AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6831, 19 April 1890, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.

[From our London Correspondent.} London, Feb. 22. . lord deeby's views. In answer to a letter requesting the favour of his views on the subject of intercolonial Federation, Lord Derby writes to us : — " The movement in favour of the Federation of the Australian Colonies among themselves seeuis to me one eminently deserving of support. If it can be effected, the Australians will feel themselves to bo , members of a powerful and important ' State ; they will have Freetrade at least ' with one another, which is better than not i having it at all, and tbeir relations with- . the Colonial Office will be rendered easier, . since any differences between tfce various Colonies as to what they wish the Mother Country to do, will be settled by the 1 decision of the majority. I believel you will find a practically unsnimoua agreement in this country in favour of , intercolonial Federation. It has succeeded in Canada, Bnd it will succeed in Australia if tho feeling in its favour shall be (as I ! hope and expect) strong enough to over- ' bear the p^tly local jealousies which, statesmen make it their object to suppress, r but which politicians find it to their ( advantage to trade upon." Approached on the subject of Australia's liability to ! attack, Lord Derby refused to offer an » opiuion. I LORD KNTJTSFORD'S. , The Intercolonial Conference formed the s subject of a brief discussion in the House of Lords on Monday. Lord Bel more (who, as an ex-viceroy, naturally tako3 a keen 1 interest in the question,) asked whether i there was any correspondence on the : subject of Australian Federation that could be laid before the House without ' public inconvenience. Lord Knutsford said there were no public despatches or information which the Government could lay - before the House. As to tho ireneral sub- . ject, the noble Eirl had only expressed j the feeling' share! by tbe great majority, 4 if nob by all, of the people in ths country. ' The gracious Speech from the Throne * assured them of the liv-Jy interest wiih - wbich her Majesty awaited the result of i tho Conference now being held to consiler 3 the question of the Federation of the Colonies; how warmly and keealy Her Majeity's subjects in those Colonies approeiale that 3 interest was shown in the terras of the--1 address agreed to at the preliminary Conf forence. Tho result of tho Conference t had been accepted as satisfactory by c all who believed, as did his colleagues, that the prosperity, welfare, and strength 7 of those great Colonies would be ma--1 terially increased and "secured by a f closer union amongst themselves under j some form of Federal. Government, which, would be for them to decide upon, leaving full powers to the local legislatures. The '* differ. ent Colonial legislatures would now be » asked to agree to a second Conference, at jt which no more than seven numbers will i attend from each responsible Government - Colony and four from eazh Crown Colony. , That ciffioult questions would bo raised ha (Lord Knuteford) hid no doubt; bufc n» * good purpose would be gained by offering any opinion on those issues, which were essentially for the members of tho Conference to decide. earl granville's. Earl Granville congratulated the noble Lord, the Secretary of State ou his satia- ' factory statement. Judicious care had * been exercised in not going into details; t No doubt there were difficulties; but he x believed they would be solved. He (the noble Lord) and his friends were in hearty sympathy with the Government in what 1 had already been done. He could not helps thinking the same success would attend t the efforts at uniting the Australianj Colonies as was experienced in North. America, sir c. dilke's book. 1 S:r Francis Dillon Bell, the Agents' General for New Zyaiand, when asked hia C views with regard. to Sir Charles Dilke'-s r "Problems of Greater Britain," paid it was a "lnHrvellous work," and would, he was surp,_ be read with deep interest by * all thitking people in the Au&.ralasia— I Colonies. l The subject then dropped. 1 COMPLIMENTARY. j At the annual meeting of the Chamber of Shipping on Friday last, Mr Thomas L. Devitt.of the well known Anglo-Australian l firm of Devitt and Moore, was elected , President, and at the subsequent dinner > Sir Graham Bsrry prop.sed the Imperial 5 Parliament. He taid (possibly not without | a backward thought of a certain Divorce Bill) that though he had been twenty-five r years a member of a Colonial Legislature, ■ he had nothing but pleasanb thoughts of > the Imperial Prtrliainent. They never [ asked for anything iu reason— and, indeed, their demands were always temperate — without having their wishes granted.