Sir George Grey on Federation.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6094, 10 March 1891, Page 2

Sir George Grey on Federation.

[PKS PRESS ASEOOIATOSJ—COPyiiKJHT-1

Sydney, March 9. At the Federal Convention yesterJav, Sir George Grey, who was well received on

rising , , said he thought the proper duty of the f rainers of a representative constitution

was to begin with the lowest body upon which the constitution was to bs built—that

was, the people. It was their duty first to consider the constitution of Australasia, and to devise from that a perfect form of constitution for such State as might join the federation union. They could only hope It win over the colonies by setting , forth the advantages which would accrue from joining. He had been much struck with the

account given by the Kaffirs to Sir Henry Loch on a recent visit of how they became drawn to the British Crown, and of blessings they bad received from the Queen which madj them cling to her with devotion and affection. Therefore he believed that they had only to hold out sufficient iuduoement to Australasia and the colonies could be made a strong federation. It was the duty of the Convention to geY a constitution which would enable the States to correct their own constitutions. He favored an eleotive Lieu-tenant-Governor. Both Houses should be made responsible to the people. If they studied the constitution of New Zealand they would find that originally each province had the right to make its own constitution and vary it from lime to time. Hei instanced the working of the New Zealand provincial system, which gave all the powers of self-government which they could desire They would apparently have some difficulty in defining the powers of the M General Government. They must not imi- m tate America, by saying that the States were to be paramount and to be the sole possessors of power. The inevitable result would be that the time would arrive when some such question as slavery would disturb the mind of the people at large, and if the majority attempted to dominate the minority a deadlock would occur, and as parties became more equal on the question then nothing but civil war would settle it. He counselled them to take steps to prevent the disaster which overtook America The powers of the two Chambers could easily be adjusted, and that was essentially necessary among the points to be considered. The difficulty might be got over by arranging that when the Federal Assembly chose to legislate oa any subject legislation on such subjpGt should be withdrawn from the States. He thought the powers of the two Chambers might easily be adjusted. Sir George referred to the great interest iv federation that had been shown by Knglisb. statesmen who had visited the colonies, and he looked to that as an element of safety in regard to the steps which the British Parliament might take with respect to conceding the Convention's requests. It was essential that every one of the officers of State should be" elected. The poople should have the right to say who the Governor-General should be, let them choose him from where they No nation could be perfect unless the people had every office open to their competition. To deny to any man such an opportunity was positive cruelty. It would be an incentive to every man to educate himself for the position' He would like to see the places of AgentsGeneral taken by officers who should havedirect access to the Sovereign, aa tha Secretary for Ireland had. It would be an advantage to the colonies to have such officers moving in the highest circles. They should ociupy offic;s for three or four ye re. That, ton, would give men another opportunity to educate themselves to fill such. posts They must; legislate so that the future snould legislate for itself, and so that each succeeding generniion would bless their. ancestors who h>i,d ] u ft them freedom to legislate fur themselves. It Wl ,uld no t much. matter how the fir.-t elections wereconduete.d provided power were given to alter the method in the futnro. They could siot tell what political innovations might bo made in the principles of representation. Federation was comparatively a new invention like electricity, and day by day new modes of administration would, bo-found. Let them thereto™ open tha path to all future steps Let thorn lead on, ~u d they would fbd grateful races follow. One thing lay vow close in bis mind-that was the religions, differences wnioh m past trnea had/preventedmen holding scats m Parliament. Let this, federation say, ><v lhn English speakingpe>p!e choose to be federated' in. one great. body then men who hail from reDublics who L.»l from .MormrcKies, may join. us. They can equally udvisa us for the good of the whole what is nvo,6, a r y for the common, benefit. ISovel thest. doctrines might seem. but there was much i Q thorn. Regarding the Paoifio IsUhcU, th ay must remember that the United Stut-.s would hava & great say in the riioifio. What-was tho feeling iv Eneland when ha suggested common Customs duties for the islands? When she found that it would mean tho payment of claries to officers to. control thoee islaud.o .she sen* peremptory orcers to discontinue eucb efforts. 3ir George referred to the part he took in an attempt to bring about the federation of South Afnea, rot which he was dismissed from office, though subsequently reinstated*' There was one who thought differentlytrom. tnoee who deemed him dangerous, and that nne was Queen Victoria, who wa fe determined that the energies of the BritiaL people should spread, and instead of attempting to curtail and throw off outlyingdependencies, was averse to the creation of a military spirit and a longing for war He would rather see in these colonies small torces sufficient f,, r the purposes that might occur than large standing ana i eß ,. though ho did not think they woutf ever bemolested. If they fostered I mSaryTpiS?. they would cause the whole world to become standing camps. For heaven's sake, let them keap their present position, free> from the mania which made Europe a, standing camp. He entertained the belief that what he had asked for would come i£ not now, in a short period. Sir George on concluding was loudly ny v plauded. . " *

(Receivod March 10, noau.)

. Sir Georgo Grey's speech, Ht tfe^Federa-