Federation stories are just one of many reminders of how Australia was dependent on the Poms. Even after five of the Australian Colonies had voted to form a Federation, we had to wait for the Imperial Parliament to pass the Bill for it to become an Act for Queen Victoria to sign. Everything did not go according to plan, and the Bill which became the Act was not exactly the same as the one the Colonies had voted for. We continue the story from where we ended last week, after the Referendums in 1899.
In December 1899 Britain’s Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, telegraphed the NSW Governor with the wish that a delegation from the Federating Colonies would be present in England when the Imperial Parliament discussed the Commonwealth Bill. The Premiers’ Conference in Sydney in January 1900 decided to send a delegation to England: Edmund Barton (from NSW), Alfred Deakin (Victoria), Charles Kingston (South Australia), James Dickson (Queensland), Sir Philip Fysh (Tasmania), and Stephen Parker (the Western Australian observer).
In March 1900 the delegation arrived in London. Chamberlain saw their purpose as assisting and explaining when the Bill went before the Parliament. The delegates saw their role as defending the Constitution Bill from British interference. Thus, the delegates were united in urging the passage of the Bill through the Imperial Parliament without amendment.
Chamberlain wanted amendments, especially keeping the Privy Council’s Judicial Committee as the highest Court of Appeal, for the benefit of investors, bankers and other capitalists in Australia and Britain. The Constitution Bill had ruled out appeals from the High Court of Australia. Some of the delegates threatened “to pack up and go home” if the amendment was insisted upon. Back in Australia the issue was very prominent in the newspapers, with mixed views.
Finally, a compromise was suggested which provided “the golden bridge over which the delegates passed to union.” General Appeals to the Privy Council were retained, but Constitutional Appeals were limited to the High Court of Australia. When others left the room, Barton and Deakin then joined hands with Kingston and “danced hand in hand in a ring around the centre of the room to express their jubilation”.
On July 5, 1900 the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Bill was passed by the Imperial Parliament. Queen Victoria gave her Royal Assent to the Act on July 9. The Queen’s proclamation for fixing the date for the establishment of the Commonwealth was delayed pending the outcome of the referendum in Western Australia. On July 31, 1900 Western Australia voted: (44,800 “Yes’ and 19,691 “No’). There was a majority of 25,109 voting “Yes’ to join the Federation. Queen Victoria signed the proclamation on September 17, 1900.
Lord Hopetoun was appointed the first Governor-General. He nominated the Premier of NSW (William Lyne) to be Prime Minister, but, when he was unable to form a Government, Edmund Barton was chosen. On January 1, 1901 the Proclamation of the Commonwealth of Australia was held in Centennial Park, Sydney, to embark Australia on its journey to nationhood. Barton was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister leading a nine-man interim Federal Ministry.
In Armidale, Federation was to be celebrated on Australia Day, Saturday, January 26, 1901. However, when news was received on January 23 that Queen Victoria had died (aged 81, after a reign of 63 years, seven months and two days), the organising committee, “at once met and formally postponed the affair, without fixing upon any future date”. The Armidale celebrations were held on Wednesday, February 13, 1901. The Armidale Express described the celebrations as “the greatest and most imposing demonstration ever seen in Armidale”.
At the railway station there was an arch, bearing the words, in large letters “Armidale Welcomes her Friends”. Down the street there were “other devices, hanging at intervals across the main thoroughfare”, bearing the words “One Flag, One People, One King, One Destiny” and “New England Rejoices in the Commonwealth”. More than 100 flagpoles were erected at intervals along the line of the route, and from these hung streamers, “making the whole route present a very artistic appearance”.
There was a procession from the railway station, through Beardy Street, thence to the racecourse and sportsground, where there were many entertainments. A mock battle between “the British’ and “the Boers’ was described as “the best military display in Armidale”. Some 5000 people attended the celebrations.
