58 



AUSTRALASIA. 



common tariff, unified laws, and the amalgama- 

 tion of any of their institutions. 



The Federal Council enabling bill provides 

 for the constitution of a Federal Council by 

 such of the Australasian colonies as desire to 

 join in the arrangement for the purpose of 

 dealing with such matters of common interest, 

 in respect to which united action is desirable, 

 as can be dealt with without unduly interfer- 

 ing with the management of internal affairs by 

 the respective legislatures. On the Federal 

 Council each Crown colony is to be represent- 

 ed by one, and each other colony by two mem- 

 bers, to be appointed in whatever manner and 

 for whatever term the separate legislatures 

 may determine. The number of representa- 

 tives may be increased at the request of the 

 colonies. The matters that are subject to the 

 legislative authority of the Federal Council are 

 the following: (1) The relations of Australasia 

 with the islands of the Pacific ; (2) the preven- 

 tion of the influx of criminals; (3) fisheries 

 beyond the territorial limits of the colonies ; 

 (4) service of civil process outside of the juris- 

 diction of the colony issuing it ; (5) the enforce- 

 ment of judgments beyond the limits of a colo- 

 ny; (6) the enforcement of criminal process 

 and the extradition of offenders, including de- 

 serters of wives and children and deserters 

 from the imperial or colonial military forces ; 

 (7) the custody of offenders on board ships 

 beyond territorial limits; (8) any matter that 

 may be referred to the Council by the Crown 

 at the request of the Colonial Legislature ; (9) 

 any of certain enumerated matters that may 

 be referred to the Council by the legislatures 

 of any two colonies viz., general defenses, 

 quarantine, patents, copyright, bills of ex- 

 change and promissory notes, uniformity of 

 weights and measures, recognition of mar- 

 riages and decrees of divorce, naturalization, 

 status of corporations and joint stock compa- 

 nies in other colonies, and any other matter of 

 general Australasian interest as to which it is 

 desirable that there should be a law of general 

 application. In these latter matters the de- 

 cisions of the Council are binding only on the 

 two colonies initiating the measures, and on 

 such others as may ratify them by their 

 legislatures. Any two or more colonies may 

 refer to the determination of the Council any 

 questions affecting them or their relations with 

 one another. The Imperial Government re- 

 serves to itself a veto power over the decisions 

 of the Council. In respect to the first three 

 matters, namely, the relations of Australasia 

 with the Pacific islands, the influx of criminals, 

 and the fisheries, every bill must be submitted 

 to the home Government. In respect to other 

 matters the Governor of the colony in which 

 the Council is sitting may approve or veto a 

 measure in the name of the Queen, or may re- 

 serve it for the consideration of the home au- 

 thorities, or may specify amendments subject 

 to which he will assent to the bill. Yet his 

 superiors can overrule his action and annul 



any bill that he has allowed at any time within 

 a year after its receipt in England. The Coun- 

 cil is authorized to make representations or 

 recommendations to the Imperial Government 

 in respect to any matters of general Austral- 

 asian interest or to the relations of the colo- 

 nies with the possessions of foreign powers. 

 The representation on the Council of a ma- 

 jority of the colonies constitutes a quorum. 

 The Council elects one of its members for 

 President each session. The President has an 

 equal vote with the other members. All 

 questions are decided by a majority vote ot 

 the members present. Each member is re- 

 quired to swear or affirm his allegiance to the 

 Queen. The Council will make standing or- 

 ders for the conduct of business, and appoint 

 temporary or permanent committees to per- 

 form duties committed to them, either during 

 the session or not. Expenditures connected 

 with the business of the Council are defrayed 

 in the first instance by the colony in which 

 they are incurred, but are ultimately assessed 

 on the colonies in proportion to their popula- 

 tion. To avoid rivalries the Council holds its 

 first session at Hobart, in Tasmania, and will 

 determine for itself where subsequent sessions 

 are to be held. A session is to be held at least 

 once in every two years. At the request of 

 any three governors a special session may be 

 summoned to deal with special matters. The 

 Council will be summoned and prorogued by 

 the governor of the colony in which the ses- 

 sion is held at the time. The respective colo- 

 nies may join or remain outside of the fed- 

 eration as they see fit, or, having joined, may 

 afterward withdraw. The colonies affected are 

 those of Fiji, New Zealand, New South Wales, 

 Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western 

 Australia and the Province of South Australia, 

 as well as any other colonies that may be cre- 

 ated in Australasia. 



The Annexation of Southern New Guinea. The 

 " White Book," issued by the German Chancel- 

 lor on the diplomatic dispute with England in 

 reference to the new German colonies, and the 

 English "Blue Book" on the same subject, 

 tended to confirm the suspicion of the Austra- 

 lian colonists that the German annexation of 

 the northern shore of New Guinea west of 

 Huon Bay and east of Astrolabe Bay was con- 

 ducted in accordance with a secret understand- 

 ing with the English ministry. Sir Thomas 

 Mcllwraith's proclamation of British sover- 

 eignty over New Guinea was overruled by the 

 home Government on the ground that there 

 was no evidence of an intention on the part of 

 any foreign power to make a settlement on the 

 shores of New Guinea. In July, 1883, Lord 

 Derby announced in Parliament that it would 

 be regarded as an " unfriendly act " for a for- 

 eign government to establish a settlement in 

 New Guinea, and a few days later said that 

 if there were any evidence of such an intention 

 on the part of a foreign power the Colonial Gov- 

 ernment could communicate with the home 



