NEWS OF THE WEEK.
pARLIAMENT was opened on Tuesday, the 25th inst., with a Message of which the main feature was a certain straightforward simplicity. No change, said her Majesty, had taken place in foreign relations, though further negotia. tions had been commenced for delimiting English and Italian, and English and Portuguese territories in Africa. Ireland had sensibly improved, but the Western Counties were threatened with severe distress from the failure of the potato crop, and it was necessary to take measures to diminish the evil as well as to increase the number of cultivating owners. A Tithe Bill would be introduced, and "your attention will be invited to the expediency of alleviating the burden which the law of compulsory education has of late years imposed upon the poorer portion of my people." The Purchase Bill, the Tithe Bill, and Free Education are, therefore, the tasks of this Session; and, if time suffices, "time which in your judgment may not be sufficient," other measures will be brought forward, such as Bills for the reform of county government in Ireland, for the establishment of District Councils, for facilitating the purchase of land in small parcels, for appointing a Public Trustee, and for increasing the security of Friendly Societies and Savings-Banks. The list of important measures, it will be seen, is not a long one; but it covers all the subjects about which the public is anxious, and shows a most satis- factory recognition of the new conditions as to deliberation under which the Government is compelled to work. The number of hours in a day is not subject to legislation, even though a democracy rules ; and if Members will indulge in what they think the luxury of much talk, they must go without many beneficial Bills.
