CO885-(13-15) — Page 689

35614.

C.O. 8

885

14

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE | BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

SIR,

No. 243.

(AUSTRALIA.)

LAW OFFICERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Royal Courts of Justice,

December 21, 1899. WE were honoured with your commands, signified in Mr. H. Bertram Cox's letter of the 10th ultimo, stating that he was directed by you to invite our attention to the Bill for the Federation of Australia which had recently been adopted by the Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania.

That you desired Mr. Bertram Cox to lay before us a statement (1) of the negotiations between the Colonies which led up to the adoption of the Bill, and (2) of the views entertained of the measure at its different stages by you and of your present attitude with regard to legislation by Parliament.

That the present Bill originated in a Conference of the Prime Ministers of all the six Australian Colonies held at Hobart, in January, 1895. That they agreed upon the procedure to be adopted for approaching Federation, and adopted a draft Federal Enabling Bill to provide for the election by each Colony of ten delegates, who were to be charged with the preparation of a detailed scheme of Federation. That the Bill was subsequently adopted with slight variations by the Parliaments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, and in a modified form by Western Australia.

That delegates were duly elected and assembled in Convention at Adelaide in March, 1897, for the purpose of drafting a Constitution Bill. That they prepared the draft Bill marked (B.) and adjourned in April, with the intention of re-assembling at Sydney later in the year, after the draft Bill had been considered by the Parliaments of the Colonies concerned as provided by the several Enabling Acts. That the draft was accordingly submitted to the local Legislatures, and various amendments were suggested by those bodies.

That the draft Bill, with the suggested amendments, was further considered by the delegates at the Sydney Session in September, 1897, and a long discussion took place on various proposals submitted for settling questions of difference between the two Houses of the Federal Legislature to be created. That considerable progress was made with the re-consideration of the rest of the measure, but that the work of revision was not completed and the Convention adjourne 1, partly in the hope of meeting delegates from Queensland at the final discussion. That that hope was not realiset, as the Queensland Legislature, for the second time, shelved the Enabling Bill.

That the delegates re-assembled at Melbourne in January, 1898, and, remaining in Session till March, completed their revision of the measure. That the Bill thus adopted— B (2)-was, in accordance with the Feleration Enabling Acts, submitted to the popular vote in four Colonies for acceptance, or rejection. That it was accepted by the vote of the people in Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. But that in New South Wales, though there was a majority for acceptance, the minimum number of votes required by the Enabling Acts of that Colony was not obtained. That in Western Australia no vote was taken in view of the result of the poll in New South Wales.

That a further conference of the Prime Ministers of the six Australian Colonies was held at Melbourne, in January and February of the present year, to consider the objections of New South Wales. That an agreement was come to after a few days' discussion and signed by all the Prime Ministers on the 3rd of February. That it was arranged at the Conference that after the Commonwealth Bill, as amended, had passed through the, Parliament of New South Wales, it should be referred to the electors of that Colony, and, if accepted by them, should then be considered in the other Colonies. That South Australia, however, for purposes of local convenience, was to be at liberty to take the referendum upon the Bill on the occasion of the General Election, without waiting for New South Wales.

That in South Australia accordingly an Act to amend the Federal Enabling Act of 1895 was passed in March last, and that the vote was taken on the 29th April, resulting in a large majority for the amended Commonwealth Bill.

4478-25-12,99 Wt 439 D & 8 5