i 4 22 AUSTRALASIA ILLUSTRATED. 



working of free Parliamentary institutions, had seen the development of popular opinion 

 at Home, and had grown up with the growth of modern liberalism in England. Almost 

 every ship that came to Australia in those days carried in it men who were to take 

 part during- the next thirty years in the first stages of responsible legislative effort in 

 one or other of the colonies, and the remark has passed into a truism that the seething 

 'tween-decks of these crowded craft contained more than one raw and inexperienced 

 youth who was to grow up with the country, and who would, later on, be called upon to 

 govern as a responsible Minister of the Crown. Several of the men, who have been 

 Premiers of Colonial Administrations since 1856, came to Australia in this way and at 

 this time, the long list including most of the easily recognizable names of leaders of 

 local political action. Of course their labour, so far, has of necessity been an experimental 

 one. Untrained to the discharge of the duties they were called upon to undertake, 

 they have earned their experience at the cost of the country, teaching themselves and 

 the country by their own mistakes, while unconsciously or consciously working out from 

 day to day the stages of Australian progress, and making way for its future. 



Undoubtedly, the greatest political event -since the introduction of Responsible Govern- 

 ment has been the movement in favour of federation. Tasmania, New Zealand, Victoria 

 and Queensland were separately detached from the mother-colony of New South Wales, 

 and South Australia and Western Australia were founded independently. Each colony was 

 a separate sovereignty, controlled only by the mother-country, the exercise of whose 

 authority was very slight. Hostile tariffs, and even hostile railway systems, developed 

 themselves, and, as a re-action on separation, grew up a feeling in favour of re-union. 

 This first took shape in the passing of the Federal Council Act, but though New South 

 Wales had been represented at the Intercolonial Conference, at which that Act was 

 passed, its Legislative Assembly refused to adopt it, and even South Australia hung 

 back for some time, and entered the Council only tentatively, and for a limited period 

 of three years. The Federal Council met three or four times at Hobart, but its influ- 

 ence was feeble, and its labours were not very important. Still the movement was a 

 beginning in the inevitable direction, and when, in 1890, Sir Henry Parkes proposed 

 another Conference for the purpose of framing a complete Federal Constitution, the 

 Parliaments of all the colonies passed resolutions expressing approval, and each appointed 

 seven Delegates to a Convention. New Zealand, however, which was doubtful of the 

 suitability of federation to its isolated position, appointed only three. The Convention 

 met in Sydney in March, 1891, and, after six weeks' earnest and well-sustained debate, 

 a draft Constitution was adopted to be submitted for approval to the several colonies. 



It will thus be seen that the process of the formation of the Australian social and 

 political condition of to-day divides itself into certain clearly defined and easily distinguish- 

 able stages. The first stage was that of the naval Governors up to William Bligh, who 

 may be looked upon merely as the gaolers of a penal settlement. With the coming of 

 Macquarie, order and law began to take shape, and these were systematized under the wise 

 rule of Bourke. From that time, to the date of the calling together of the first partly 

 elective Legislative Council, was the next stage, succeeded by the period that closed with the 

 introduction of Responsible Government in 1856, when Australia really entered on the demo- 

 cratic epoch of the present day. Whether or not the Constitution drawn up by the men of 



