rail J-:lamcs Vi 1ntor l"ol!lm~n (lellOP)

13 28

15

The motJOl.l was aecm dmgly lost THE NEW CONSTirUTIO~

The House ha' mg go no mto cvmmrtte~ on •hls B1ll, M1 Snodgrass Ill the eha1r,

On the first clall!le, Dr GHLEV .1£8 propo110d the mscrtwn of

the word8 m the th1rd hne that these two llouses, togethc1 w1th H01 lb;esty, shall be called the Parhnmcnt of V1ctona "

ThA ATTOUNLY GLNERAL ohJed:~d. and the ~omnntlee dlvlded, r~Jedmg the au1endment by a maJUIIty of •no, the num be1s bemg-aye~ 18 , noe8, 19

M1 J 'l'JIO.M:P>;ON moved ~hat &fter the word • assem bl-v the wordll " and bv the authonty of the snme he msertcd If these \fOrds 11 e1e not mtw<luced the Coune1l lfould he merely a C'onnml of adv1ce

.Aftc1 a few wot<ls ftom MI O'SH.ANASSY and the ATTOHNEY GLNERAL, the com ru1~a dJ-vtded-

the•c was no p <sSliro for the J 1 <:tor~ the ( Onbtltutwn ~hould 1c coHfirtnedl

When the C>ovcn1or recerTcd a de~ ate lllnouncmg Jt8 allolfanc<'. he "onl<l ,f:me It procltmatwn callmg the Conn< 1I lo<Yeth a p1m 10ns tcts would uc rcpc 1l~d a;;'a t~' Elccto1d A<t \\oulrl be pa«cd then th 10 \1 ou]d be lll 1 O>SCSbiOn ;I the CCl1'U wh~{ " ould be au advRntage lie saw no objectio" to p,1<s the ( o 1'-t1t11~1< n then, h "n•g <hsposed of the wcrk m hand, to scp"' at nnd as.cmblc to lXl•s tln, act. \1 l1e11 the des Jat:e. came pc1h•psml\la'i I

l he SPEA ''1 R urgccl that the ~haract the" hole B•ll d, I" ntl, don the JliUCi[ le t~rld ad 1ptc<l \1 tl 1l0Ut th ct, 1t \\Ollld le a Je 1 l f C rnera s e don o a on•t tutJOn \\autmg \ltaht lt mtght uc t\\ o m t1 1 0 'Pl, btl< l< the Co~ t1tutwn 11 as 1 ta1 n <1 the Je pon,1l 1htv

the mcastJ c re;.te<l "rth the lunn 1 d 01 ]·' an tt \\Ou u uot do tu dtlc gat IIH p 1,. 1 to Its bUe

cc,~ms lie 1\ nuld Jtthcr ln do11 n the rn c1plc of <1 v1 1011 uJ ''"'t 1ct., and all lme~t or mcmbe s tt onee at d then the <.lctJ.tH uw•l be ede'' po;.lp<n c1 .,It

The (;()f o;q \L !'\J'CRE:rAnY thou hi tha' the 1 tc lnbl d llv 11 a, an ~d ltt onal atg 1 mcntfo" 1 n"tlOllcll ut lithe\ knfll htn!'01 notlnng- of the Sl<~t ot the conntt v nr 11 1 could they fo11n an C>tunate fu nt xt vea1

10;

the ) em after 1 l le 11 ould "a1t kr not onl tho ccn 1 1 ~ Lut fot a 'nll tv of otnc ,tat~otro: t~•·•t 11ould th1011 ltght <'n the m 1ltc1 1h• llouec must t1uRt to 1, succell!'ol< clso ho.,. conlcl itkgtslateat •11 'llnsclaubeonh 1ese!>eol the s •llHl po\1e1 mth refctence to the Lowe1 Honse that was al e1dv Jescnccl "tth r0gatd to the Upper 'I he cltnugc that too'< phce Ja tlu cc yeau wou ld mat 111ll r ~ffect the 1nten eel Act othe1 clcclol~ 1\ ouldm the mt •ntune h• 1 1trotlucrd h) tho l>tll ,,r "luch he I ad gnen notwe It was talllt to legt~lllto fo futunt.y 11 1thou t d th

llfr HU 1 LEDGE echoed tnc ar~umentsui!i'tl by the Colnm1l Secrctuy and rem 1kcd that constJtuenc1e" mtgh t a 1se m count1 "''now n(lt peopled, a~ had Mtt:4d} ece1med t.t the gold fi, l<JK and subnrbs of the towns It would be clnms) 1 g1~l ,tum to attempt tne F.l-ctmal Act now 11 !thou t the C< JJ..,ui wlucl1" ould take SQm<r t1m- m p1cp1tall•n

