THE FEDERAL ENABLING ACT.

Evening Star, Issue 6727, 8 October 1885, Page 4

THE FEDERAL ENABLING ACT.

The Premier has received from the Secretary for the Colonies a circular despatch on the Federal Council question. After relating the steps taken to make the Bill as satisfactory a measure as possible, and mentioning the impossibility of adopting the amendments proposed on the part of New South. Wales, Colonel Stanley says:—" Believing;' as I do, that it is of great importance to Imperial as well as Colonial interests that the Federal Council should have the cordial and active co-operation of both New South Wales and New Zealand, I sincerely truss the Governments of those colonies will, after. further examination of the question, be satisfied that there is no practical impediment in the way of their taking part in the, Council. It is, I think, agreed that at no previous time have the interests of Great Britain and her colonies in the Pacific, been of greater or more pressing than at this moment; and, as the colonies have strongly urged, those interests cannot fail to be permanently affected by the policy and action of the present time. It must be probable that consideration of the relations of this country and the colonics with the islands of the Pacific would be among the first subjects to which, when constituted,

the Council will address itself. Her Majesty's Government would of course give their best attention to the separate recommendations of New Zealand and New South Wales on such subjects; but it is obvious, as my predecessor insisted with much force, that if these colonies, not having consulted and aoted together, do not unite in their recommendations, the power of Her Majesty's Government to advance British interests must be greatly diminished. There appears, however, to be no reason why any colony should apprehend that it would imperil to any material extent the independent action of its Legislature by consenting to be represented in the Federal Council. It is to be anticipated that there will be cases in which the subject of legislation or discussion in Council may be of importance to some only of the colonies—as, for instance, if a matter should: ibe one concerning those colonies only who have territory within the tropics, or one concerning those colonies, or those colonies only, which are coterminous on the mainland of Australia. In such cases a colony not interested, or objecting to such discussion, could direct its representative to take no part in it; or if the legislation adopted at the instance of some of the colonies should be inapplicable, or objectionable to others, a provision could be inserted in the Act of the Council indicating that it applies only. to certain; specified colonies, and the Governor could be instructed under the 17th section of the Federal Council Act not to assent to any Act of the Council-to which the representatives of any colony or colonies had formally objected unless it contained such provision." 'The Secretary of State goes on to say that while he would be unwilling to press any colony to_ join the Council unless and until it was satisfied that this course would be advantageous, he trusted it would be found practicable to arrange for the representation thereon of New South Wales and New Zealand. In conclusion, he stated that he has had much pleasure in assisting to pass the measure, which, although in its present shape tentative and capable of improvement and development, might, if judiciously worked, be of much value to the Australasian colonies and to British interests generally.