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1899
Observer 7 January 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'Federation and the meeting of the Premiers.
p. 26 col. C. 'Federation.' 'Mr Dickson [Queensland Premier] . . . said that while he most sincerely desired federation he did not want anything which was hasty or impulsive, for equal justice must be done to all the colonies.'
Observer 14 January 1899 p. 16 col. C. 'Federation. The Federal resolutions.' 'In view of the Conference of Premiers to be held this month in Melbourne on federation, it will . . . be interesting to give the precise terms of the "suggested" amendments to the Commonwealth Bill, which will be presented by the Premier of New South Wales.'
p. 30 col. C. 'Federation. Mr Kingston's reply to Mr Reid'; 'Sir George Turner's reply.' [Agree to attend a Conference of Premiers to discuss federation, and New South Wales Parliament's amendments to the Commonwealth Draft Constitution; and welcome Queensland to the Conference.]
Observer 28 January 1899 p. 12 col. B. 'The Federal Council.' [Eighth session of Federal Council held in Melbourne; delegates from Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania.]
p. 12 cols. B,C. 'Federation.' 'The delegation as a whole considers that the federal issue is the people's issue, and that as far as possible Parliament should be asked to do no more than pass the proposals on for a vote of the people.' [Federal Council meeting in Melbourne.]
Observer 4 February 1899 p. 10 col. C. 'The Federal Council.' 'Sir George Turner said the discussion clearly showed the uselessness of the Federal Council as long as it did not contain representatives from all the colonies.'
p. 26 col. D. 'Premiers' Conference.' '. . . hearing Mr Reid explain the amendments desired by the New South Wales' Parliament and the reasons for those alterations. All Premiers asked for further details which Reid promised to furnish.'
Observer 11 February 1899 p. 9 cols. A-E; p. 10 cols. A-C. 'The Premiers' Conference.' [C.C. Kingston states: 'We have come to a unanimous agreement for the removal of the difficulties which have hitherto remained. I am sanguine that we shall not have to wait long before federation is an accomplished fact.'
p. 10 col. B. 'The Federal Capital.' 'The clause agreed to by the Premiers stated distinctly that the seat of the Government of the Commonwealth should be in New South Wales . . . the first Federal Parliament should meet in Melbourne. That Parliament would last for the first three years of the Federal union, and during that time the exact site of the Federal Capital would be fixed and the necessary buildings would be erected.'
p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'The coming Commonwealth.' 'The preliminary work of preparation which the Premiers were called upon to perform has been well done, and it remains for the legislature in each colony to decide whether or not the electors shall have the opportunity of accepting or rejecting the Constitution in its modified form.'
p. 26 col. E. 'Federation.' 'In the House of Lords . . . the Earl of Kimberley expressed his great satisfaction at the probable nearness of Australian federation . . . Lord Salisbury . . . believed that federation would tend to promote the prosperity and happiness of the Australian colonies, and render more indissoluble the strong bonds which connected the colonies and the motherland.'
Observer 18 February 1899 p. 9 col. A. 'Federation.' [Western Australian Premier '. . . was of the opinion that no man in the colony believed that that colony would benefit by remaining out of the Federation altogether.']
Observer 25 February 1899 p. 14 cols. D,E. 'Federation. The Commonwealth League.'
p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'Some aspects of the Federal question.' 'What Federalists desire to see is a complete and evenly balanced nation from the outset, and it would be a matter for regret if either Western Australia or Queensland remained out, even for a few years.'
p. 29 col. C. 'Federation. The Enabling Bill in South Australia.'
Observer 4 March 1899 p. 24 col. E; p. 25 col. A. 'Parliament and Federation.' '. . . people of South Australia will have the opportunity presented to them of accepting or rejecting the revised Commonwealth Bill, and thus of taking . . . the final step towards deciding whether federation shall or shall not be brought about.'
Observer 11 March 1899 p. 10 col. E; p. 11 col. A. 'Federation.' 'The [South Australian] Premier has received from the Premiers of Victoria and Queensland telegrams of congratulations upon the prompt passage of the Federal Enabling Bill through the South Australian Parliament.'