'!'he COLLEC.tOR of CUSTOii!S oon.<t dercd that the Con•"tntwn 11a> to h"ve a <X'l t1m an1ount of p<.:lUJanencv And uot to be hastJh Blte1cd 'et, 1r the Elect01al Act wer• f1 amcd now po trr ty uught betted up With a a unsu1ta hie l;n" '!hey could onl then lar down g 11e1al ppn lplu; 1t "aa uHncceasalT k> make the Electotal Aet a pa1 t of >he Comsbtu. tron a~ Jt would not 1cquuethe sam" p1otect.ioa ag3m•t change , mcleod eu cum~tances \~oul<il p ubably 1 endet occaRJOnal change nece5$ary

Mr O'SHAN ASSY 1Yas content to wa1& fm the mfo11natwn before gomg 1nto the ddailo of the Act 1belf, but he mlit ted that th• pliOClples •hould be defmed In OIJ>\Ill'mg a leg slatl1 e bod1 1t was ncces,aJy to lav do"• plans for 1ts dectJon 1 he absence Of detallt d1d not stand m tho way ot that If the clause wet e p08tponed the) woul<l be m the predtcament uf the old Ne" Eouth Wale1 Connol. "Inch, ha1 mg got a conattt 1l10n had afterwat ds to send home fur power to can-v n out Even decto1 11 as equalm th~ eye of the law It was easy to lay do"\\n a p1m tplc, and: 1f tt wel<l not done th'l whole affan woul<l be a mockP.t"), and they nnght as "elt be 11 1thoui a conshtutron H e '' ould op1 o~e the cla<ls~, md tf It wete ca111ed he Y.ould oppose the Con.tltutcun as useleS<l

l\fr SPLAI''l., ag1eed w1th th~ I ' t Fpeake~ that the clause 1111 0lvcd the p111Hlf le of the whole B1ll and tf pa,.ed would empowe1 a future Counc1l to modr'v and v1t1ate the Cnnahtutwn One elector nnp;ht be equal to anotltct, but 11 was opposed to theBnt1;h eunsl1tutwn othel Wl!'e the rtghts of p10pc1t} \\Ould not be teapectecl lie hoped the pllllClp]c would never l v achmttetl here In Eugland county membets rept6 sen ted om,tllm con•tttucuc1es than to\\ ns hut tf :Mr O'Shanassy s Idea l'ete cant<d out, th .. towm would retum mne tenths of the mc;m bet~ If the clau•e could not be earned, 11 wa~ of no use to make a Const1tutiOh

Mr O';:;HANASSY observed, that :Md­bourne vnth a supposed popu latwn of 80 000 hau only 5331 vete1s, Geclong, 21\17 and th~ wholo colon,, 15175 Thc1e w a no oppo smg pnn~q le to the truth that all elect<'l&­weJ• legally on an equahty , let auy one la_y ono down who could

1:Yft SlJLAl'I' refe1red to the large cOU'-tl tueuctes of Manchester and Ltveq,ool f<n evidence agamot :Mr 0 ShnBa<By'" pos1t1:0n and w1th a VIew to shew that the Bntl>ll Constitution d1d not 1ecogmse sueh equaht}

11ft 0 ::;IIAN ASSY d1d not pretend to fol low out all the deta1ls of the Bn+1oh Const1tu tron cluang Its accumulatmg existence, b11t merely to Imitate Its best pomts

