FEDERATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 662, 31 October 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

FEDERATION.

At Monday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, the Hon. R. Stout gave notice that he would on the following day move - Whereas, at a meeting of delegates from the following colonies, namely, Fiji, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasnaania, Victoria, and Western Australia, held in Sydney, during November and December, 1883, the following resolutions were agreed to : ..... 1. That further acquisition of dominion in the Pacific, south of the equator, by any Foreign Power, would be highly detrimental to the safety and well-being. of the British possessions in Australasia, and injurious to the interests of the Empire. 2. That this Convention refrains from suggesting the action by which effect can best be given to the foregoing resolution, in the confident belief that the Imperial Government will,, promptly adopt the wisest and most effectual measures for securing the safety and contentment of this portion of Her Majesty’s dominions. 3. That having regard to the geographical position of the Island of New Guinea, the rapid extension of British trade and enterprise in Torres Straits, the certainty that the island will shortly be the resort of many adventurous subjects of Great Britain and other nations, and the absence or inadequacy of any existing laws for regulating their. relations with the native tribes, this Convention, while fully recognising that the responsibility of extending the boundaries of the Empire belongs to the Imperial Government, is emphatically of opinion that such steps should be immediately taken as will most conveniently and effectively secure the incorporation with the British Empire of so much of New Guinea, and the small islands adjacent thereto, as is not claimed by the Government of the Netherlands. 4. That although the understanding arrived at in 1878 between Great Britain and France, recognising the independence of the New Hebrides, appears to preclude this Convention from making any recommendation inconsistent with that understanding, the Convention urges upon Her Majesty’s Government that it is extremely desirable that such understanding should give place to some more definite engagement, which shall secure those islands from falling under any foreign dominion ; at the same time the Convention trusts that Her Majesty’s Government will avail itself of any opportunity that may arise for negotiating with the Government of France, with the object of obtaining the control of those islands in the interests of Australasia.

5 That the Governments represented at this Convention undertake to submit and recommend to their respective Legislatures measures of permanent appropriation for defraying, in proportion to population, such share of the cost incurred in giving effect to the foregoing resolutions as Her Majesty’s Government, having regard to the relative importance of [lmperial and Australasian interests, may deem fair and reasonable.

6. That the Convention protests in the strongest manner against the declared intention of the Government of France to transport large numbers of relapsed criminals to the French possessions in the Pacific, and urges Her Majesty’s Government to use every means in its power to prevent the adoption of a course so disastrous to the interests of Australasia and the Pacific Islands. 7. That the Convention expresses a confident hope that no penal settlement for the reception of European criminals will long continue to exist in the Pacific, and invites Her Majesty’s Government to make to the Government of France such serious representations on this subject as may be deemed expedient. And whereas, at the said Convention, a draft Bill to constitute a Federal Council of Australasia was also agreed to : And whereas, in pursuance of the undertaking given by the Delegates from the colony of New Zealand, it is desirable that the resolutions of the said Convention should be submitted to this Legislature : This House resolves :

That it agrees generally with the resolutions of the said Convention ; but, in order that its views may be specifically expressed, it resolves as follows :

(a.) That it approves of the steps taken by the British Government for the establishment of its rule over New Guinea, and hopes that like measures will be taken for a Protectorate over the islands of- the Pacific Ocean not under the dominion of any stable Government.

( b.) That this colony is willing to pay, in proportion to its population, a share of the sum of £15,000 proposed by the Imperial Government.

(e.) That it desires respectfully to piotest against the transportation of criminals to the French possessions in the Pacific.

(cl) That it requests the British Government to make such representations to the European Powers as will prevent the maintenance of penal establishments in any of the Pacific Islands.

(e.) That the establishment of such a Federal Council, as is proposed in the Convention’s draft Bill, is premature.

{f.) That, so far as the Bill aims at enabling the colonies to jointly initiate legislation on questions of common interest and importance to the several colonies, it ha 3 the cordial support of this House.

(</.) That, to place the proposed measure in accordance with these opinions, it will be necessary to vary the Bill so as to provide : First, That the Federal Council shall not make representations to the Imperial Government direct, but to the several Colonial Governments. Second, That any measure it initiates shall not have any force within. any colony, nor affect any colony, until it is adopted by the Legislature of such colony.