by Australasia. New Zealand already governs the Cook group, Queensland, British New Guinea. It is only a question of time when the other English possessions fall into their hands. It will not come in our day, for the pledges England has given to the natives of Fiji forbid the handing over of that colony in this generation, but come it must by a natural process, even if an European war does not cut a shorter road.

In the meantime the romance of the South Seas will remain untouched. The trader, the beach-comber, and the native will still be as Robert Louis Stevenson, Lord Pembroke, and Mr. Louis Becke have drawn them. The glorious scenery of the isles of reef and palm will remain unspoiled.

APPENDIX

AUSTRALASIA

OLD manuscript charts, bearing date 1531 and 1542, mark a land agreeing to Australia as Jave la Grande, and there is little doubt that Australia must have been discovered by the Portuguese between 1507-29. The French appear to have visited it, but to the Dutch belongs the credit of making the country known. About 1606 the Dutch ship Dryphen (Dove) from Java, entered the Gulf of Carpentaria, and some of the crew who landed were killed by the natives-the same vessel, in 1606, sighted Cape York. In 1616, Dirk Hartog coasted on the north-west; he was followed by Zaachen in 1618, and Captain Jan Edels in 1619. In 1642, Abel Jansen Tasman discovered Tasmania and New Zealand. In 1664, the continent was named New Holland by the Dutch Government. In 1699, Captain Dampier (the first Englishman who trod Australian soil) landed on the north-west coast of Western Australia. In 1770, Captain Cook visited New Zealand. In 1788, the first settlement in Australia was formed at Botany Bay. In 1791, Captain Vancouver explored the south coast. In 1801, Baudin and Freycinet (two Frenchmen) explored the south-west coast of West Australia. In 1803, Tasmania or Van Diemen's Land was first settled as a penal colony. In 1825, Queensland (Moreton Bay) was settled. The Swan River Settlement was made in 1829, and in 1851 became a penal settlement, and continued so until 1868. Victoria (Port Phillip) was colonised in 1834, South Australia in 1836, and New Zealand in 1838. In 1840, New Zealand was made a distinct colony. Fiji was ceded to Great Britain in 1874. In 1887 the formal annexation of the Kermadec Islands was made; the Suwarrow Group in 1889; the Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands in 1892. In

1893 a British protectorate was proclaimed over Solomon Islands, and in 1900 over the Tonga Islands.

Each of the several Australian colonies must be considered in many respects as a distinct province, having its own government, local laws, and fiscal duties. They all possess responsible government, and the form of government is a modification of the British Constitution. The Governor represents the Queen, and is appointed by the Crown; the House of Lords is represented by the Legislative Council, either nominated or elected; the House of Commons by the Legislative Assembly, elected by the people. The Imperial laws are in force unless superseded by local enactments, which, however, must receive the Queen's assent. The franchise amounts almost to manhood suffrage. Women's parliamentary suffrage has been granted in New Zealand and South Australia.

The electoral rolls are made up annually in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania; quarterly in Western Australia; bi-monthly in Queensland, de-cennially in South Australia. In all cases, however, there is at least an annual revision. In New South Wales every elector must apply for enrolment; in Victoria and Tasmania enrolment is from ratepayers' roll, and for non-ratepayers by application; in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and New Zealand by application. In South Australia and New Zealand women have the franchise, and may be members of both Houses.

1 Prior to 1891, when future appointments were made tenable for seven years only.

There is in all the Colonies an excess of about 12 per cent. of the male population; in Western Australia, however, it amounts to more than double. The Chinese are represented by over 40,000, but they are on the decrease. There are about 100,000 aborigines. The press is represented by about 1000 newspapers. In nearly every township a Public Library, Mechanic's Institute, or School of Arts is to be found.

There is no State Church, but as regards numbers the Episcopalians are the dominant body; the Roman Catholics

come next.

Education is free, or nearly so, compulsory, and secular; and in some cases to the absolute exclusion of Bible reading. There are five universities-Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, New Zealand, and Otago; the first four confer degrees. In all the capitals are large botanical gardens maintained by the State. There are in the different colonies a regular, a militia, and a volunteer force. By the Australian Naval Force Act of 1887 a fleet of five fast cruisers and two torpedo gunboats have been equipped for the Australian seas. The total subsidy from the seven colonies was £126,000. The cruisers are now growing obsolete.

In 1885 the Federal Council of Australasia was constituted, at the instance of Victoria, for the purpose of dealing with matters of common Australian interest; and since its foundation there have been eight sessions. New South Wales and New Zealand have not joined the Council, and Western Australia was not represented at the fourth session; South Australia was represented only at the third, Fiji only at the first. At the sixth session an address to the Queen was adopted, praying for the appointment of an Australasian Representative on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Bench. Chief-Justice Way of South Australia was so appointed, and proceeded to England in 1897 to assume the duties of his office.

In 1895, at the instance of the Hon. G. H. Reid, Premier of New South Wales, a Conference of Premiers of all the Australasian Colonies, except New Zealand, was held in Hobart, to consider the subject of federation. An enabling Bill was drafted and agreed to, as a type of Bill suitable for giving effect to the resolution of the Conference. Further conferences of Premiers were held in Sydney, 1896; Hobart, 1897; Melbourne, 1898. At the first all except West Australia and

New Zealand attended; at the second, all; at the third, all except New Zealand were represented. In 1899 a referendum to the electors was made in all the Australian Colonies except Western Australia, with the following majorities for federation:

And on May 31, 1900, the majority in Western Australia was 22,111, on a poll of 60,908.

The Australasian Federation Bill having passed through the Imperial Parliament, the Queen gave her Royal assent on 9th July 1900, and appointed Lord Hopetoun Governor-General.

NEW SOUTH WALES.-This part of the Australian coast is said to have been discovered by the Portuguese and Dutch navigators in the seventeenth century. Captain Cook, after landing an astronomical party at Tahiti, explored the coast in 1770, and gave it the name of New South Wales, from its fancied resemblance to South Wales (United Kingdom), and took possession in the name of the King of England. The natives were not friendly, and prevented a landing at Cape Howe. The first settlement was made in 1788, as a convict station, at Port Jackson (Botany Bay), under Captain Phillip, when 1030 persons were landed. Sydney, the capital, was so named after Viscount Sydney, the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The settlement of New South Wales originally included the whole of the eastern portion of the continent. Merino sheep were introduced in 1797. The first newspaper was established in 1803. The passage into the interior through the Blue Mountains was not made until 1813. Moreton Bay was settled in 1824, and made a separate colony in 1859, under the name of Queensland. Convicts ceased to arrive in 1841. Gold was discovered in 1851. Victoria was settled in 1836, and made a separate colony in 1851.

Education is under the control of the Minister of Public Instruction. Teachers are civil servants. The school fee is 3d. per week, which includes a free pass on railway to school, if