Political Prognostications. 57 



goes), that the colonists seem quite content with their present 

 administration, and the mal-contents, who once advocated 

 separation and independence, even to the length of ventilat- 

 ing the subject in Parliament, have now been reduced to 

 utter insignificance. 



Each colony has, by the " New Constitution Act " of 1851, 

 been provided with the utmost freedom of self-government, 

 the British Government only reserving the right of veto in 

 those cases where the colonial laws should happen to run 

 counter to the common law of the Empire. One hears, it is 

 true, many prognostications as to the result of dividing the 

 country into so many independent colonies, and having so 

 many parliaments, especially as to the immense preponder- 

 ance that the inhabitants of the cities must have over the 

 scattered country population. A few even seem to be of 

 opinion that they must contain many elements eminently 

 unsuitable to the vitality of a nmtually reliant, cohesive, law- 

 abiding confederation. But although some passing blots and 

 temporary defects may be dragged to the light of day, it must 

 not be overlooked that the Australian continent is almost as 

 large as Europe, and that each of these colonies covers more 

 superficial area than most of the European states. As the 

 laws and administration are the same for all these, it is more 

 probable that the anticipated break up of moral power will 

 rather take the form of developing true political life, so that 

 the Inasses will more honourably and surely be enabled to ap- 

 preciate their constitutional rights and duties. 



