FEDERATION CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 35, 12 February 1890, Page 5

FEDERATION CONFERENCE.

THE CLOSED SESSION.

NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION.

RIGHT TO COME IN AT A

FUTURE TIME.

THE PEOPOSED CONVENTION,

Melbourne, this day. It is understood that the portion of the sitting of the Conference conducted with closed doors yesterday was devoted to the consideration of the position of New Zealand in relation to the other colonies.

The New Zealand representatives, whilst unwilling to commit their colony to the scheme of federation, urged that the colony should be represented at the Convention, and that the basis of federation should be such as to permit New Zealand and Fiji entering at some future time, should they find it desirable to do so.

Mr Deakin gave notice of the following resolutions: — (i) That the members of the Conference take such steps as are necessary to induce the legislators of the respective colonies to appoint delegates to a National Convention, empowered to consider and report on an adequate scheme for a Federal Constitution; (2) That the Convention should consist of seven members from each of the self-governing colonies, and four members from each of the Crown colonies. The third clause refers to the bolstering up of the Federal Council in the interim, and is similar to Mr Deakin's previous notice.