PROPOSED FEDERAL ARMY ACT. VIEWS OF TWO AUSTRALIAN PREMIERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 414, 26 October 1889, Page 5

PROPOSED FEDERAL ARMY ACT. VIEWS OF TWO AUSTRALIAN PREMIERS.

BkisijamSj October 23. Sir Hicnrv Parkes, Piemier of New South Wales, is at present on a visit to this city. He is consulting the Government of Queensland with respect to important mieicolonial matters. Referring to the proposals of Federal defence, Sir Henry Parkes says we want an Australasian Federal Army Act empowering mobilization, and this can only be done by the Imperial Par hament. It is impossible, he says, for the Federal Council to create an armed force with enormous power, supported by money, in individual colonies. The question of a Federal army is practically the laying down of one strong, immovable plank in a Federal scheme, and a complete platfoim must follow. Sir ISamuel Griffiths, Premier of this colony, in reference to these opinions, says federation on any workable scheme would be acceptable, but one Federal Council session was inadequate to cope with the quesion of defence. It waSj he says, never intended that such a question should be submitted at the Council, and is only a short step towards federation. The time is now ripe for a more definite advance as regards defence, and the present was a fitting opportunity, though there could be no complete federation except on the basis of fiscal union.