M1 'N NICHOLSON had stood out w;tlo Mr O'Shanassv m the comm1ttec m a mmo I ltv on tins qucstwn and he hoped for a d1fle rent resul t now that the mattc1 waii hemg full .. discussed Hithe1to tho dtVJHlOn had been'lm JUSt to all Portland returned t\\ o mem hera for a co JStltuency of 601, 'Yh11e (Teelon: for 37!ll, or s1x t im es the number oalr returned three If on the present plaa the Loddon could 'IHth 60 Yotes 1etur• a, eandtdate. North Eowke would n­quue 1038, 01 18 times the number He could uot Aee YfhJ the mflucnee of liclboume fllld Geelong Wile to be feared, unle•1 they fcmerl the mfiuence of the pc;ople 'I her" " ere twe ways to deprt'~'e partJ~ular cla••es of the1r elea ior&l nghts !__ by unfair dJTJ•Inn of the d1st lC._, and by a vaned quahficattoll Accordmg to the presen~ drns10n takm& the reprcsentatwa of the Lodl!on a• a atalt mg pomt, North Bourke 1Hlll Elltltled propo1 t10nslly to liS memben and if ihe Loddo• rcqm1 ed 10 membors North Bourke shoul<l. han 80, Gedong 70, and Melbourne !)~ The dlvJsJon of tho electoral d1~tnc's "as one of the evils of the Br1t1sh Conet1tutum whw• was to have been remedied hv the RefolD

.Ayca ~ :Noea 3:i

Yf\JOJJty S2 I B1ll, but now Lord John Rueaell bJm5elf, whe

talked &bout finaltty, wa• about to mtroduca additiOnal reform. not perl1ape qmte to the extent of cqu!U electoral d1el11eb, though that eeemed to be the tendeney of th11 age a.nd waurtl

J1he amendreent waH, iherefote, le.Jeetecl. llr J THOMPSON moved that after the

word "VJci-9na" the wmds m a>ll •ao-e~ wh31t­aoe,.er~ be om1tt.ed, and ~h.ti the word~ "m conformth w1th the pro-vJsJons of ihe Act the 111\h and 14th of Y1ctona of tha Impe11al Pu hament mtth>led ' An .Ad for the bcttcx Government nfHm YaJeFt.) 8 J.milral1a.n Colo­mea • be mrerted Inl>tutd

'lhe .A T'l.'ORN.EY GENJ,RAL atl:ei wh!.t wert> Mr Thompson'5 JCUI!ons'

Mr .JAM.ES '! HO}fPSON .md that under the e.x•~tmg ConstJtutJOn t l en poweis were llmlted but that I•Ow they were ~·snmmg a.uthonty to go fa1 beyond t.he hm1t8 there latd down and con~equentJy their ~til would be Illegal , I.I.DU nothmg but 11 "P~•u~l Act of Parltament could <>Ute the ongmal de1k~ency They rm><t \ddrc!lll the Quee:n fur extended A'tnho11 ty, aP they wm e not m ;uo:ad1ilion te go to the pwpl6 forluwe1

llr O'SH.AN SSY po!ll~d •ut ih&.t this Btll, to 1e1l tee the old delectin Con~tituiaoa, wus not a wbstani!Ye act lmt merely :t nhe-4ule to ba l!.llD0 Xl a to a blll to be brought b~ fore the Bnt:a>h P.-..1luunent, a:Jitl would •Md fol' Mthmg unttl that. b1ll wlll! pamil.

Mr GfUFFITH wok the Kame vtew 'l'he amendment" n.s lo•~ The aub.!ttiutlon ot th&l\ ord J:,OO~a'' W.r

• Co1tne1l and .As•iDIL1:y wa-, adepitld a:s na a former OilS<'

Tho 1\a;t elauu wa' then ~ut 111 1tw aatx4led fo1m and aan1eti

The Beeond clau~e bemg Yead, The .A TTOUNEY GENERAL r....-a.rltet

that tt was not i'o the 1 esolutwne ef the eo:ra rruttee, wh1ch had eonft.aed It.-.lf to flannng ihe CoDiltlta.tJOn and had not JOrmtid the pia of an Electoral Ad Tile Coune1l •heud make a new Ele•toral .Aet, 118 1ts l:tn work, ae the Couuml •f .Ne\~ Sol!tlt Wal~ had done before the upaiatJOA, J() that prn1~oll m~gM be made fe~r tl-te snHeedmg Ctlunarl '.&tis clause was only Jll OYll!lOBal, and tend&d to eneure the earryml\' •nt of ihe ConstttntJon when grMted

