VICTORIA.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3228, 24 June 1879, Page 3

VICTORIA.

THE OFFICIAL EEPLY TO THE :. EMBASSY. ' ■'

MR; BERRY'S TELEGRAM.

1 "A telegraini' was received by Ministers from Mr' Berry pn Tuesday, in which, tho Chief Secretary undertakes to give a synopsis of the despatch addressed by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach to tlie Governor of Victoria with regard to tho application made by the Victorian Embassy. ,As the message relates to an unpublished despatch,"and was necessarily confidential, Sir Brian O'Loghlen waited upon His Excellency tho Marquis of .INormanby,to obtain his assent to its.publication.. His Excellency consented, and orders were given that the message should bo sent to the Victprian press generally. Tho following is' the telegram as furnished to us :■—

"Londok, May 5.... . "In the fir^t four paragraphs Sir Michael Hicks-.Bqach states the case, and then proceeds to say that a better definition of the powers of the two Housesjs required. He. expresses; the belief that no pdrfcy in! .Victoria desired to abolish tho Legislative Council, or lto deprive it of the powers which properly belong to second chambers. He „.condeinns ..the extreme view of the position of the Coun-

cil held by that body, refers to therecent between the two ; Houses as being 5 like'most of. thos^e which preceded iti nc&nnected witli the ultimate control of the finance^.., He expresses the opinion tfr^\th',i^diificjil]ty., could,npt arise if the t\fß'Hou|e,s wei;e guided in this matter, as in others,, by the practice of the Imperial Parliament, the Legislative Council following the practice of the Houso of Lords, and^he, Assembly that of the House;qf t .ComEpQns<; ■ ii : a! *'.Th^ Assemblji like the House of Commons, would claim and in" practica o^mse the righilbf granting' aids nnd supplies to■; the! Grown y also of limiting lhe;Binatter,* raannefi xuf^asu're, and time of such grants, and of so framing bills of supply"that thoso rights should bo,maintained inviolate. ..',.",' , " HeiveSprsifsed' the; opinion <thafc tho Legislative Council should refrain frpra any step so injurious to the public, service as the rejection« rofau'ApprppHation BilV; and he recommends-' the r adoption of a joint standing order of legislation. , " Then, after recommending moderation and mutual it iforbearanct-i' the^ despatch

proceeds :— '"If, howfiTer, it shall be left (felt?) that thoj-Tespective positions of tha two Houses in matters of taxation and appropriation can only be; defined by an amendment of the Constitution Act, he suggests-, erery dissolution of, Parliament should apply fd the,, Council as well as to the Assembly^.'.:'"'.'. ,''.'' ..'.', ). ! . ■ • ■■ ■ '■• to finality of ordinary legislations-Sir Michael Hicks-Beach docs no^l^ej'jto iidmit that, the ,Council of Victoria mil" not, like similar bodies in other, gr.eat.colonies, without any stringent measures, ft! recognise its constitutional position, and so transact its business that the wishes of the people when clearly and regefttetlly; Repressed,', shall ultimately 5 prevail, and so remove any necessity for.;,lmperiali!.legislatibn> The time recently, afforded-for reflection sKbuldalsq aid'Sttithiai'Batisfactory solution. Should this hope, however, riot ; be realised, the action *>f: Her Majesty's Government miiftt r&>' a great degree; depend/upon the circumstances which'then exist; but Sir Michael Hicks-Beach thinks this is a condition .precedent to Imperial * inter? ferehce. There must be a refusal to counsel (coincide ?) with the Assembly in some reasonnble proposal for regulating the relations of the two Houses in financial matters,' and a persistence in such refusal after the proposals of the Assembly have been submitted to the constituencies; and approved by the.m, and again sent up by the Assembly for the consideration of the Legislative Council,f'--rAu.s i trala*ian.