THE FEDERAL CONVENTION,

Temuka Leader, Issue 2186, 9 April 1891, Page 4

THE FEDERAL CONVENTION,

Sydney, April 6.

This morning the Committee resumed the debate on the Hon, R. C. Baker’s amendment with reference to the appropriation and tax Bills. After the Hon. A. J. Thynne, Mr B. 0. Bird, Mr Adye Douglas, and Mr J. Forest had spoken Mr Baker withdrew his amendmend and proposed the omission of a word, which would still give the Senate power over money Bills. . This amendment and two others, proposed by Mr McMillan and Mr Wrixon, were negatived, and the clause.passed without alteration, The , recommendation that money votes should come from the GovernorGeneral was passed. Clauses referring to the Royal Assent were passed. Chapter IL, Executive— The clause providing that Ministers may sit in Parliament was passed.

Number of Ministers and their salaries and appointments of civil servants passed, i The, clause providing the authority of the Executive, as recast, now reads : The executive power and authority of (he Commonwealth shall extend to the execution of’ the provisions of this Constitution and the laws of the Uommonwealtb, and the clause as thus modelled was passed. Command of naval and military forces and immediate control of certain departments.—Clause passed. Chapter 111. —Judicature—Supreme Court,'

, Mr Kingston moved the erection of a conciliation and arbitration court to deal .with industrial disputes. After some debate, in which it was held preferable to allow the states to deal with this subject as they thought best, the amendment was negatived. Sir H. Atkinson and Captain Russell voted., for the amendment. Sir George Grey did not vote The clause relating to the tenure of office of the judges, the appointment of the judges, and that appeals may be made final, was passed. Mr Wrixon moved an amendment to the clause relating to appeal to the Queen in certain cases with the object of reserving, the rights of appeal to the Queen in any cases. I The clause was carried. The clause relating to the power of the courts of original jurisdiction, the number of judges and trial by jury, were carried. Progress: was reported, and the Convention adjourned. April 7. When the Convention resumed this morning Sir George Gray explained that he had been unavoidably absent when Mr Kingston’s motion for the establishment of conciliation and arbitration was decided. He would have voted for the motion if he had been present. Ihe committee then resumed on Chapter IV. The clauses relating to trade and finance, consolidated revenue fund, expenses of collection, that no money be drawn from,the Treasury of the Com. raonwealth except-under appropriation made by law, referring to. the power to levy duties customs and excise, and providing for freetrade between the colonies were,passed. A long debate took place on. the clause relating to the apportionment of the surplus revenue. Bir'T. Mcllwraith proposed that tb© colonies should be charged on a population basis, and that after deducting the expenses of the .Federal Government, the surplus should be banded back in proportion to the amount contributed and not on the general average of the whole of Australia. After a long debte this was carried. Sir J. C, Bray moved that the Federal Parliament determine the mode of distributing the surplus.—This was carried, and the clause passed The clauses relating to equality of trade were passed. The clause referring to the consolidation of the public debts of the States was passed, an amendment being negatived. Chapter s—The States clause relating to the powers of the Pailiaments, the validity and inconsistency of the existing laws, and the powers of the Governors of the respective colonies, was passed. A brisk discussion ensued on the question of the Governor-General I being the solo channel of communica- '

tion with the Queen, but it was interrupted by a motion to report progress, and the 'Convention adjourned until to-morrow.