§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he wished to ask whether any successor had been appointed to the hon. Member for Bury (Mr. F. Peel), who recently held the office of Under Secretary for the Colonies—whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill with respect to the Australian constitution—and whether the Government had received any intelligence of serious disturbances having occurred in the colony of Victoria, as stated in the third edition of the morning newspapers?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that no Under Secretary for the Colonies had yet been appointed. The right hon. Gentleman was probably aware that no successor could be appointed at present, as only two Under Secretaries could sit in the House of Commons. Notice had been given of the introduction of a Bill to allow a third to sit in that House, and if the Bill should receive the sanction of Parliament, the appointment would at once take place. In reply to the second question of the right hon. Gentleman, he had to state that the Government had at present no intention of proposing any measure with reference to the Bill for creating a constitution for the Australian Colonies. The attention of his noble Friend the Member for the City of London would, however, be directed to the subject. The delay in this matter had been unavoidable, and the Government had not yet received the definite decision as to the views of the different Legislatures of Australia. With reference to the third question, all he could say was, that no official information had been received with respect to any disturbances in Victoria.