FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11368, 8 September 1897, Page 6

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

WIDER VIEWS PREVAILING. [Per Prsss Association.J SYDNEY, Sept. 7.

Yesterday’s discussion in the Convention ■was marked Tby a desire to leave more and more to the. Federal Parliament, the indication being that, in some instances at any rate, the parochial views held at the Adelaid Convention were giving way to a wider understanding of the subjects. The committee resumed this morning. Mr Lyne delivered a parochial speech with Protection as his theme, without contributing anything towards a solution of financial difficulties. The Chairman wished to know- whether a discussion on Protection was relevant to the, question.

Mif‘Lyne thought that it was, because his opinion was that the whole difficulty in the way of Federation was the New South Wales Freetrade policy. In regard to handling the railways and Intestate estates the Commission might well give them to the Federal Government.

Sir J. Forrest said that the financial difficulty was so great that he thought it impossible to lay down a scaemo at present for a pill that would be fair and equitable to all the colonies. Ho thought that there was a.growing desire to leave the problem to .the Federal Parliament, which would have more information to work upon. This, afternoon Sir John Forrest suggested a return to the financial scheme of the' 1801 Bill. What ‘West Australia wanted was,that it should he guaranteed a return from’the Federation of some equivalent tq the average obtained,from the Customs during the past few years. Sir George Turner interjected that such a desire; was 'absurd, because West Australia’s Customs at the present time were abnormal. It would be as reasonable for Victoria to base her return on the amount obtained,during her boom years.

Mr, Eeid said that he .was prepared to risk :his fiscal' principles in view of the commanding national destiny -which they were called upon to realise. He had sufficient faith in his fiscal principles that he,-would secure them in the Federal Parliament- sooner or later. He had come to believe more and more in the Adelaide scheme, although there was a clear cut opinion against it in the two Houses of the‘New South Wales Parliament. Hei was convinced that it was infinitely better to leave the matter to the Federal Parliament. „He suggested that they should adqpt the spirit of. the New South Wales Council’s amendment, and simply confer power on ,the Commonwealth to raise revenue, pay expenditure, and distribute the surplus... He believed that the people would- accept the scheme if members of the Convention showed that they had confidence in itthemselves. • , Outside Mr Eeid’s speech the debate today,was of a most dreary description. The delegates were entertained at a banquet to-night. • . , ACCIDENTS' AND FATALITIES. v . . ' <* . • [Per Press Association."! • , WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. A hoy named Eoy King, aged three, was killed while swinging on a gate at Kaiwarra .with other children. He fell off, and his head was jammed between the gate and the posti He; died in a few minutes. Acting - Detective Mayne, who a few weeks pgo'had one of his logs broken while arresting a man, lias so far recovered as to be able to be removed from the hospital. 1 Yesterday afternoon as Joseph Murphy, eighteen years of age, was riding near Dudley Creek his horse fell and broke the lad’s right' leg lit the ankle. He was -■ taken ;to the: hospital. Mr W. M’Spown, a well-known saddler of Timaru, experienced aratheralarming accidenton Sunday evening. Hehadsufferedfor a long time from varicose veins, which had produced an open' sore in the leg. As he was ; walking homo from church in the evening a vein burst, and blood . flowed copiously from it, leaving a well-marked trail all the way as he hurried home. He ;> lias since been confined to his; bed, and Will probably Undergo an operation. WELLINGTON NEWS. ' -[Per Press Association.! ' ' . WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. ; The first volume of the new catalogue of the General ■ Assembly Library has at length f been printed. It is seven years since the work was begun, and though it •was completed a long- time ago, the printing. has been delayed up to the present. The catalogue is described as an extremely copious and complete work. Nearly one hundred applications have been received for the post of . assistant City Surveyor, at .£3OO a year. , The- Lytreltoix Harbour Board has informed the.. Department of Agriculture that it-cannot undertake the freezing' and cooling of butter for less than .three-, seventeenths of a penny, per iR, The Union Company has sold the little : steamers Orfeti and Moa to the Wellington Steam Packet Company,, who will run them to the West Coast and Wanganui. GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. ■' , , ;'First Sound. In the match for the championship of the Christchurch Golf Club, the following, games were’played yesterday:— Major Taylor beat C. H. Lee, 5 up and S to play. C. Wilson boat W. Harman, 5 ur> and -4, to play. E. Wilder heat L. B. Wood, 7 up and 5 to play. The .heavy rain which fell in the afternoon stopped' further play. The match will probably be played out to-morrow..