FEDERAL CONVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10423, 22 April 1897, Page 5

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Pliu Association, — Eleetrio Telegraph.—Copyright Adelaide, April 21. At the Convention last night the question of a Federal capital cropped up. Mr Barton inclined to the opinion, in order to avoid intercolonial jealousies, thab the capital should not bo any existing seat of Government, bub he thought it better to leave the question to a Federal Parliament, merely providing an interim place of meeting. The point was settled by the clause leaving the decision to the Federal Parliament being passed.

The new financial scheme provides that accounts shall be kept between all States of Customs due to each on home consumption for one year only, namely, the first year in which a uniform tariff prevails. Special concessions will be made to New South Wales, or in any case in which the Customs rise or fall above the average ascertained an the population basis. For instance, if the average contributed was 40s per head, then if New South Wales contributed 50s, a sliding scale would be adopted, until the end of five years. When a uniform per capita distribution was reached the 103 due to New South Wales would be returned at the rate of 2s per year till. 40a was reached, a similar process bringing the other colonies up to the standard, so that Tasmania, upon contributing 30s, would receive back more than it had contributed. • The proposal to secure the inalienation of federal lands was negatived by 21 to 13. The Convention to-day adoptod an address of congratulation to the Queen on the completion of her reign of 60 years.

It was practically settled that the next Convention should sit in Sydney. The committee took the postponed clauses into consideration. The duration of the House of Representatives was altered from four to throo years, which was the term fixed by the 1891 Bill. An amendment, to make the honorarium £500, instead of £400, was lost by 26 to 9. The disqualification of persons holding Government contracts from holding seats in Parliament caused keen discussion. An amendment making the disqualification apply more generally brought the members of the legal profession to their feet. "If lawyers wore to be included it would mean the loss of their practice," said one member; but the Victorians showed that the profession in that colony were debarred taking briefs on behalf of the Government under the same circumstances. Mr. Kingston wished to go further, and prevent members of Parliament being shareholder in trading companies which might accept) business from the Government. Mj. McMillan protested against what would practically shut out active-minded men from public life. The amendment was carried, but Mr. Kingston's suggestion was not entertained. The committee this afternoon debated the new financial clauses, and it was resolved that during the first three years after the establishment of the Commonwealth the yearly expenditure should not exceed three hundred thousand, and the total yearly expenditure of the Commonwealth in the performance of its services, and the exercise of the powers transferred from the States to the Commonwealth should not exceed one million and a-quarter. The principle of the new clause is on the lines forecasted this morning. After some debate, tho new clauses formed by the treasurers, dealing with the distribution of the surplus, passed without amendment.

Under the Enabling Act the second Con j vention must meet within 120 days. As Mr. Raid and Mr. Kingston will bo able to return from England within that period if it dates from the conclusion of the present gathering, it has been arranged to formally adjourn to May sth. Mr. Kingston said the South Australian dologates would meet on that date and adjourn the Convention to September 2nd, at Sydney. Latsb. In the debate on the financial clauses Mr. Fysh said, while admitting that at the end of five years the po3itiion of Tasmania would be equal to that of any other colony in regard to the return of the surplus, meanwhile the colony would be left practically high and dry. Each individual State il-.mild receive during the five years a sum •i-.t lees than the sum she would have received in tho year prior to the imposition of uniform duties'. '■ Mr. Reed thought Mr. Fyah'a argument practically, worthless, seeing no one could tell what the uniform : tariff would be., Ho recognised that the ' interests of some States v might be jeopardised for a time. Still; it ; was' the ' only chance of; bringing about federation. The scheme, was'one which substantially , got over the _ difficulty - with a minimum of inconvenience, and was the scheme he ; would be best able to ask the people of New Sooth Wales to accept. ■'