AUSTRALIAN UNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 142, 15 June 1894, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN UNITY.

SIR G. R. DIBBS' SCHEME,

Sydney, June 14. Sib G. R, Dibbs' letter to Sir J, Patterson, containing details of his unification scheme, is published. He proposes one Viceroy for the two colonies, one Parliament with two chambers, and one tariff and excise, joint debt, railway management, land revenue, land law, defence, and postal and telegraphic administration. The Provincial Governments are to have wide local powers, The surplus revenue of the Supreme Government is to be apportioned to the proyiucoi, partly on a population basis and partly on an occupied mileage area basis. Certain departments of the public service are to be removed from political influence, and have their headquarters, some in Sydney and some in Melbourne. One High Commissioner's establishment in London is suggested and one Supreme Court. The title of tbe Federation is to be "The United Colonies " until the others come in, when it should be ♦• The Dominion of Australia " or " United Australia." Under the Commonwealth Bill drafted by the Federation Convention an additional charge of £1,325,000 per annnm would have been involved, but effective unity on the other hand could sava the two oolonies at least £1,440,000 by reduced interest on debt, gain in railway administration, and savings iv other departments. Sydney, this day. The " Sydney Morning Herald " says Mr Geo. Dibbs' unification scheme will never be anything more than a dream, that tbe whole scheme is a visionary one, and that it would be a waste of time to criticise details. The " Dairy Telegraph " looks apon the scheme as practical as the annexation of Victoria. Its two destructive features are originalty and audacity—original because no federationiat other than Sir Geo. Dibbs would dream of confusing unification with federation, and audacious because of its proposal to sweep two colonies ont of existence and create a new one.