FEDERAL CONVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 1

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Pmm AMOciatlon. -Electric Teleitaph.-Copytlght,

Adelaide, April 2. Several Committees sat all yesterday.

Tho ConstitutionM Committee decided to retain the title of "Commonwealth."

The salary of the Governor-General was fixed at £10,000. The old Bill made it nob less than that; amount.

The name of the " Senate" was changed to that of " the States Assembly."

It is understood that the number of State members has been reduced from eight to six, and the qualification roduced to the age twenty-one instead of thirty years as fixed by the Bill of 1891; while n candidate must be i> resident of the Commonwealth for three instead of five years.

The Finance Committee did nothing beyond having a general conversation. In faob it contains quite « number of heavenborn finanoiers, each with a pet scheme of his own, and agreemont seems a somewhat remote contingency.

The Judicature Committee decidod to eefc op a Federal High Court similar to that provided for in the Bill of 1891, provisionally on certain subsequent clauses being adopted. The question of the finality of the Court of Appeal is nob yet settled.

Mr. Eddy, Railway Commissioner, and Mr. Mathieson, of Victoria, have been summoned to give evidence beforo the Finance and Trade Committee. Later. The Constitutional C'ommittoo fixed the representation in the House of Representatives at one member to every fifty thousand inhabitants; while in the case of tho smalter States the minimum number of members is fixed at five, instead of four, as provided in the Sydney Bill. A long debate occurred over tho franchise. Adult suffrage was defeatod by nineteen to four, and manhood suffrage by fifteen to eight, it being ultimately decided that tho first Parliamentshouldbe elected by the suffrages existing in the various colonies, bat; no person to have more than one vote,

The method of holding the meetings of the committees secretly, and giving the press brief resolutions at tho close of the day's sitting is causing some complaint. When the Convention met to-day Mr. Barton raised u question of privilege, stating that tho press published information which seemed to have been gained through some members of the Convention speaking in contravention of their being bound not to do bo. A long discussion ensued. Several members urged the admission of the press in order to prevent misleading statements getting abroad. Mr. Le Stehr caused some amusement by stating that the term "Commonwealth" was nob agreed to unanimously, and was proceeding to details when the Chairman hauled him up about giving, away the secrets of the committee. Mr. Reid (Sydney) had considerable experience of the power of the press in getting information. While he thought the secrecy observed would cause more mischief than if the meetings were open, still, having decided as to the procedure, they must stick to it. The Convention agreed to maintain the present procedure, and then adjourned till Monday. The Constitutional Committee decided that until Parliament) otherwise provides the qualifications for a member of the House of Representatives shall be 21 yeare of age and a residence of three years. Naturalised subjects must reside for five years in one of the colonies before they can be elected. The duration of Parliament was made four inetead of three years. Members of the State Assembly are to be elected by the State as one electorate. Half the members retire every third year. In the evenb of Iho death of a member of the Stale Assembly, the second man on the poll fills the vacancy, insteadof holding a fresh election.

The committee is now discussing the payment of members' question.

The Judiciary Committee agreed to have a final Court of Appeal, except in cases involving the public interest of the Commonwealth or any State or other pare of tbe (Jueen's dominion, which may be remitted to the Privy Council. This means that private litigants cannot appeal to the Privy Council.

The Finance Committee are within sight of a scheme by which die debts of the various colonies and surplus revenue will be so dealt with that one will practically erase the other.