AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10634, 19 April 1900, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

UaiUd PrMa Association—By EUdtet* Telegraph—Cepyrichtl (Received April 18tb, 10.55 p.m.)

LONDON, April 18.

Mr Walter Griffiths, representative of the West Australian Goldfields Separation League, contends, in a letter to the newspapers, that the objection to Clause 74 is part of a conspiracy to wreck tire Commonwealth, and a. false step, postponing and imperilling the Bill, may result in the formation of an Australian Reoublic.

The "Westminster Gazette" protests against lawyers and constitutional pedante precipitating an imperial crisis.

(Received April 18tE, 9.40 a.m.)

PERTH, April 18

Sir John Forrest has informed the Premiers ef the federating colonies that in the event of one amendment in the Commonwealth Bill required by him being agreed to, he will immediately advise the summoning of Parliament, and do his utmost to pass the Bill as a Ministerial measure, and obtain its accepttance by the people of the colony. The amendment is the one which provides for five years' tariff concessions to West Australia.

ADELAIDE, April 18,

The Premier states that ax soon aa Parliament meets it will be asked to pass an Enabling Bill, providing for the election of a convention purely Soutfc Australian, to consider the subject of the final adoption by the referendum,' and: the whole subject of the constitutional changes to take effect after the accomplishment of federation.

Mr J. H. Symons, signing himself Chairman of the Judicial Committee of the Federal Convention, lias cabled to "The Times" that Mr Carruthers and the Melbourne correspondent's letters misrepresent Australian opinion in reference to the Privy Council. He says by the deliberate vote of two referenda, the people have confirmed the finality of the high court of Australia, and their determination is unchanged. If the British Parliament overrides this, ifc will occasion great dissatisfaction and bitterness. Mr 1 Chamberlain's attitude is widely regarded as obstructive towards Australian unity, and restrictive and inimical to the national selfgovernment of united Australia.