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COLONIALiLAWS VALIDITY ACT.
MESSA.CT3 TO MR.DEAKD*.
Melbourne, April 26.
The proposal made by Mr. Chaaafaer
lajs in Ma despatch, which] was published
on Monday, to tie effect that tfee Com
soonwealtb Bill, should be altered1 so as
to provide that the Colonial Laws Vali
dity Act of 1865 should apply to the
? laws of the Federal Parliament, ' is of -
Trmnh trreaim \mnartaxnxei than £h«t Con
ference of Premiers was at first prepared
to admit. Inquiry goes to show that
Canada doessnofc allow that. Act to apply
to the Domakiion, as far as it relates to
tbe Imperial: Axjts passed previously to
the establishment .of the federal consti
tuiaon.
Mr. Mi/eauihas cabled to Mr. Deakin
OEi the-sobjeci as follows: — 'Re Colonial
Laws Validity* Act, Canada does not ad
mit, that thai; Act applies to the Do
minion as far as regards the Imperial
Acts passed previously to the establish
ment of the federal constitutioni, but if
it does it -worald also apply to Australia
withtmt aayamendnieniof theCommon
' wealth. BilL If it does not, then the
alteration proposed by the Secretary of
State wouldkmake our charter more re
stricted thaiKfthafc of Canada.'
In a repoufc to the Premier, tbe At
torney-Genej-sal expresses the opinion
that the attfeude adopted by fhe Cana
- dian statesmen! is one of fundamental im
portance frcan, a constitutional poirt of
view, and thast is a position from which
Australia wo&M be excluded if the al
teration s«ggi?sted by Mr. Chamberlain
were embodied in the Imperial Act.
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