Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/420

 412] FOEEIGN HISTORY. [1899.

election was concluded on April 29. The result was in favour of the Government.

The new Parliament was opened on June 22. The Governor congratulated the colony on improved prospects of agriculture and mining ; also on the passage of the Federal Enabling Bill.

Mr. Holder, as Treasurer, made his Budget speech on August 24. He estimated the revenue at 2,715,000Z., saying it was the last Colonial Budget to be introduced before confedera- tion. A railway to the Queensland border was promised.

The popular vote on the Federal Bill gave 65,000 in favour of the measure, and 17,000 against.

The revenue to June 30 was 2,655,500Z. — an increase of 99,000Z.

The Solomon Ministry, which came into office upon a chance vote against Mr. Kingston, had but a short existence. They were defeated on the question of the reform of the Upper House by 25 votes to 22 on December 5.

Mr. Kingston refusing to take office, Mr. Holder, former Treasurer, was entrusted with the task of forming an Ad- ministration. The composition of the new Cabinet was as follows : Mr. F. W. Holder, Premier, Treasurer, and Minister of Industry ; Mr. J. H. Gordon, Attorney-General ; Mr. J. G. Jenkins, Chief Secretary ; Mr. K. W. Foster, Commissioner of Public Works ; Mr. E. L. Babdelon, Minister of Education and Agriculture.

Lord Tennyson, the new Governor, arrived at Adelaide on April 10.

A meeting was held at Adelaide on May 17 to express sympathy with the Outlanders.

The population at the end of June was returned at 568,960.

Western Australia. — No advance was made by the colony in the direction of federation, owing chiefly to the personal opposition of Sir John Forrest, the Prime Minister. Meetings were held in favour of the Commonwealth Bill, and in the gold-mining districts of the south-east there was a very large majority of Federalists.

The Parliament was opened on June 21. The Governor's speech announced that a Federal Bill would be presented, but he considered that its provisions were less favourable to the colony than to the others. Sir John Forrest moved that the Federal Bill be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses, having arrived at the conviction that amendments were necessary.

A motion of want of confidence in the Ministry (July 4) was defeated by a majority of 14.

The Joint Committee of the two Houses reported (Sept. 20) that before the colony could accept federation important amendments were required, especially as to the election of senators the trans-continental railway, and customs.

A measure for giving the suffrage to women was passed on August 18.