FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5107, 3 April 1891, Page 2

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

fPBB Electric Telegraph— UoprKMHT.) (Per Press Association.) (Roooivcd 3.10 p.m., April 2nd.) Sydney, April 2. The Hon. Mr Dibbs gave notice of motion that Sydney should be the federal capital. When the Committee resumed, Mr Munro's amendment to reduce the number of representatives m the Senate to six for each colony was negatived. The Hon. H. H. Kingston moved m tha direction of leaving the method o£ election of Senators open m order to* permit the States to exercise their own; judgment. Mr Gillies thought that it would uo4 do to allow the poople to elect directly to the Senate, because the mon elected would only represent a majority, and not givo a fair representation of tho whole. At present tho two Houbos substantially repreaented the whole. Of course some of the colonies were content to have a nominated Upper House, but that was' thoir own look out. Ho considered the arrangements for direct representations m the Senate uuaouad.

1 ' ..-^= (Received 5.30 p.m., April 2nd.) Sir Henry Parkes quite approved of leaving the colonies the right of saying how members of the Senate should be elected, but the amendment would give power to form constituencies for the Senate. The Hon. H. H. Kingston thought that if the States were allowed to fix tho constituencies the representatives ought to be allowed to do the same for the Senate. The amendment was negatived. The clause was amended m the direction of Governors of States certifying to the Senators elected, and was then passed. Clause 11, failure of a State to choose Senators, wa3 passed. Oa clause 12, providing for the retirement of Senators, a long discussion took place on the question of fixing the date from which tho term of service of Sonatora shall begin. Several precautionary amendments were adopted, after which the clause was passed. Clause 13, filling vacancies. The Hon. E. Barton (New South Wales) thought it unwis9 to permit nominee members even temporarily, and that it would be bettor for the colony to suffer a loss of representation until such time a3 the vacancy was properly filled. The Hon. A. Deakin (Victoria;, said that a possible objection was tog the Executive, which was really a Committee of Parliament, appointing a Senator temporarily to fill a vacancy. The Hon. D. Gillies (Victoria) considered that there was no necessity to fill a vacancy during the recess, and aa both the State and Federal Parliaments would Bit almost at the same time, no difficulty was likely to arise. The clause passed without amendment. In the clause providing for the qualification of a Senator, a proposal to make 5 years' residence a necessary qualification caused a long discussion. Several members spoke against the erection of a barrier which would prevent men of ability coming to the colonies. An amendment was proposed making the term of service 3 years and 7 yeara, instead.fof 3 years and G years as m the Bill. Sir George Grey caused some amusement by suggesting that a board should be established to examine candidates for seats m the Senate as to their knowledge of Australian politics. (Beeeived 8 p.m., April 2nd.) Acting on tho suggestion of the Hon. H. Cuthbert, Sir Samuel Griffith proposed to add the words " provided that five years must elapse before a naturalised citizen can sit m the Senate." This was carried and the clause passed. Clauses providing for the election of the President of the Senate, the absence of the President, resignation of Senators, disqualifiation of Senators through absence, quorum of the Senate, and voting power of the President, all passed without amendment. The Committee proceeded to discuss the clauses referring to the House of Representatives. The clause dealing with the constitution of the House passed as it stood. Regarding the qualifications of electors, the Hon. Mr Deakin suggested that they should confer the power of defining the qualifiation the CommonwealthMr J. Cockburn ((South Australia) moved as an addition (1) that no property qualification be necessary ; (2) that each elector have one vote only. The Hon. W. Marmion (West Australia), objected to the proposed addition as it interfered with the rights of the State. Mr Munro thought that they should not have a property qualification, and that an elector should not have more than one vote. He would be very willing to extend the franchise to women. Sir George Grey summarised the position of the several colonies m regard to plural voting. The colonies, he said, should be given power to alter their constitution, and this could not be done while the minority ruled by plural voting. He was glad to hear the Premier of Victoria declare m favour of the " one man, one vote " principle, and hoped to see a clause to that effect introduced m the Bill. Sir J. Downer said that while he favoured the " one man one vote " principle, he could not disguise the fact that federation would be long delayed if small caloniea which possessed the principle were going to insist on large colonies adopting what was at present diametrically opposed to the large coloniea. The Hon. E. Barton said that the Convention was not the place to dominate m matters of this sort, and it should only provide machinery necessary for the first election. It would then be competent for the Commonwealth to fix its own franchise. He believed that the inevitable result would be that the Commonwealth would adopt a uniform franchise. He moved an amendment to the effect that for the first election the 'present qualificatioras Bhould hold good until otherwise defined by the Commonwealth. The Hon. R. Fitzgerald (Victoria) thought that it would be intrusion on the domain of tho States to dictate that " one man one vote " should be the system — ono which they could not see their way at present to apply to themselves. He believed that such an interference would endanger federation. The Hon. D.Giilies, though not going so far as to say that one vote was not the best for the people, thought that the present franchise was extremely libera!, more sc than existed m any other part of tht world. He could understand a uniforn franchise if they were going to abolisl all the legislatures and make a Parlia ment for the wholo with municipalities but he strongly objected to interferinj with the rights of the colonies m framinj tho electoral laws as thoy thought proper Ho believed that m timo " one man oni vote " would corao, but for the preaon they must abide by the olectoral laws o the colonies so long as thoHe laws existed (Recoived 10 p.m.. April 2nd.) Mr Cockburn contended that hi amendment would not destroy federation but the reverse would be the caso. Mr Barton's amendment was negativet Sir Henry Parkes said that he nhoul .be prepared, when the proper Una

arrived, to consider the subject of Mr f Cockburn's amendment, but the present - was not tho proper time. It had been i his opinion all through the Convention , that there should be as little interference i as possible with the existing rights of the States, and that they should leave the ; Federal Parliament to shape its own , course. Mr Cockburn's amendment was negatived on a division by 25 to 9. Sir Harry Atkinson and Sir George Grey voted for the amendment, and Captain Russell against it. The clause passed without amendment. Qualification of members. The Hon. A. Deakin moved that a person must reside m the Commonwealth three years bofore becoming eligible for membership. The motion was carried by two votes. An amendment that naturalised citizens be debarred for three yeara, was carried, and the clause passed. The clauses providing for the election of the Speaker, absence of tho Speaker, and resignation of members, all passed. In the clause dealing with the disqualification of members, the Hon. J. H, Riordan (South Australia), moved— " That a seat become vacant if the member be absent four weeks out of a session", m lieu of "if absent the whole session." The amendment wtis lost, and the clause passed. The clauses providing for the issue of writs, quorum of the House, and the voting power of the Speaker, passed. Sir .7. Cox Bray (South Australia) moved — "That a member's term shall date from the first meeting of the Parlia. ment, and not from the return of the writs." A somewhat desultory debate ensued, and the amendment was eventually carried by one vote. Sir J. Cox Bray moved— " That Parliament meot within thirty days from the return of the writs. The amendment was carried and the clause as amended passed. Tho clause providing for the continuance of existing election laws until the Commonwealth otherwise provides was passed. The clause dealing with the allowance to members was under discussion when progress was reported. A debate ensued on a proposal to increase the hours of sitting of the Convention but the subject was adjourned until to-morrow. The Convention rose at G. 33 p.m.