AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3094, 3 April 1897, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

By Telegraph,—Press Association.—Copyright. Adelaide, April 2. Several of the committees sat all yesterday. The Constitution Committee decided to retain for the Federation the title of the Commonwealth, as under the Bill of 1801. The salary of the Governor-General was fixed at J 310.000. The old Bill nm.de it not less than that amount. The name of the Senate has been changed to the States Assembly. It is understood that the number of State members has been redneed from eight to six each, and the qualification reduced to the age of 21, instead of 30 years as fixed by the Bill of 1891, while the member must have been resident in the Commonwealth for three instead of five years. The Finance Committee, appointed in connection with the drafting of the Constitution, did nothing beyond having a general conversation. In fact, it contains quite a number of heaven-born financiers, each with a pet scheme of hia own, and their agreement seems a somewhat remote contingency. The Judicature Committee have decided to propose 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 has not yet been settled.

Mr Eddy, Chief Railway Commissioner of Nepr South Wales, and Mr Mathieson, the Victorian Railway Commissioner, have been summoned to give evidence before the Finance and Trade Committee. Received April 2, 6.10 p.m. Adelaide, April 2. The Constitutional Committee has fixed the representation in the House of Representatives to one member to every 50,000 inhabitants, while in the cases of the smaller States the minimum number of members is fixed at five instead of four as provided in the Sydney BUI. A long debate occurred over the franchise. Adult suffrage was defeated by 19 to A and manhood suffrage by 15 to 8, it being ultimately decided that the first Parliament should be elected by the suffrages existing in the various colonies, but no person to have more than one vote.

The method of holding committee meetings secretly, and giving the press a resume of the resolutions at the close of the day’s sitting, is causing complaint. When the Convention met to-day. Sir Barton, Sydney, raised a question of privilege that the press had published information which seemed to have been gained through some members of the Convention speaking in contravention of their being bound not to do so. A long discussion ensued, in which several members urged the admission of the Press to prevent misleading statements getting abroad. Mr James Lee-Steere, Western Australia, caused some amusement by stating that th» term “Commonwealth” was not agreed to unanimously, and was proceeding to details when the chairman hauled him np about giving away the secrets of the committee. Mr Eeid, Sydney, had had considerable experience of the power of the press getting information, while he the secrecy observed would cause more mischief than u the proceedings were open. Still, having decided the procedure, they must stick to it. The Convention to maintain the procedure and adjourned till Monday. Received April 3,12.30 s-m-Adelaide, April 2. The Constitutional Committee has decided that, until Parliament otherwise provides, the qualifications for a member of the House of Kepreaentatives shall be that ha must be 21 years of age, a resident of three years. Naturalised subjects must reside five years in one of the colonies before they can be elected. The duration of Parliament was made for four instead of three yearsMembers of the State Assembly are to ta elected by the State as one electorate. Halt the members retire every third year. ° , event of the death of a member of the btare Assembly the second man on the poll fillsthe vacancy instead of holding a fresh el®l- - committee is now dismissing the payment of members. The Judiciary Committee has agreed to have a final Court of Appeal except in cases involving public interest, the Commonwealth, or anv State or otter part of the Queen 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 withiu sight ot a scheme by which the debts of the various colonies and the surplus revenue will be so dealt with that one wjll practically erase the other.