The result of the general election, which took place on 27th July, was very evenly balanced. Mr. Reid himself defeated Mr. Barton in the King Division of Sydney; but his previous large Parliamentary majority was reduced to a narrow majority of about fourincluding the labour party-whilst three Ministers lost their seats. But though neither party could claim a triumph, Federation had undoubtedly won all along the line. The preceding Legislative Assembly, though not avowedly anti-federal, was so trenchantly critical of the whole Commonwealth scheme as to be, in effect, hostile to Federation. In the new Assembly, every member stood pledged to the main principles of the draft Constitution, and the debatable points were narrowed down to a small schedule of amendments. The unanimity was perhaps more apparent than real. Both parties

numbered adherents whose federal sentiment was little more than a polite concession to the necessities of party unity. Still, the fact that there were two federal parties and no anti-federal party-nor even an avowedly anti-federal candidate for election-showed the immense development of popular feeling in New South Wales. Federation may be said to have been assured from the date of the election.

THE FEDERAL RESOLUTIONS.-Parliament met on 16th August, and after the adoption of the Address-in-Reply, Mr. Reid introduced his federal resolutions. The first resolution affirmed the desire of the House that "steps should be taken without delay, in conjunction with the other colonies, to bring about the completion of federal union." The second resolution affirmed the desire of the House "that the other colonies should agree to reconsider those provisions of the Bill most generally objected to in New South Wales," and proceeded to "submit for the consideration of the other colonies" the following propositions:

(a) Representation in the Senate. That if equal representation be insisted upon, the provision for a three-fifths majority at a joint sitting of both Houses should be removed, and that a simple majority should decide; or that the provision for a joint sitting be replaced by a provision for a national referendum.

(b) The 87th clause, known as the Braddon clause.-That this clause should be removed from the Bill.

(c) The capital of the Commonwealth.-That clause 124 should be
amended, and provision made in the Bill for the establish-
ment of the federal capital in such place within the
boundaries of New South Wales as the Federal Parliament
may determine.

(d) The boundaries of States.-That better provision should be
made against the alteration of the boundaries of a State
without its own consent-namely, by the protection
afforded by clause 127, as to the representation of States.
(e) Inland rivers.-That the use of inland rivers for purposes of
water conservation and irrigation should be more clearly
safeguarded.

(f) Money Bills.-That there should be a uniform practice in respect to such Bills, namely, that provided in the case of taxation Bills and Bills for the ordinary annual services of the Commonwealth.

(g) Judicial appeals from States.-That the mode of appeal from the Supreme Courts of the States should be made uniform, namely, the appeal should either be to the Privy Council or to the High Court, but not as at present, indiscriminately to either.

The third resolution dealt with the financial system of the Bill, and supplemented the suggestion for the removal of the Braddon clause as follows:

(3) Although prepared, for the sake of union-if it be placed in other respects upon a fair and just footing-to accept the financial system embodied in the Bill, with the one exception mentioned, this House earnestly invites further inquiry into, and a more thorough consideration of, the financial clauses, regarding as evils to be avoided if possible excessive burdens of taxation, a prolonged system of bookkeeping, uncertainty as to the amount of surplus to be divided, and uncertainty as to the method of distributing it among the States.

It was recognized on all hands that these resolutions were studiously moderate in tone, and that the language of demand had been renounced in favour of the language of request. Nevertheless, Mr. Barton still feared that the difference might be merely one of form, and that under the velvet paw of "negotiation" might lurk the claw of dictation. He still objected to the requests of the House being embodied in a "placard," and thought that the Government ought merely to have defined its policy and then asked the House for authority to confer. However, the resolutions were debated in the House and in Committee, and were passed, with the addition of requests for the consideration of the two following propositions (the first moved by Mr. J. S. T. McGowen, leader of the Labour Party, and the second by Mr. Henry Copeland) :

:

(h) The alteration of the Constitution.-That clause 127 should be altered to provide:

1. That any proposed alteration of the Constitution, approved by both Houses and a national referendum, should be submitted to the Governor-General for the Queen's assent.

2. That, where a proposed alteration has been affirmed in two succeeding sessions by an absolute majority in one House, but rejected by the other, such proposed alteration should be submitted to the national referendum.

3. That, respecting proposed alterations transferring to the Commonwealth any of the powers retained by the several States at the date of their acceptance of the Constitution, such alteration should not take effect in any State unless approved by a majority of electors in such State voting.

(i) Number of Senators.-That the number of Senators from each State should be increased from six to not less than eight. Twenty Senators, including the President or Chairman of Committees, to constitute a quorum.

In the Legislative Council the same resolutions, with Mr. McGowen's and Mr. Copeland's propositions attached, were moved by Mr. J. H. Want, the Attorney-General. After debate, they were passed with the following substantial modifications:-(1) The suggestion of a national referendum as an alternative to a joint sitting was struck out. (2) The proposition that the federal capital should be in New South Wales was-by a majority of one-amended so as to require that the capital should be in Sydney. (3) As to rivers, the Council asked that their use for irrigation and conservation, instead of being merely "more clearly safeguarded," should be " "preserved for their respective colonies." In Resolution 3, the declaration that the House was "prepared for the sake of union to accept the financial system embodied in the Bill" was struck out. Mr. McGowen's proposal for the alteration of the Constitution was also struck out, and replaced by a resolution objecting to the plan of submitting alterations of the Constitution to a Referendum, but asking that any alteration transferring State powers to the Commonwealth should not take effect in any State without the consent of both Houses of Parliament of that State.

