THE COMMONWEALTH 333 



at Albury, at the banquet which celebrated the opening of the 

 through line to Sydney. The time was opportune. It was then 

 realised that if the whole of Australia could have spoken with one 

 voice, there might have been a much more satisfactory outcome of 

 the New Guinea annexation episode, of the claims to the New 

 Hebrides and adjacent groups ; and a more determined stand on the 

 recidiviste question. A few months later Sir Thomas Mcll wraith, 

 the Premier of Queensland, proposed a convention of delegates to 

 consider a basis for Federation. Mr. Service, who took the matter 

 up warmly, offered to act as convener, and on 4th December, 1883, 

 the conference was held in Sydney. All the Australian Colonies and 

 Fiji were represented. The delegates of New South Wales were 

 Mr. Stuart, the Premier ; Mr. Dibbs, the leader of the Opposition ; 

 and Mr. Dalley, the Attorney- General. Victoria sent three Min- 

 isters, Messrs. Service, Kerferd and Graham Berry. The sittings 

 lasted ten days, and resulted in a draft Bill for the establishment of 

 a Federal Council being approved. The delegates pledged them- 

 selves to recommend their respective Parliaments to address Her 

 Majesty, praying that an Imperial statute might be enacted to give 

 effect to the views embodied in the measure submitted. This 

 undertaking was not properly carried out. In New South Wales 

 the Assembly rejected the proposed address to the Queen. New 

 Zealand would have none of it. South Australia was only half- 

 hearted. The Imperial Parliament after many delays dealt with 

 the Bill, and early in 1885 empowered the consenting Colonies to 

 form the Council. Some months were occupied in getting the 

 necessary local legislation passed to give effect to the Imperial 

 statute. Prolonged debate and much apparently aimless opposition 

 were finally surmounted by the ardour with which Mr. Service took 

 up the question, and the Federal Council was opened in Hobart on 

 the 25th of January, 1886. 



Only four Colonies signed the muster-roll. Victoria was re- 

 presented by Mr. Service, the Premier, and Mr. Graham Berry, 

 Chief Secretary. Queensland by Mr. S. W. Griffith, Premier, and 

 Mr. Dickson, Treasurer. Tasmania by Mr. Adye Douglas, Premier, 

 and Mr. Dodds, Attorney-General. Western Australia by Sir James 

 Lee-Steere, President of the Legislative Council. At the last 