Observer 18 March 1899 p. 24 col. E; p. 25 col. A. 'Stemming the Federal tide.' 'The unpatriotic majority in and out of the [New South Wales Legislative] Council has resorted to the most unscrupulous tactics to secure the defeat of the Bill . . .'
p. 14 cols. A-E; p. 15 cols. A-E. 'The new Governor. Arrival of Lord Tennyson.' Illustrated supplement. 'The new Governor.'
Observer 15 April 1899
Observer 22 April 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'Federation.' 'To vote "Yes" will be to assist in promoting the welfare of South Australia . . . '
Observer 29 April 1899 p. 30 col. A. 'The General elections and double referendum.' [The Federal Referendum. Australasian Federal Constitution; The Franchise referendum [Legislative Council]. Facsimile of referendum ballot papers.]
Observer 27 May 1899 p. 29 col. D. 'The Referendum. The final totals.' [Yes: 65,990. No: 17,053. Informal: 10,909. Metropolitan and country statistics detailed.]
Observer 10 June 1899 p. 11 cols. A,B. 'Federation.' 'Sir George Turner, as Chairman of the Premiers' Conference . . . requested that these documents [copies of the Commonwealth Bill adopted at the Convention and the amendments agreed to at the Premiers' Conference] . . . might receive the earliest consideration of Her Majesty's Government, so that, should the various colonies accept the Constitution as amended . . . Her Majesty's Government [could] immediately pass the necessary Bill in the Imperial Parliament before the close of the current session.'
p. 24 col. E; p. 25 col. A. 'The Federal fight.' 'The sanguine hope entertained by the promoters of federation that the Commonwealth Bill would be available for presentation to the Imperial Parliament prior to the prorogation of that body in August next cannot now be realized. All prospect of such a happy consummation has, in fact, been hopelessly destroyed by the determination of the Queensland Assembly to defer the referendum in that province until September.'
Observer 17 June 1899 p. 29 col. A. 'Federation.' [Report '. . . relating to the financial bearing of the federal question.']
p. 29 cols. B-D. 'Federation. Smaller versus larger states'; 'South Australia defended by the Treasurer.' [F.W. Holder]; 'Special report by the Audit Commissioner.'
Observer 24 June 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'The Federal Victory.' 'The tidings of the triumph of the federal cause in New South Wales has sent throughout the British Empire a thrill of pleasure - a natural sensation upon the birth of a nation.' [New South Wales approves Commonwealth Bill.]
Observer 1 July 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. 'The Federal movement.'
p. 25 col. E. 'Federation.' 'Mr Chamberlain, Secretary for the Colonies . . . hopes to introduce the Federation of Australia Enabling Bill at the beginning of the next session of the Imperial Parliament in February next.'
Observer 15 July 1899 p. 27 col. A. 'Federation.' [Western Australia's Premier said '. . . there was not the slightest doubt that Parliament had a perfect right to amend the [Commonwealth Bill] if it thought fit . . . The Bill must be thoroughly sifted, and they must not lose sight of the material interests of the colony.' In New Zealand a public meeting decided 'the time had arrived when the Parliament of New Zealand should be asked to submit the Commonwealth Bill to the electors. It was resolved to form a New Zealand Federal League.']
Observer 22 July 1899 p. 10 cols. A-C. 'Federation.' [Interstate reports. 'The Premier [Sir John Forrest] had reluctantly come to the conclusion that Western Australia would have to insist upon some sort of amendments before she could accept the Bill.' Queensland's Premier 'had not the slightest hesitation in asking people to accept the measure.']
Observer 29 July 1899 p. 9 col. D. 'Federation.' [G.H. Reid's reply on behalf of the Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, to Sir John Forrest [Western Australia]: 'Any hope of putting pressure upon us to consent to further amendments in the Bill you should dismiss from your mind as absolutely hopeless.']
