CABLEGRAMS

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2203, 26 January 1886, Page 2

CABLEGRAMS

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH—-COPYRIGHT Reoter's Telegrams,

(From Reuters Special Correspondent,) Hobart, January 25. The sittings of the Federal Council opened to-day in the Legislative Council Chamber. Mr E. C. Howell, Clerk to the Tasmanian Executive Council, was appointed Clerk. 'and read-tho Governors' proclamation,' summoning tho Federal Council, after whloli various members put in their commissions or appointments, and the necessary oaths of office were administered. Messrs Service and Berry were present, representing Victoria, Messrs Griffiths and Dickson Queensland, Messrs Douglas and Dodds Tasmania, and MosaraSteereand Macgregor'Western Australia, The Hon, Mr Griffiths, Premier of Queensland, proposed that Mr Service

be elected President, and this being duly accepted by Council, Mr Seryice was inducted to the chair, During % course of ai] inaugural address Mr Service alluded tq the events leading up to tho constitution, oi the Federal Council. He stated that 1 history showed many examples where other nations experienced the game difficulties that were now being encpuntered by the Australian colonies, and instanced

in particular the early records of the Netherlands, Switzerland, United States, and Canada, as furnishing cases in point. Mr Service said he had hoped originally that the whole of the Australasian colonies would join in sending , representatives to the Council, but the absence of .some of the colonies would not discourage those members who were present, The ovents of the year 1883, when Australia was threatened with a flood of convicts, laid the basis of federation, which resulted in the Federal Convention •-'adopting a scheme for the present Council, in which they ooqld discuss oonjointly many questions that were not ripe for final legislation ; but lie was confident the deliberations of' the Council would carry weight in the legislatures of the various colonies represented. Mr Service was warmly applauded on the conclusion of his speech. Officers of Council were then formally appointed, and' the Hon. Adye Douglas, Premier of Tasmania, announced that Mr Service, President of the Council, would be officially presented to Hjs Excellency Sir. George Strahan, Qovernor, to-morrow morning, after •which the Council adjourned until tonjortow. The' Governor has arranged to ■attentat noon, when he will deliver an •address. ; The whole of to-day's proceedings occupied about an hour. The meet'ihgof the Council did not; attract great public attention, , and there was only a small attendance in the gallery devoted to onlookers', j ''