THE FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2185, 7 April 1891, Page 2

THE FEDERAL CONVENTION.

Sydney, April 3.

The Convention Committee have got through forty clauses relating to both Houses, very few amendments of any consequence having been made. About one-third of the Bill has now been considered.

The Convention resumed in committee this morning. The clause dealing with allowance to members was passed.

Part 6—Powerß of Parliament

A long discussion took place whether the section giving power to regulate trade and commerce with other colonies and amongst states embraced the control of railway rates. Ultimately it passed. The section dealing with Customs, excise, and bounties passed. On the motion dealing with taxation Sir Harry Atkinson said if they were not prepared to take over the liabilities they should not have power to impose taxation, otherwise there could be no satisfactory Federation. After Bome debate the section passed without amendment.

Sections providing for borrowing on public credit of the Commonwealth, postal and telegraphic services, military and naval defence, control and manufactory of munitions of war, navigation, shipping, beacons, lighthouse, quarantine, fisheries, census, statistics, currency and coinage, legal tender, banking, weights and measures, bills of exchange and promissory notes, bankruptcy, copyright, naturalisation, status of foreign corporations, marriage and divorce recognition, laws of one State in another passed without amendSections dealing with immigration, emigration, influx of Chinese, treaties, relations of the Commonwealth to the islands in the Pacific, and river navigation passed. The railway section was passed, and the whole clause, containing 31 £sections, passed. Special laws for other races, and not applicable to the general community, government of territory, and those devoted to the seat of government were carried.

The section providing that money bills, imposing a tax or impost, or appropriating revenue shall originate in the House was also carried. Mr Baker moved an amendment practically giving equal powers to the Senate, saying that the question simply resolved itself whether instead of federation they were to have annexation of small colonies. After some debate.

Sir Henry Parkes said that if the amendment were carried he would submit another amendment absolutely restricting the Senate from touching money bills at all.

The debate was adjourned, and the Convention rose till Monday.