AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 46

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH

SYDNEY, February 21. The question of fixing tne site of the Federal capital will first be submitted to the New South Wales Parliament. It has been decided to establish a F ederal_J‘Hansard.” The Federal Cabinet has decided to ask the New Zealand and Canadian Governments to send troops to participate in the celebrations at the opening of the first Commonwealth Parliament. SYDNEY, February 22. Mr’ Barton has cabled to Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Mr Seddon asking that Canada and New Zealand shall each send a thousand troops to be present at the opening of the first Federal Parliament of Australia.\ The Federal Premier suggests that half of the New Zealand contingent be Maoris. The State .Governments are arranging for the Senate elections to be held on the same day as those for the House of Representatives. Great dissatisfaction exists with respect to the political situation of the colony, especially with Sir William Lyas.continuing to retain the State Premiership. This is accentuated by the reswearing of the State Ministers and the further prorogation of Parliament to April, with the Federal elections looming ahead. It is not improbable that the life of the Parlia meat will expire by effluxion of time before it again meets. The delay in issuing the new electors’ rights has added to the complications. The “Sydney Morning Herald” says that Parliamentary institutions are altogether in abeyance, and the State is governed irresponsibly by a. committee of Ministers only. Long before Parliament meets again the Administration will probably have undergone such changes that it w 11 be impossible to fix upon it any reasonable responsibility for any tangible act whatever. The paper hints that the Commonwealth celebrations cost a quarter of a million. The organisation of parties for the federal elections is progressing. The Freetrade Liberal Executive, out of a plethora, of candidates, has so far chosen twelve for the House cf Representatix es. These include three Labour members.