REPLY OF THE PREMIERS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10637, 23 April 1900, Page 5

REPLY OF THE PREMIERS.

The Premiers cabled as follows: —"The Premiers of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland , , South Australia, and Tasmania, in conference, fcaving given, full consideration to the despatches, reply— 'First—While they fully recognise the feelmg of the Imperial Government that vigilance on their part is essential in the interest of all parts of the Empire, and the importance of securing the inclusion, of Westralia from the first, cannot forget that by Enabling Acta, aad in pursua&ce of them, the framing of .the constitution, was expresary entrusted to a Convention specially elected by the people, except those of Queensland and Weetralia, and , its final acceptance or rejection iwas remitted also to the people. 'Second—That the question of appeal, inter alia, waa considered at a Convention, in Adelaide, no appeal being allowed, that at the Jubilee the matter was referred $b by the Secretary of State, arging reconsideration, that the subject was reconsidered* by the Convention in Melbourne, and •was resolved in the opposite direction, that later the matter was again, discussed and the compromise in the Bill adopted, that it had been yet again adopted at the Premiers' Conference prior to the .last referendum, tnat the vote of the electors adopted it by a large majority. The Premiers submitted that the subject belonged very specially to the people, w&ose only mandate to the Governments and Paxh'aments was to seek the Bill's enactment by the Imperial Parliament in the form in whdea it was adopted by the people.

'Third—The only alternatives suggested in the despatches were to amend the Bill or postpone its consideration. The Premiers do not hesitate to say the latter Would be mucli more objectionable to Australians generaHy than the former.

•Fourth—Without disputing the constitutional power of the Imperial Parliament to amend the Bill on its own responsibility, the Premiers respectfully urge that the vietre of the Australian people, given on the Bill as it stands, should receive that favourable consideration which such a weighty referendum demands. The Premiers do not consider themselves as having authority to accept any amendments. They hope Westralia, trhose representatives assisted to frame the Bill and in the Convention almost unanimously agreed to clause 95, may be urged to accept it as it stands. They think the Bill already sufficiently provides for the admission of New Zealand.* "

The resolutions were practically unanimous.