FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 112, 27 March 1897, Page 3

FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Adelaide, March 24. Mw BiSTON moved tho following resolutions :—Fiistly, thut, in order to enlarge tho powers of self-government of tliu people of Australia, it is desirable to Cieate a Federal Government,, which shall exercise authority throughout the federated colonies, subject to the following principal conditions : —That the powers, privileges, and territories of tho several existing colonies remain intact, cvept in respect to such surrenders as may be iigice-l upon, to secure uniformity of law and administration in matters of common couerrn ; that after the establishment of federal government there shall be no alteration in the territorial possessions or boundaries of any colony without the consent of the colony or colonies concerned ; that the exclusive power to impose and collect Customs and exise and give bounties shall be vested in the Federal Parliament; that the exclusive control of military and naval defences of the federated colonies lie vested in the Federated Parliament ; that trade intercourse between the federated colonies, whether by land or sea, shall become and remain abso'utely free. Secondly, that subject to the carrying out of these and such other conditions as may hereafter be deemed necessary, the Convention approves of the framing of a federal constitution, which shall establish a Parliament, to eonsit of two Houses, namely, the States Assembly or Senate, snd the National Assembly, or House of Representatives, the States Assembly to consist of representatives of each colony, to hold office for such periods, and be chosen in such manner as will best secure to all members personal independence combined with definite responsibility to the people of the State which shall have chosen them ; the National Assembly, to be elected by districts formed on a population basis, and to possess the sole power of originating all Bills, appropriating revenue, or imposing taxation. An Executive, consisting of o GovernorGeneral, to be appointed by the Queen; and of such persons as from time to time may be nppoiuted as his advisers, and a Supreme Federel Court, which shall also be the High Court of Appeal for each colony in the Federation. Mr Barton intimated his intention to ask for the appointment of three committees, each of. three members, the Premier of each colouy to be an ex officio member of each committee. The first committee is to deal with the constitutional machinery ; the second,-with finance, taxation and trade regulations ; and the third will deal with federal judiciary. Committees two and three wdl report to number one, which in turn will draw up the constitution and submit it to the Convention. In his speech, in moving the adoption of the resolutions, Mr Barton spoke strongly in favour of equal representation in tho Senate. While not wishing to force his views as to how. the election of senators should be conducted, he would urge in bis own colony that they should be elected similarly to the recent federal elections. It was, perhaps, desirable that the colonics should elect their quota to the ir'enate iu their own way. With regard to the form of suffrage, he thought this question should be dealt with by the Federal Convention. - Sir Joseph Abbott thought that even the remote colony of New Zealand might have sent some of her leading statesmen to assist. Sir G. Turner thought there should be no property qualification of electors or candioates for either House, and thought the larger colonies should grant equal representation in the Senate to the smaller ones. Means should be provided for the election of the fbst Senators, but afterwards the States themselves should arrange their own method. The Federation must have full control. The Senate to have the power to reject but not amend money bills, the initiative of which should rest With the Lower House. The executive should consist of five members, and responsible government should be given a fair trial. If subsequently it was found responsible government threatened to kill federation, their constitution could be altered. He favoured retention of the right of appeal to the Privy Council. Another link which should not be broken was the appointment of the Governor-General by the Queen. Mr O'Connor, of Sydney, favoured equal representation in the Senate, and objected to Sir G. Turner's proposal to settle disputes between the Houses by either the referendum or dissolution. Such deadlocks should be settled by a conference. Sir E. Braddon thought that with equal representation in the Senate there was no reason why very great power should Dot be conferred upon the Federal Parliament. Mr Currnthers said it there was to be equal representation in the Senate, then there must be equal financial liability. It would be proposterous if the two and a-half millions of people in New South Wales and Victoria were thwarted by the minor States. Re objected to a final Court of Appeal, which from the proposed limited field of selection, would ba interior to the Privy Council. ' Mr Higgins (Victoria) considered it proposterous that four small colonies with one third of the population should dominate the larger colonies in dealing with money bills. He believed the true danger to State rights was the proposal in the 1891 Bill providing for the election of .vp.nators by Parliament. Mr Wise (Sydney) defended equal representation on the around that it was an absolute necessity if the federation of Australasia was to be brought about. He could not understand how Democrats could any more uphold the principle of one S-tate because it contributed more than another having greater voting powers, than the principle that one man who contributed more revenue to the country should have more votes than the poorer individual. Mr Henry (Tasmania) thought the crux of the position was finance, and not whether there thould be equal representation. The mistake iu the Bill of 1391 was the provision conferring on the federal power the right to control the ! customs before a uniform tariff had been adopted by the State. He believed no scheme of federation was potsible unless such a course was first adopted. _____________