AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12162, 28 March 1900, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

THE COMMONWEALTH BILL,

THE PRIVY COUNCIL CLAUSE. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, March 27.

Victorian banks view with favour the action of the Sydney banks with, reference to maintaining the appeal to the Privy Council, but rather than imperil Federation they will take no action. (Rceived March 28, 1.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 27.

Mr Barton has cabled to Mr Lyne:— “ Mr Reeves has written us quoting a Press interview wherein he qualified his previous utterances. He now defines Ms attitude as pressing for certain amendments by friendly negotiations, or failing that by any meari£ open to Federal delegates, and repeats his request for a conference. Though the remaining reflections have not been withdrawn we have agreed to meet him out of regard for his Premier and colony.”

Mr Seddon has sent a cablegram to the Premier of New South Wales expressing his pleasure that the misunderstanding that had arisen with regard to New Zealand’s attitude towards Australian Federation had been removed. He also assured Mr Lyne that nothing unfriendly to the other colonies was intended by New Zealand’s action in respect to the Commonwealth Bill. The course he had advised was suggested by Ms concern for the good of the whole of the colonies in years to come and by a desire to provide for any emergency that might arise. He thought that there could be no reasonable objection to the wish to open the Federal Court to New Zealand, nor to the desire to provide for reciprocity in the Enabling Bill. He looked 1 forward to the proposed conference smootMng away all the little difficulties that had arisen, and making an arrangement that would be satisfactory to all the colonies.