10

A.—4

A.-4c, 1885, No. 91.

constituting a Federal Council of Australasia upon the basis of the draft Bill adopted by the Convention held in Sydney in the months of November and December, 1883. 4. That an address be presented to His Excellency the Governor, communicating the foregoing resolutions, accompanied by a copy of the draft Bill therein referred to.

His Excellency the Governor to the President of the Legislative Council. Honourable Sir, — Government House, Sydney, 3rd November, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo, transmitting an address adopted by the Legislative Council, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Dalley, communicating certain resolutions in reference to Federation, the incorporation of New Guinea with the British Empire, the transport of relapsed criminals to the French possessions, and to the confident hope that no penal settlement for the reception of European criminals will long continue to exist in the Pacific seas. In the address, your honourable House further recommends the adoption in substance of the draft Bill submitted to it by the Sydney Convention for the constitution of a Federal Council for Australasia; also, that a humble address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to cause a measure to be submitted to the Imperial Parliament for the purpose of constituting a Federal Council of Australasia upon the basis of the draft Bill adopted by the Convention held in Sydney in the months of November and December, 1883. I shall take the earliest opportunity of submitting to Her Majesty's Government^ through Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, the resolutions of the Legislative Council. I have, &c, Augustus Loftus.

No. 15. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, Downing Street, 3rd January, 1885. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 218, of the 6th November last, enclosing an address to the Queen from the Legislative Council of New South Wales, referring to the resolution passed by the Council praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to cause a measure to be submitted to the Imperial Parliament for the purpose of constituting a Federal Council of Australasia upon the basis of the draft Bill adopted by the Convention held in Sydney in the months of November and December, 1883. I request that you will inform the President and Members of the Legislative Council that their address has been laid before the Queen, who was pleased to receive it very graciously. I have, &c, Derby.

No. 17. The Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, to the Premier, Victoria. (Telegram.) Sydney, 11th March, 1885. In the great demand upon the time and attention of Ministers here made by recent events, the consideration of the question of the submission of our views concerning the amended Enabling Bill by the Imperial Government has been necessarily delayed. As I perceive you propose at once transmitting through South Australia the views of all the colonies, I hasten to inform you of our position on this question. As you are aware, we are embarrassed in submitting any distinct proposals by the circumstance that our Parliament has declined to sanction the course of procedure resolved upon by the Convention. In order to enable us to speak authoritatively a definite expression of parliamentary opinion should be obtained ; and in the absence of this my colleagues feel unable to suggest anything concerning the measure.

No. 18. The Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, to the Colonial Secretary, Queensland. (Telegram.) Sydney, 11th March, 1885. The following telegram has been sent to the Hon. James Service : " In the great demand upon the time and attention of Ministers here made by recent events, the consideration of the question of the submission of our views concerning the amended Enabling Bill by the Imperial Government has been necessarily delayed. As I perceive you propose at once transmitting through South Australia the views of all the colonies, I hasten to inform you of our position on this question. As you are aware, we are embarrassed in submitting any distinct proposals by the circumstance that our Parliament has declined to sanction the course of procedure resolved upon by the Convention. In order to enable us to speak authoritatively a definite expression of parliamentary opinion should be obtained ; and in the absence of this my colleagues feel unable to suggest anything concerning the measure."

No. 19. The Colonial Secretary, Queensland, to the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. Sir, Colonial Secretary's Office, Brisbane, 20th March, 1885. I have the honour to forward to you the accompanying copies of a letter which I have addressed to His Excellency the" Governor of Queensland on the subject of the proposed amendments in the draft Bill for the constitution of a Federal Council, as proposed by the Convention held-at Sydney at the end of 1883. I have, &c, S. W. Griffith.