AUSTRALASIAN FEDERAL COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1460, 28 January 1886, Page 1

AUSTRALASIAN FEDERAL COUNCIL.

Hobart, Jan, 25. The sittings of the Federal Council were opened to-day, in the Legisla'ive Council Chamber. Mr E. O. Newell, Clerk to the Taamanian Executive Council, was appointed Clerk, and read the Governor’s proclamation summoning the Federal Council, after which various members put in their commissions or appointments, and the necessary oaths of office were administered, Messrs Service and Berry were present, representing Victoria ; Mesiirs Griffiths and Dickson, Queensland ; Messrs Douglas and Dodds, Tasmania; and Messrs Tiesteera and Macgregor, Western Australia. The Hon. Mr Griffiths, Premier of Queensland, proposed that Mr Service be elected President, and, this being duly accepted

by the Council, Mr Service was inducted into the chair. During the course of an eloquent inaugural address, Mr Service alluded to the events leading up to the constitution of the Federal Council. He stated that history showed many examples where other nations experienced some difficulties that were now being encountered by the Australian colonies, and instanced in particular the early records of the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United States and Canada as furnishing cases in point. Mr Service said he bad hoped originally that the whole of the Australasian colonies would join in sending representatives to the Council, but, he added, the absence of some of the colonies would not discourage those members who were present. The events of the year 1883, when Australia was threatened by « flood of convicts, had laid the basis of federation, which; resulted in the Federal Convention adopting the scheme for the present Council, in which they could discuss conjointly many questions that were'not ripe for final legislation. But he jwas confident the deliberations of the Council would carry weight in the legislature of the various coloaies represented, Mr Service was warmly applauded at the conclusion of his speech. The officers of the Council were then formally appointed, and; the Hon. Adyo Douglas, Premier of Tasmania, announced that Mr Service, President of the Council, would ' be officially presented to His Excellency i bir George Strachan to-morrow morning, after which the proceedings of the Council were adjourned until to-morrow, The Governor has arranged to attend at noon, when he will deliver an address.

The whole proceedings occupied about an hour. The meeting of the Council did not attract great public attention, and there was only a small attendance in the gallery devoted to onlookers,' Jan. 26. The formal opening of the Federal Council by Hia Excellency the Governor took place to-day, in the presence of a large number of spectators. Sir Geo. Strachan arrived punctually at noon, and was received by a guard of honor, who fired a royal salute when he entered the Council Chamber. When the Hon. James Service announced that he had been elected President of the Council, His Excellency congratulated him on his position, and then took his seat at the Council. In the course of a brief address, the Governor alluded to the circumstances which led to the assembling of the present Federal Gonncil, 1 aad expressed regret that New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand were not represented. He extended, however, a hearty welcome to those representatives present, and expressed confidence in the ultimata realisation of the hopes and aspirations to which the meeting had given rise. At the afternoon sitting Mr Griffith! proposed the adoption of an Addresa-in-Eeply to the Governor’s Speech. Mr Griffiths delivered a lengthy and exhaustive address, referring to the functions of the Council and the benefits to be derived by the colonies from federation, and regretting the absence of representatives from soma of their number—and to the proposed appointment of a Standing Committee to prepare measures during the recesses for submission to the Council, Mr Macgregor, of Western Australia, seconded the reply. Mr Berry, in the course of bis speech, admitted the scheme of Australian federation was at present imperfect, and hoped that the other colonies would join in the Union before the next session of the Council. The Address was then adopted, and s resolution wai carried to the effect that a telegram be seat to Her Majesty the Queen, stating that the Council, on its inauguration, desires to express its sense of loyalty to, and affection for, Her Majesty’s person. A Select Committee was appointed to prepare Standing Orders for the guidance of the Council in the transaction of business, and an adjournment was made until tomorrow morning.