The SPEAKER hiiJlecl that a el\ll of th­Hous~> would be made on an Qa.r)y day for the U!BCUOSIOU ar this queMtion The whole gJ•t of the Constitution lav m the 61ltabhshmcnt of a pnuetplc of d eatton, 1\hetller numbers ''realth 01 mtclhgcnee or 11 wuo!l 01

the whole should be t.he bas~ of reprosenta tton The arguments of tho Att.>rney Gener11l for Immediate postr<>neraem were ga.d , they oould no• have the elementa for formmg a correctc4mclu•wn until th11 een8W!wuobtamed and 1t waa de~~lr&ble ihat lhe prMent B1!1 11hould bo traDsmltted m txme C.o be d~&:U8aed 4unng tho pretent ~a. of Parh&lllcni

Tat .A 'l"..''B.N:IT -<.lilJLill.U, ~ &hat

one da; be adopted Yr H.Al:N'.J.<:S can1ndtred t~t 1t wae th•

ebjecG of Govemment net to represent equa-l portt•n• ef the people, bn' te get the best me11 'I hey could DO' be too gu udcd aga1ns t th" t) ranny of largo eommumtwt l t aeemed t• him to he 1> more n&tural oours0 to make the eons!ttutwn flxst, and S. d1YJd~ the di,tfl< b llfteTward•

The COL01';1AL SBCRETARY eomc1aer£ w-th :Mr Spbtt and cons1de1 ed that Mr O'Shan a-ISy 1-.e.d fruled to overthrow hiSarg•1ment.' Th• prom.tera of the Enghsh Poe form B ll had lclt Hannch w1th a MnstJtuency of e1ghtv an1l ohher oon!tltuenctea 1nth man;r thoueand• lfelbo11rne and Geelong h~d an elective pow~t of 12.000 sad ell the ret>t of ihe colo w of onh 5200 OD thu pLm of dm~;wn, 1f the new ElcQtorul Act w-ere ean ted out the towns would return five-au:ths of ihe membe•A The tOI\11• people had the advan._gt~ ofoomgou the sceJl• of IIJdio:Jt., tmd had ether adv::mtagM that gave them mereued elect.oral 2bil1ty Uncle1 the extended francl1mo tho dJBpantv would l e gt"eat.er They were not ealled on to abd1eate uy of t!Mtr ftlllehone, but ()niT to hold the• over n11t1 I the t1me eame for tltem to act, an•l that was all tho t'.fi'ect of the ..Janoe, whwl) he hoped "ffould be pa&ed..

Mr F..\. WKlfER eba~rved t.b:4t el1e Oolv mal Seeretary lud allowed :ftve-m:ths of th• membern to tlle towl'ls, a,nd that only left ORe

an:tll. w the l.1gge~, and :ill the countrY populatt&:ll He weuld 1106 hna tho Btll tJfl tho ehwre wu settled BMame the1 e Jwt been QJI lli!Jnst d1spa.nty, there wa. no rea~OJI f•r 1ts eoDtinua.flee all the r~pr~entat1011 h d. furnterly beell g tven to :t mmontr •f! 1uaUerft, and Hr La Tte~ oould not go.-ern w1th•ut nommees. It tll11 ulause fllil!Cd the lltl!" would :ba-v~ lo~t ttl nlne lie weuld leave 11 t<' Mr o·slta~all!y t.o sbato hi• own vle"ll s "~ ls.e hed doite m the cornm1ttee and wour« oppet~o the Inll tf wtthout :t lea<l1Bg pnnc1plt

