COLONIAL FEDERATION.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3087, 20 December 1870, Page 4

COLONIAL FEDERATION.

The Melbourne " Argus" says :— The Federal Commission has resumed its sittings, and appears to hare made silent but substantial progress since the issue of its first report. "When the report was adopted, it was agreed that the chairman (Mr Duffy) should send it to a few of the leading public men in office or in opposition in the other colonies, and invite their opinion upon the proposal of obtaining^an enabling or permissive bill from the Imperial Parliament, under which federation could be completed at pleasure. There was some difficulty in making out a proper list, as the political intercourse between the colonies is greatly too infrequent, an error and omission must necessarily hare been made, but the present and late leaders of Parliament at least were appealed to in every instance. At the last meeting of the Commission, Mr Duffy read the answers received, which were in a high degree encouraging and satisfactory. From New South Wales, Sir T. A. Murray, President of the Council; and Mr Henry Paries, late Colonial Secretary, are unreservedly in favor of obtaining a permissive act. And Mr Cowper, the Premier, and Sir James Martin, the late Premier have telegraphed their intention of sending their opinions by an early post. In South Australia, Mr Barrow, one of the delegates for that colony at the late Intercolonial Conference, cordially approves r>f the proposals in the report. Captain Hart, the Treasurer (his colleague on that occasion) asks to be excused answering till the Parliamentary recess gives him leisure to consider the question carefully. Mr Strangoways, the latft Attorney-Gen-eral and Premier, says that the action of the Victorian delegates at the late conference alarms smaller colonies, and that in his opinion the question which is most urgent, and ought to be dealt with at once, is to secure the neutrality of the colonies in time of wur on the basis suggested in part third of the report. He sees no legal or political difficulties which may not be overcome bythe joint action of the colonies. Mr Boucaut, the present Attorney- General who is engrossed by the civil sittings of the Supreme Court ai present, will write his views immediately when the sittings are over. From Tasmania, Mr Wilson (one of the late delegates) and Mr Meredith on behalf of the Government, promise* that the question shall be considered and answered without delay, and Mr Davis expresses his approval of a permissive bill, but considers that thu power of a colony must be guarded against mere caprice, " A partnership requiring mutual consent for its formation should require mutual consent in terminating the connexion." From Queensland, Mr Maoaljster, formerly Chief Secretary, requires time to consider the subject carefully, and Mr Lilley, formerly Chief Secretory, says the proposal to obtain -a permissive bill has his entire approval; but he trusts the control of the question will be kept in the hands of the colonies without any " meddlesome interference of the Colonial Society in England." We have only to add that a permissive bill is being drafted under the direction of the • AttorneyGeneral, and will accompany tho second report f the Commission,