Observer 5 August 1899 p. 8 col. E; p. 9 col. A. 'Federation. Referendum day in Victoria and Tasmania. Unanimity for Federation.'
p. 9 col. A. 'Sir John Forrest to the Premiers.' '. . . amendment asked for and obtained by Queensland . . . [but] although Western Australia is in many respects similarly situated to Queensland, the same request from me was refused. The course now taken by the Parliament of their colony in subjecting the Bill to a searching enquiry by a Joint Select committee as to its effect upon our trade and commerce is surely a reasonable one.'
p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'The triumph of federation.' 'And South Australians may be glad to reflect - and the fact should be remembered when Australian federal history shall be written - that in conjunction with Victorians and New South Welshmen their young men bore a distinguished part in the launching of this now memorable and triumphant movement . . . The idea of the Convention originated in Adelaide; its first meeting was held in Adelaide; and South Australia was the first colony to adopt the amended Bill.'
Observer 12 August 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'The Federal dawn.' 'Members of both Houses may well be complimented upon the good grace, commendable expedition, and genuine enthusiasm which characterized their adoption of the loyal Address with which the Commonwealth Bill will be forwarded to the Queen for the Imperial ratification - the final step preliminary to the formal consummation of Australian federation.'
Observer 19 August 1899 p. 9 cols. A,B. 'Federation. Federal enthusiasm in Perth'; 'New Zealand's position.'
Observer 9 September 1899 p. 9 col. D. 'Federation. The Queensland referendum.' [Queensland carries the Bill.]
p. 25 cols. B,C. 'Federation.' 'One link is lacking in the chain of Australian unity, and the people of Western Australia desire to supply it, but they cannot do so because of official obstruction of the popular wish . . . While Australia is entreating the sixth colony to complete the union, many New Zealanders are prepared to beg for the privilege of entering the Federation.'
Observer 7 October 1899 p. 8 cols. A-E. 'The Transvaal.' [London, September 29. 'The belief is now general that war is imminent.']
p. 26 col. B. 'The Australian Commonwealth Bill.' '. . . the Colonial Secretary [Mr Chamberlain] added that he saw not the slightest difficulty in the way of getting the measure passed early in 1900, unless the Bill were found to raise any question of Imperial concern.'
Observer 14 October 1899 p. 24 cols. D,E. Editorial. 'The Boers ultimatum.'
Observer 21 October 1899 p. 29 cols. A-E; p. 30 cols. A-D. 'South Australian Contingent for the Transvaal. Preparing for the fray.'
Observer 28 October 1899 p. 12 col. A. 'Federation. Western Australia.' 'It is understood that the separation question was seriously discussed by the Committee [of the Federal League] and that information regarding the method of procedure for attaining that end is to be sought from authorities on constitutional law.'
p. 25 col. C. 'The war.' 'Fighting has begun in South Africa in dead earnest.' Illustrated supplement. 'The Transvaal Contingent.' [see also: 4 November 1899. Illustrated supplement. 'The Transvaal Contingent';. 27 January 1900. Illustrated supplement. 'The war in South Africa. South Australia's Mounted Contingent.']
Observer 11 November 1899 p. 26 col. D. 'Federal tariff. The Manufacturers' Conference. Heavy protection advocated.' 'The Conference of Intercolonial Chambers of Manufacturers convened by the Victorian Chamber for the purpose of framing a Federal tariff met today. There was a large attendance of delegates from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.'
Observer 25 November 1899 p. 12 col. E. 'Federation.' [J.H. Symon in Perth '. . . said that . . . there was no possible chance of the Commonwealth Bill being amended by the Imperial Parliament, and that Sir John Forrest was deceiving Western Australians in leading them to think otherwise. For the most part the proposed amendments of Western Australia were frivolous, and where they were not frivolous they were impossible.']
Observer 16 December 1899 p. 24 col. E; p. 25 col. A. 'The isolated colony.' 'The great western colony stands isolated from the rest through the machinations of a hypocritical oligarchy who have deprived the people of their undoubted claim to be heard upon this vital subject.'
p. 27 col. A. 'Western Australian Uitlanders.' 'A convention of goldfield delegates to consider the federal aspect and other matters concerning the goldfields was held here [Coolgardie] today . . . the only course to redress the grievances of the eastern goldfields, especially in the matter of federation, is . . . separation from the rest of the colony of Western Australia . . . those present do now form themselves into a Reform League.'