The ATTOUNFY GJ<. NLR.AI sa1d, that wa~ notthe tnne for thatdlocu•~ton IncommJttt• m Elect01 al Act was ronkmJ lilted, and A

resolt twn Ret forth thilt the dlVI>I 111 "ere to-.,. mOO<' m acco d>lncc "tilth the pnm tpleo~ the1e•f He d1d not "1-h to chc. k the dtscuffiiOn Jt m1Q;ht be "hown h \W a future ( ounc1l Clt!!tl

bll test,amecl ft om viltatmg the Constitulll!ll hy passmg an 1 lrclo1 a! Act b:~Ec<l Oil oppomt• JHIUCipleR 'lhe caS<J of New Soot• \Vales wa~ no par~lld aa they were JJtt •hout to dologuto tht;Jr power to othtn llr O';:;hanllSSy had la1d down lA

eommrtteQ that there weN~ three eleme ... of electoral powcr-proporty, educatioD, Pi numbers , and nO\v,talkmg m the dark. hew» atgumg for numbers only Equal coustJta• lll!M would il" w )(ilboum• 11 membtn tWl

---~--. --·-- - --· ------------~ ---~~

•% u~clong 5, X orth llourl-c 7, ami ::lout-:: !nl ~ {. 3 or ·~ out of tho who!~. lle IC m ..,on!"C ' " ' 1 t ltl 1 1

Jeeted :Melbourne aml (,cc ~ng, •\~t wou t 1 I . , to throw tho colony mto thc1 r hand~- Ia

bpe 10n1 )t.ton wall an • important element, Gt opu a · 1 'd d · f iut he would he . so:r.v to see 1t 1Ll o~HJ 01

fole pnm•tple: he would m- w ~udell wealth and education, a11d perhaps th

tent of cuuntn·. lf numbers were adopter! to ~x 'ba><is, all tiJC r .prcsenta.tion would f>tll to be y ibou 1uc :UJd Cuunty l.lonrkc, a nil the pasto- b ·

_;. •·t·cKts ,youhl he altogether •· Bourke\l." to r:u m"" · - I I · 1 l l I· clcr uch ctrcumsltn cs, t 10 t lll'l c aU$C p ~~~~~n >:tosed, it woulJ bo a sliding scn.lc, and tit "·oulJ II'Dllt altering CV('l'Y year a~ populatlU!l t.o Curtnated. . m

lfr O';:iHA:\ASSY w1shcil that he had th 'b · uotcJ c•HTedly a~ to the population re

chen 1~ He hatlttevet' int ~ntledtoupilokl cqua l h' at en c. 1 ·t ~tl district<, but 11phcl.l t-h c :1 "hat he hi

~~tl ~tlvtul ·cd i11 e•JUlm it.ke 01~ t!w l4tl\ _No- eo ve!llber. He 1~:~~ eY~n ?.rhlllttcd t!1e dtrcct li . • .,,011 t;1tiotl ol u•td1tg••nce b_,. i.Jarnst~rs and tept ' t "t bl t' 1 alergrm~n. lt was 1~0 · crcut a ~ o t 1e J.ttoi1leV Ge('lcral to q111 bhle on Sl_tch llllpnrtant ~1

