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At the Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney. Ith DECEMBER, 1883. (Ninth Day.) Present: — Fiji: His Excellency Sir G. William Dcs Vceux, K.C.M.G., Governor of Fiji and H.B.M.'s Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. New South Wales: The Honorable Alexander Stitabt, M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. Tue Honorable George Etchard Dibbs, M.P., Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable William Bede Dallex, Q.C., M.L.C., Attorney-General. New Zealand: The Honorable Major Habry Albert Atkinson, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable Fbedebick Whitakee, M.L.C., late Premier and Attorney- General. Queensland: The Honorable Samuel Walker Griffith, Q.C., M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. The Honorable James Francis Gabeick, Q.C., M.L.C., Postmaster-General. South Australia : The Honorable John Cox Bhay, M.P., Premier and Chief Secretary. TnE Honobable J. W. Downeb, Q.C., M.P., AttorneyGeneral. Tasmania : The Honobable William Eobeet Giblik, M.P., Premier and Attorney-General. The Honorable Nicholas J. Brown, M.P., Minister of Lands and Worts. Victoria : The Honorable James Sebtice, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable Geaiiam Berey, M.P., Chief Secretary. The Honobable Geobge Beiscoe Kereerd, M.P., Attorney- General. Western Australia : The Honorable Malcolm Feasee, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary. The minutes having been read, the Convention proceeded with the further consideration of the "Bill to constitute a Federal Council of Australasia," as amended in Committee, and further amended the same. Mr. Whitakee gave notice of the following motion : — That in the opinion of this Convention the several Colonies of Australasia, in order to meet an imminent danger, should without delay pass a uniform Law to prevent the landing on their shores of persons from penal settlements in the Pacific, who have been convicted of crimes. The motions of Messrs. Dibbs and Bray were then considered ; and, after discussion, Mr. Griffith proposed the following Resolution, which was agreed to : — That this Convention, recognizing that the time has not yet arrived at which a complete Federal Union of the Australasian Colonies can be attained, but considering that there are many matters of general interest with respect to which united action would be advantageous, adopts the accompanying draft Bill for the Constitution of a Federal Council, as defining the matters upon which in its opinion such united action is both desirable and practicable at the present time, and as embodying the provisions best adapted to secure that object, so far as it is now capable of attainment.

A