FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 6849, 26 March 1897, Page 1

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

(By Electric Telegraph—Ooftiught. )

(per united press association. ) Received March 25, at 5 p.m. Adelaide, March 25,

On the Federal Convention resuming this morning the President read a message from the Queen announcing that Her Maj-. sty takes a special interest in the proceedings, and hopes that under Divine guidance, the labors of the Convention will result in practical benefits to Australia. The Secretary of State for the Colonies also added his own cordiil wishes for the success of the Convention. The representatives gave three cheers for the Queen. Mr Carruthers (Sydney) resumed the debate on Mr Barton's resolutions. He would like to see foreign interests in New Guinea bought out by the Imperial authorities, and it would be a good Christmas box for Australia if the Premiers, on their return from England, brought back documents showing that New Guinea had been added to the Empire. He favored the immediate appointment of two committees, one to take evidence on financial matters, and the other to collect data relating to railways from experts in Australia. If there was to be equal representation in the Senate then the natural corollary was that there must be equal financial liability. It would be intolerable if two and a half million people in New South Wales and Victoria, who find the bulk of the money, should have their desires thwarted by minor States in the Senate. He objected to a final Court of Appeal, which, from the limited field of selection, would be inferior to the Privy Council. In the latter case the colonies were not charged, while the local Appeal Court would be a charge on the colonies, and the cost to litigants would be as great in one case as in the other. If no power of secession were granted, then they must frame a constitution so elastic that it would not be possible for a civil war to result, as would certainly be possible if the constitution were framed as rigidly as some of the speakers wanted. Received March 25, at 6.30 p.m. Adelaide, March 25.

Continuing the debate after the luncheon adjournment Mr Higgins (Victoria) considered it preposterous that four small colonies, with one-third the population, should dominate the larger colonies in money Bills. He could find no instance where small States had been swamped in any existing federation, and he thought the fears on this point were groundless. The representatives from a small State seemed to forget that they would not always remain diminutive. The advocates of eqiul representation had not cited one case where injustice could arise. He believed that true danger to a State's right- was the proposal in the 1891 Bill providing for the election of Senators by Parliament. He objected to leaving the settlement of the federal franchise to the individual States. He would like to see the franchise laid down in the Constitution on the basis of manhood suffrage, and would like to see Senators elected by the colony as a whole, and the popular chamber by districts.

Mr Wise (of Sydney) defended equal representation on the ground that it was an absolute necessity if the federation of Australia was to be brought about. He could not understand how democrats could uphold the principle of one State, because it contributed more than another, having a greater voting power any more than that one man who contributed more revenue to the country should have more votes than the poorer individual. He saw no reason to provide a way of avoiding deadlocks between both Houses. These often occurred through the undue exercise of power, which afterwards was not approved by the people. Deadlocks were the price every country paid for the benefits of a free constitution. He did not approve of an Appeal Court consisting of judges of the States. The federal power should appoint its own judges and officials. Received i:'arch 25, at 9.40 p.m Adelaide, March 25.

Continuing the debate, Mr Henry (of Tasmania) said he thought the crux of the position was finance, nob whether there should be equal representation. The mistake in the Bill of 1891 was conferring on the Federal Power the right of control of the Customs before a uniform tariff had been adopted by the States. He believed no federation possible unless such a course was first adopted. He did not favor the federation of the railways, which were wrapped up with their domestic policy. On the other hand, post and telegraphs might be handed over. Mr Symons (of Adelaide) believed the small States under federation would increase their prosperity and population to a degree they could hardly conceive He did nob approve of sending appeals 12,000 miles for adjudication. If they were able to send men competent to take seats on the Privy Council, surely they were able to form a competent appeal locally ; bub it should be constituted out of reach of the influence of the State Supreme Courts.

The Convention then adjourned till nexb day.