31

F.—2

Sir C. Todd (South Australia) Cannot you adopt that intercolonially ? Hon. Mr Wabd (New Zealand) We cannot do that. Article 2 agreed to, New Zealand dissenting. Articles 3, 4, 5, and 6 were read and agreed to. On Article 7 being read, Hon. Mr Waed (New Zealand) said, —In this the word "colony" is substituted for " country " Article 7 agreed to. Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 severally read and agreed to. Hon. Mr Waed (New Zealand) moved, and Hon. Mr Paekee (Western Australia) seconded, That the draft of the Australasian Postal Convention be agreed to. (Vide Appendix C, p. xv ) The question being put, it was resolved in the affirmative. FEDERAL MAIL-SERVICE CONTRACT. Hon. Mr Paekee (Western Australia) asked the Hon. the President, If he has had any official notification of the cablegram we saw in the papers this morning, to the effect that the Post-master-General in London had arranged with the P and O. and Orient lines of steamers, or offered them a renewal of their contract for the term of one year, with the option of a further term of two years. I have no doubt you saw that cablegram, and perhaps you will be able to tell us whether Mr. Morley acted upon any suggestion of this Conference or not, or whether he acted upon his own responsibility Hon. Mr. Waed (New Zealand) I may state I have received no notification. All I know is what has appeared in the Press. No official notification has been sent to me. The resolution passed by the Conference was at once cabled to the Postmaster-General, Mr Morley, so that he had the whole matter before him. I presume he has acted upon the resolution of this Conference. BRISBANE MAIL-TRAIN SERVICE. On motion of the Hon. Mr. Wilson (Queensland), seconded by the Hon. Mr Kidd (New South Wales), Besolved, That the Hon. the President be requested to forward resolution in relation to the mail-train service from Brisbane to Adelaide to the colonies concerned. AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD CORRESPONDENCE. Hon. Mr Waed (New Zealand) stated that he had received a letter, sent by direction of the Chairman of the Harbour Board, transmitting copies of the reports and statements of accounts of the Board, and also copies of the report of the Chamber of Commerce. On motion of Hon. Mr Waed (New Zealand), seconded by Hon. Mr Wynne (Victoria), Besolved, That the Chairman of the Harbour Board be thanked for his courtesy, and also for the use of the Harbour Board rooms for the Conference. VOTE OF THANKS TO HON. THE PRESIDENT. Hon. Mr Kidd (New South Wales) As there appears to be no new business to come on, I have very much pleasure in rising, on behalf of the Conference, to move that we accord a hearty vote of thanks to you, sir, for all your kindness since we landed in New Zealand. You have done everything that was possible to make our sojourn as pleasant and as agreeable as it was possible to make it. You not only did for us all you possibly could at Wellington, while the Conference sat, but you have been kind enough to take all those who have come over with the delegates, and the delegates themselves, throughout the whole of your colony, so that we might see the people, and judge of the resources of the colony, and view it in all its aspects, not only with regard to the question of settlement, but with regard to the large measures of reform which you have introduced into the legislation of the country I, for one, heartily approve of the vast strides and progress that you have been able to accomplish during the last few years, more particularly in connection with social reforms. You are far ahead, I think, of the other colonies, and it is very much to the credit of the people of New Zealand that they are alive to the necessity for still greater social reforms than those you have been able to effect. I have taken great interest in connection with the reforms, so to speak, that you have been able to bring about by giving women the franchise. I was rather sceptical as to the advantages to be derived from it, but as far as it appertains to New Zealand, and the effect of it in connection with the return of the present Assembly, I think they have acted wisely and well, and, if they would be simply satisfied to remain as voters, I would not have any great objection to agreeing to woman's franchise myself , but I expect the next move will be, like the good lady who occupies a seat as one of the mayors of a borough near Auckland, that they will endeavour to secure their return as members of Parliament. Nothing would please my friend Mr Parker better than to have an equal number of ladies with gentlemen. With regard to the Colony of New Zealand, I visited it a few years ago, but it was only a run around, and I had little idea of the immense tract of splendid country which you have lying pretty well as nature left it. It shows, with increase of years, as settlement becomes more general, that the Colony of New Zealand has a great future before it. You have made rapid strides during the last few years, and I congratulate the Government of the colony and the people on the healthy financial position in which you find yourselves. I hope that, by able government, large settlements will speedily take effect on the lands through which we passed. Of course you have some trouble, which I hope will be easily overcome, notwithstanding the Native difficulty There is much, I think, which we may admire in the character of the Natives , yet I think you are taking a wise course to carry out your intentions —that if they will not use the lands themselves they shall arrange for other people to use them, or that the Government shall resume them. I think, there-