The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1885.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6153, 9 June 1885, Page 2

The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1885.

Although the majority of speakers who have recently addressed their constituents in tins colony have made some reference or another to the Federal Council Bill there is very little prospect of the question occupying much attention in our House of Representatives daring the approaching session. New Zealand is not only lukewarm, as Lord Dbbby expressed it, about the whole affair; she is, we believe, strongly opposed to it, and is not likely to take advantage of its provisions should the Bill become law. At any rate, this colony will not have anything to do with Federation for the present if the measure is carried in the House of Commons in the shape ia which the advanced advocates of Federation hope it will pass.

Those of our readers who are familiar with the question are aware generally of the scheme as it was adopted by the Sydney Conference. It proposed to form a Federal Council, composed of two representatives from those colonies possessing Constitutional Government, and of one each in the case of Grown colonies. Tifese representatives were to have legislative authority over Her Majesty's possessions in Anetralssia with respect to a variety of matter, such as the relation of Australasia with the Pacific Islands, the prevention of the inflax. of criminals, fisheries beyond territorial limits, the service and enforcement of civil and criminal process beyond the limits of the colony in which it is issued; »nd with reference to a number of other 1

matters which may be referred to the expenditure neoeethe Council was to be twrt»"«* by the colony ifffif" the jegptadftnre is incurred, and by the colonies in proportion* tae,gapulation. The Act was not to coaae la*», operation in any colony till each >fo&y ahaftld have passed an Act dedasing it to be in force. The BUI introduced by Lord Derby contains several alterations of the draft Bill. The most important of these ia clause 31, which provides for the withdrawal of any colony should its Legislature pass an Act declaring that the Act shall cease to hare operation within its boundaries; "proTided nevertheless that all Acta of the Council passed while the Act was in operation in the colony shall continue to be,in force therein unless altered or repealed by the Council, or unless repealed as to each colony by the Legislature thereof." The above clause has given rise to a great deal of- debate in the Australian colonies. The advocates of Federation denounce it as destructive of the entire scheme. If any colony is to be allowed to secede the moment it becomes dissatisfied with what is being done by the Council, it is held that the idea of Federation may as well be abandoned for the present. The AgentsGeneral of Victoria and Queensland ask, "Can it be desirable that a measure intended to promote union should, in its original construction, provide for a dissolution, practically at the will of any colony P The action of the Council would be thereby paralysed, and it would legislate, indeed, under the perpetual fear of destruction by a minority." "If we I wish," says the Argue, " to find a counteri part—for executive impotence—to Lord Derby's proposed Federal Council, we should have to go back to the old Polish Legislature, in the days when ihdliberum veto enabled a few malcontents to effectually destroy their country's liberties."

The above view of the ease is perfectly eorreet if the intention is to create a genuine Federal Government for the colonies. Butwedonotthinkthatthetimehas arrived for the carrying out of any euch project. The view of the New Zealand Government is, in our opinion, the corroot one. They think that, the Federal Council should not be entrusted with any legislative powers whatever over the colonies. They are of opinion that the Council should be regarded rather as a kind of legalised convention, called together at intervals to propose measures for the benefit of the whole of Australasia; but that it should be left to the local Legislatures to accept or reject each measure proposed. Clause 31 as it stands in the Bill, to a large extent meets that view. But it does not exactly meet the views of our Government. What they ask for is that no legislation of the Council shall be effective until after it lias been adopted separately by the Legislature of each colony. Great efforts, however, are being made to have clause 31 struck out, and it is announced that Mr. Goschen will move a resolution to that effect when the measure is before the House of Commons. It is improbable, however, that Mr. Goschen will succeed. It is evidently thought that the widest latitude should be given to the colonies in connection with this matter. The whole scheme, Lord Deeby said, was tentative, experimental, and in a certain sense provisional; and clauee 31 would not have been inserted had a complete agreement amongst the colonies been arrived at, or if this wasi the final form intercolonial Federation was likely to assume. Lord Cabnabvon stated the case for or against clause 31 at considerable length, and arrived at the conclusion that its retention would be on the whole in the interest of the colonies. If it were struck out he believed the Federation of the Australian colonies would be. postponed for many yean. Another compromise has been suggested, which may get over the difficulty. Mr. Griffiths, of Queensland, is the author of the suggestion. It is this. The colonies which are in favor of clause 31 should Agree to it being struck put, provided that a colony joining the federation should do so on condition that as far as the joining colony was concerned Federal legislation should only.be operative in the colony after it had been approved and adopted by its Legislature. The effect of such a plan would be tins—A colony after it once became part of Federated Australasia would not be permitted to withdraw. But as long as the local Legislature refused to adopt the separate Acts of the Council they would not be operative in that colony. The idea no doubt is that in ; time the people would get used to the i federal authority, and gradually agree to extend its power. For all practical purposes, however, Mr. Griffiths' echeme is the same as that already suggested by the New Zealand Government.' If the different colonies approve of the plan oar Government will be entitled to take credit for having secured an important and radical alteration in the Federal Council Bill in the direction of affirming the entire freedom of the individual colonies.