§ MR. J. F. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, (1) whether he has observed that Queensland has appointed no delegates to, and intends taking no part in, 272 the approaching Federal Convention of the Australian Colonies; (2) whether, in view of the fact that there is no prospect of early relief to the inhabitants of the Central Division of that colony by means of federation, he will reconsider the representations of the people of Central Queensland, through their Parliamentary representatives, requesting the exercise of the reserved right of the Crown to create a new colony in that division of Australia; and, (3) whether, in reference to his statement of 10th August 1896, he has examined the precedents bearing on the subject?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. I have had no official information on the subject, but the newspaper reports are no doubt correct. In answer to the second question, I have to say that if there is no prospect of early relief by means of federation, that position will be mainly due to the voluntary action of the colony in refusing to take part in the federal convention. In his third question the hon. Member is doubtless referring to the separation of Queensland from New South Wales, but he must remember that in that case Her Majesty had power under an Act of Parliament to create the new colony. Parliament has not given to Her Majesty similar power in regard to the sub-division of Queensland.