1lQ. point.!. ·To tak? an ~·xamyb : _1f tl<e ~0,000 •'- a· o-crs WL<:'<l entranchtoed, nc mtght clnnn for

~~~~n II. 00l'l'f'~pomling sham or representation : 'o the 011Jy wished those who '''l'l'C q t.alitie<l or ,: b~ve ;otes. A. t•> t.lw b1tgh:ar of large to t •ns at the last Melbourne ekot10n ouly (.iVO of r~w:-s polled out of 5800, All tltat he pn

e ~·ed wa~ this, that the mun.l•ler of members ~~­~on~d be ullottcd to uistrit:tti oel equal electora, in 1 wer. 'l'hus, if there were LO,VOO electors to. C would divide them into. s<:y ten di.>tricts o

1-eoo each; aml if there WOI.'e to be sixty m~m m ISI!In for 30,000 elt,ctora, lllie woultl apportiOn eli !\hem 50 as to give tv;<l ifl> each lOOU. On t4he· Hth NuYemher h_e •lai~ down his prin­·ei les during a long d.tsO\lS.'IOJJ.. The colony a!d never b~ea fairl_v re;preH"n~eu yet, because tltere wae no priuciple, und the committee had tnly then at.-ivcd at -an arbitcary rule. He · was not in t:1e dl!.rk., .futlt the Attorney-General ,.-11wt.c-.d ·w put tlle. Rouse in the dark on the · ov llile.rits of th11 qucHI.l(IJll. I

Dr. G l~E I~ V JT,'S considered that Mr . . tf O'Shanw;sy's lll-0¥6!llent tendecl to plt'dge the ' -bJ Housij w a thit<cl o!;.~.use before the ~econd '"as . pa.saed. wllich w&t~ t<b5n. d. It wa~ im po8sible ' then to divitl.e tne·di:<trict>; in tbc al •senee of iJJ.­f01mation, d~e what ~he use of the c·en~us. · Wh4n the Con~bittttion ca,me int,> foree would · 'lie the tim.e -'o pas~ an Act to provide for the · 1u~. •rne maut·~ might be postponed, b1.t 'it would not -cl.o tto negative the clause. One portion wa~ .redundaut, as the numl•er of ll!lem­\leN was spe()ifi('\1 hy a ~ubsequent c-Lm~e.

The CO.LLECT<JR of CUSTOMS saithhat ihe three pr.in~iplc8 referred to In· Mr. O'Sil.an­a.'U!,V h~til ·IJeoo ~tpplied to the 'Upper House, 'aut uot to the Lower. The Lower was thrown ttpon popuhti<Jn alone.

lf:r. (;J-B.ll.>'FlTH did not crmsi•ler th() ·three pri~ip~cs .-cu&ilci.;nt. There was a fotwth ne­tes.~r., n ~m'lely, t erritory . A scatt{\l'ei! popn- . )atAOll ,hail !~IS political influence thmi\ a CIJll­

MUtrated or..e. Equal electoral di,-tri<r~ will weakeu • i-;proportionatcly the rem.<>tcr dis­tri<:ts. '£he ohj <?d of d iRl! ic:t reprP~entation was to brioo.g- the want.~ of the dist: ii~!t under tb.e -JlcJtice <){the legi~ht.nre ; bat there was n<l tear ofc-tlae wants of i\fcl\;onme n <rt being •rought· troder the nt>tice (If the lcghlbture. The · ln1..~is of' equal electoral d;striot~ wa~ ' <equivalullt to taking popnLttion s.s a basis . . The ek>Ct(lrs would be in a unif0r.m propor- · tit1)n to the population, ll'hieh woultll. come to , the same•tb.iug as adopting popnl.abion abso­l.utdly. The mathematical divi,.ian . of elec­to:ral di~~:i.c ta had been adopted lin France ; ~nd wh~tt '1¥!13 the result ? Paris w ; tH FrELDcc, · ~nd if ath~]ilted he.re Melbourne wottiill.'be Vic­tori&. .

Tha SPEAlU<;H, aualysed the . present ~1e.,U,ral roll, 11nd she,,ed that, <Hl •fh•. cq nnl elector.U .~stem, the Connty of B<mi:k-e ~vonld ·possess >6-t p•r cent.. of el~etora1 power, and ltb.at·the Gl8untiea of Grant and Bl}urke, with ihoir res pective eitiee and townt, would baT!) aoont R2 per eent.

Ur. 0 'SH.ANASSY: But the diggers 1\'0nld corne in under the new divisioo to ooun­>ter-balancc this excess.

-The SHJ:AKER did not appY:~hend that Jl'lll'll)" cif•the digogere wouhl be ro•pr~ented; so that ·thev 'WoulJ uot make muela ai'ffe rence. ("llear,. hear," from Mr. F awlmer.) 'Thesnh­

