ANNEXATION CONVENTION,

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 19, 8 December 1883, Page 3

ANNEXATION CONVENTION,

[Reuter’s Telegrams ] Sydney, Dec. 5. A telegram was read at the Convention yesterday, announcing that France lays claim to the following islands or groups in the Pacific :—New Caledonia, Loyalties, Pike’s Marquezas (eleven islands), Societies, Tahiti, Moreo, Low Archipelago (eight islands), Australs, Tabusi, Koito, and Pipa. France is willing that the Leeward Islands, m ar Tahiti, should be independent. The remaining clauses of the Federation Bill were under discussion at the Convention this morning. A general agreement exists among the delegates regarding the principles - of the measure, which it is expected will be unanimously adopted to-morrow. At the Couveuuon to-day, Mr Dihbs (Colonial Treasurer of New South Wales), i gave notice of motion requiring the various

Governments to be pledged to submit to their several legislatures the various resolutions that may be come to by the Convention.

Sir George DesVoeux, Governor of Fiji, gave notice of motion, having for its object the prevention of unrestricted purchases of land in New* Guinea and in the Pacific Islands.

Mr Bray, Premier of South Australia, tabled a motion in favor of requesting the Imperial Government to introduce a bill constituting an Australasian Federal Council.

Mr Giblin, Premier of Tasmania, gave notice of motion for the appointment of the Premiers of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, and New Zealand as a committee to carry out the objects of and summon the Convention when necessary, Mr Service to be Chairman of the Committee.

It has transpired that the Convention made several alterations in the draft of the Imperial Bill for the constitution of a Federal Council. The measure now consists of eleven clauses, and in addition to the points already telegraphed, the Bill provides that th«* Governor of Tasmania shall have power to summons the Council to hold sessions at Hobart until otherwise decided. The presence of a majority will he necessary to constitute a quorum, and the decision of the majority is to prevail. The Federal Council is to have authority over British ships and fisheries beyond territorial limits, over deserters, and over defences within or without territorial limits. The decisions of the Council to be valid only for those colonies which agree to them. Power is vested in the Governor of the colony where the Council sits to assent to, disallow, or reserve for the Royal assent any measure passed. Any amount payable by the colonies, in case of difference, to be assessed by the Governor of Tasmania. The Act shall be invalid in any colony until its Legislature has adopted it, and is not to be operative until four colonies have passed it.