(16) THE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE, 1899.

No attempt was made to harmonize the resolutions of the two Houses; and on 29th January, 1899, the Premiers of all the six colonies met at Melbourne, at Mr. Reid's request, to consider the suggestions made by New South Wales. A noteworthy feature of this meeting was that Queensland, which since the Hobart Conference of 1895 had stood aloof from the movement, was represented by its new Premier, Mr. J. R. Dickson. The conference was held behind closed doors, and lasted till 2nd February, when a unanimous agreement was arrived at which all the Premiers agreed to submit to their respective Parliaments for reference to the electors.

THE JOINT SITTING. The first request of New South Wales was almost wholly complied with. The requirement of a three-fifths majority at a joint sitting was done away with; and replaced, not indeed by a simple majority, but by "an absolute majority of the total number of the members of both Houses."

THE FINANCIAL CLAUSES.-The financial question proved the hardest of all to solve, and nearly caused a break-up of the Conference. Several brand-new financial schemes were offered, but none of them met with general acceptance, and the Conference, like the Convention, was obliged to fall back on the scheme in the Bill. As to the Braddon clause, every one was willing to let it go, if any substitute could be found; but every cure seemed worse than the disease. The Conference reported as follows:

"The Premiers have given full consideration to the objections which have been urged against this clause, and have also considered other proposals which have been suggested for the purpose of giving some security to the States that a reasonable amount of the revenue collected in the States shall be returned to them, while, if possible, avoiding excessive burdens of taxation, a prolonged system of bookkeeping, uncertainty as to the amount of the surplus to be divided, and uncertainty as to the method of distributing the surplus amongst the States.

"The Premiers consider that all the other proposals are open to more serious objections than those which have been raised against the clause as it appears in the Bill; but with a view of meeting the objections as far as possible, consistently with the safety of the States, the Premiers are of opinion that the operation of the clause should not continue after a period of ten years if the Parliament then desires to repeal or alter it; and that, in addition, power should be granted to the Parliament to deal with any exceptional circumstances which may from time to time arise in the financial position of any of the States."

To give effect to these opinions, they limited the Braddon clause to "a period of ten years after the establishment of the Commonwealth, and thereafter until the Parliament otherwise provides ;" and added a new clause (sec. 96) empowering the Parliament, during the same period, to grant financial assistance to any State.

THE FEDERAL CAPITAL.-With regard to the Federal Capital, the Conference reported thus:

"It is considered that the fixing of the site of the capital is a question which might well be left to the Parliament to decide; but in view of the strong expression of opinion in relation to this matter in New South Wales, the Premiers have modified the clause, so that while the capital cannot be fixed at Sydney, or in its neighbourhood, provision is made in the Constitution for its establishment in New South Wales at a reasonable distance from that city."

Accordingly the request of New South Wales, that the capital should be in that colony, was granted; but with two conditions which Victoria insisted upon : (1) that it should not be within 100 miles of Sydney; (2) that the Parliament should sit at Melbourne until it met. at the seat of Government.

BOUNDARIES OF STATES.-The protection asked for by New South Wales against the alteration of the boundaries of any State without its consent was given, by requiring that any law or constitutional amendment to that effect should be submitted to the electors of the State affected, and should require the assent of a majority of those voting.

ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.-With regard to the suggested amendments in the mode of altering the Constitution, the Premiers reported as follows:

"The Premiers agree that, where there is a difference of opinion between the two Houses as to whether the people should have the opportunity of deciding if any alteration should be made in the provisions of the Constitution, one House should not have the power to prevent the question being decided by the people. They have therefore endeavoured to provide a means whereby, after full discussion and reasonable delay, the matter may be referred from either House to the electors. The Premiers are unable to agree that the decision should rest on the result of a National Referendum, it being considered of vital importance that any alteration in the Constitution which the States have agreed to accept should only be made if a majority of the electors of the Commonwealth and also a majority of the electors in a majority of the States determine that it is proper to make such alteration."

Accordingly the provision was inserted which enables a proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution, if twice passed by either House of the Federal Parliament, to be submitted to a Referendum notwithstanding the dissent of the other House.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS.-As to Rivers, Money Bills, and Judicial Appeals, the Premiers after fully considering the proposals of New South Wales did not find it practicable to recommend any alteration of the Bill; whilst they did not regard as desirable the proposed increase in the number of Senators. But in addition to the amendments made at the instance of New South Wales, one was agreed to at the instance of Queensland. To meet the peculiar conditions of that colony, it was provided that if Queensland joined as an Original State, the Parliament of that State might, pending federal legislation, divide the State into electorates for the purposes of Senate elections.

RESULT OF THE CONFERENCE.-As a result of the Conference, therefore, seven amendments were made in the Bill-six at the instance of New South Wales, and one at the instance of Queensland. The three main requests of New South Wales had each been met by a substantial concession. The abolition of the three-fifths majority was a great extension of the actual, as well as the moral, efficiency of the deadlock clause. The provision as to the capital prevented the possibility of the permanent seat of Government being fixed anywhere but in New South Wales. As to the Braddon clause -the temporary retention of which was a general surprise, for it had few friends-it was certainly a great advantage to diminish its rigidity by placing it, after ten years, at the mercy of the Parliament, and thus obviating the necessity for a constitutional amendment if its removal should prove desirable.