ject w-as ·import.lnt, and t-he case 8.i'flicult to -deal with. It wouM justify some deJr,_,, in the proceedi.l;lg& of the Council. He wcl!lld f!llg­

:gest.that th<! Census Bill shoulrl be pa.ssed and tho e.en'ill~ taken a~ Roon as p9s9iblc : 80 th!lt ·the eleetoral que~tion Rhonld be Rettled 'before . the Coun·~il rose. The Bi~1, owit.hout ihis elect!lral que.,tion eettlcd, might 'be turned to a very ·different purpose from w !111.t ·was con­\templaLed. lt was more important ·ta ~end \tmne a C0ll1.plete mcasnre than to lmrry it t hrough .

:Ur. O'.'HANASSY h t>ld that the eensus would he .no.guide out-of the difficui..t.~:. Th~ PQf~Ulation kept eonstantly. changing aafi,shift­ing ito po6it.iou . Persons had property to-day who had none to -m orrow. For aU that was 110w wanted •they had infonnatinn el!.ough a!roo.dy. 'l'hcy knew prctt.y nearly how many pet~]ile were ilt Melhournc, how m~lily in Geclong, how many at 'Varmaruhool, :how many SIJ.llll~tera , and how many diggers. ll that information was in their miEd's ~~t·e, and they could gain nothing hy •the teti,lius. 'l'he .. dependence of this qu~on upoll ,the eeusu.,,ll'.'e,e a delusion, t.nd intenli.ed il> a-delusion (No.) What they had no~.- 'to to was to ainrm cel'tain principleR that were <to he e.n;:hodied in ·the Constitution; and it -w.as pre!.at~ded .th8.t· thc census was to govern 1hooe priucir:iles, He had stated t.hoee principle11. If they ""'ero right . tl~ey lihould he adopted.. If 1vrong. 'l'hy were not other pdn~iples , h:·ought. forwaTd? ,

l!Ir. HA.:INES proteeted againRt the een- ~ trali~ing .!'iff'ect of the <qJUal tlectoral system. · He analy~ed ·the qualificatiom for elector~ to · the Upper Houee, and contended that they would tkr-0w ·the de<lti~n almost exclusively into the hau<b.of. town eleetora. 'Ji'he country olistricts w.ouad pol!l!CIIB very few elector! of ihe kind required. •

Dr. GRJ~ETES ro~e at l!even e'doek, and proposed IW A.djournment of·t't1e diseussion, a•­C!Ofding to ihe · ~mdertlbsnding arrived at on the previous day.

Several h~n. U~embel'l!l denied .that they had IO!llc to any umden;t.ancling. After !Ome di:~­OU<lSion and c di.m.,ion, the Q.cljoumment n-a.~ ean'ied.

The CHAIRMA.~ ha,•ing repnrted progre!!~, The COLONIAL .SECRE'fARY wished to

k110w whab wae .tt.e under~tancling for the future. After anothe-rdiACtll'sion, it ~"ttil agreed fh.at during the present week the House mould meet at two o'clock, and 11it till seven, nnd that. their atten tion should be exel~iv~ly eccupiecl with the Constitution Bill.

lflRE PRI<: VENT!ON BILL. On the motion or Mr. H.AI:\' ES, the seeond

«dar of the day, the seco11d reading of ihe <C-at'eless Use of Fire Rostrietion Bill wae p<~­i\OneJ till Friday Mxt. 't'hc House the.u ,adioorned a.li a faw minateM pa;;t eeven e'cloek.

t --------l(l)l'IClllS :OF MOTION .AND OlffiB!tS OF T HE

D.AY. 'Piwnd<»J, 2nrl Fdn'lutry. GovRn~M•:r;•t· Busull>·~.

NOTif:~ OF lfOTIOil. l. Tho Colll'lltor of Customs: To :11\0Y~ thll.t th• l'<>­

per~ of tt~ select committee of thi> Council <Jpon tl.., ·~oot or the lighthouse.~ uf the wlony, b.o 119 .. ta.k .. !ntiJ consideration.

OnDiiRS OF Tfflil DJ.Y. L l'o•tage Bill.- Second •·e<>ding. 2. flenornl Edacation 13i!l. f:ocoud !'6lldln~. ~- Patents Bill. Seconclrcading. 4, <'..en•n• !Jill. - Adoption or report .

. i. New Constitntt.on Bill.- 'l'o be fu•·ther •oal/tu~..-1 ,. oootmltt.,.,.

l1EE'fi!JGS OP SELl':C'f COMMIT'rJIJES',

t!-r.ld Di,.CTe~~"{' oOU:too"t'U<D'/1. D~r..~ ld !he Colony at 1 p'elook.