The Commonwealth Bill.

Manawatu Herald, 17 May 1900, Page 3

The Commonwealth Bill.

The Australian Commonwealth Bill was introduced in the House of Commons, London, by the Right Hon. J. Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies. Great interest was shown in the eyent, the House being crowded. Mr Chamberlain in the course of a speech which exteneed to two hours, said the Bill marked an era in the history of Australia, and a great important step in the organisation of the Empire. It will simplify and render more cordial and more unrestricted the relations between the colonies and the Motherland. The right hon. gentleman described the Bill as a monument of legislative competency, and warmly praised the efforts of the late Sir Henry Parkes (Premier of New South Wales), Sir Samuel Griffith (Chief Justice and exPremier of Queensland), and the Hon. E. Barton (New South Wales representative on the Australian delegation now in London) In the cause of Federation. §_r*_bamberlain said that everyone jsokb -_e_ghted at the birth of a new nation, but since some of the powers lybich the Bill sought to confer on the

Federation might involve the Imperial Government iti hostility, it was only reasonable that the tribunal for interpreting the powers of the Commonwealth should command confidence in Australia and Great Britain. The Government, however, accepted every line of the Bill which dealt exclusively with Australian interests. He feared that West Australia's financial system would be considerably strained. N.ew Zealand's extraordinary proofs oi affection, proceeded the Colonial Secretary, almost inclined the House to make the cessions' asked for by that colony if the difference only concerned the Motherland, but since the points at issue were exclusively between the federating colonies and New Zealand, the decision of the Premiers' Conference at Melbourne (w'-ere it was declared that there was ample provision under the Bill as it now stands for the inclusion of New Zealand) was bound to be accepted. While making it clear that the Colonial Laws Validity Act applied to the Commonwealth, the Government, said Mr Chamberlain, did notintend to forget the contention of the Federal delegation that the subordination of the statutory authority of a great autonomous Commonwealth ought to be subject to express Imperial legislation after the establishment of the Constitution 1 :

The only amendment he would propose related to Privy Council appeals. The relations of Great Britain with the autonomous colonies depended entirely on their free will and absolute consent. If they felt the links irksome, no attempt would be made to force them. Mr Chamberlain went on to warn the House that if the final Court of Appeal were weakened, there was a prospect of numerous causes of friction and irritation arising injurious to Australia, and creative of complications which would possibly be destructive of good relations and prejudicial to the unity of the Empire. Moreover, there was no such unanimity as to justify sacrificing the interests of the Empire. Mr Chamberlain said he believed Australia would accept amendment for preserving the same right of appeal as in Canada, in a spirit of cooperation, not in antagonism. He expressed regret at the references made by the Hon. C. C. Kingston to Chief Justices Way and Darley. He hoped the Bill would pass exactly as it was introduced. No more important legislation had ever been introduced, and there had been no more beneficent feature of the Queen's reign than the federal movement.