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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 855, 31 October 1870, Page 3

An inquest was held at the New Zealander Hotel, Wellington, on the 26th inst., on the body of the little boy Tandy, the finding of ■whose body on the Wellington beach we reported on Saturday, in an extract from the Advertiser. A verdict of accidental death »as returned. The report of the Royal Commission appointed to consider the question of the federation of tbe Australian Colonies is said by the Argus to be a thoroughly exhaustive one. In the first place, it recoimneuds that an attempt should be made to obtain from the Imperial Government what may bo termed a permissive act—an act enabling the whole or any of the Australian Colonies to unite for such purposes, at auch time, and under such conditions, as they each and severally determine upon. The position of the Colonies in the event of war between Great Britain and any other power was the subject of long and anxious consideration. It appears that the only power which the Colonies do not possess which would enable them to maintain a position of neutrality is that of entering into negotiations with other etates. Had they this power, they would be enabled, in cas=e of the mother country engaging in war, to remain neutral, and would thus be in the same position occupied by Hanover when ruled by the king of Great Britain. Neufchatcl under the King of Prussia, the lonian Islands when governed by a commission re-appointed by England, and Bavaria at the present time. The report suggests that this power should be conceded to the Colonies, ao that, iii the event of war, they may be tree >o take that course which maj be «efi» most ftdyantagepue.