GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION._ [To THE EDITOR OF THE
" SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I have only now read your article of March 1st on• " The New Surrender to Australia " of our convictions respect- ing the law of divorce. I agree with you that we cannot hold. out on the subject for an indefinite time; but surely we ought to hold out until the Australian Confederation is formed. We- ought to use the Royal veto to prevent what we think dangerous legislation on the part of Victoria, or any other single Colony, and in the forthcoming Federal Constitution it ought to be carefully provided, as I believe it is in that of the Dominion of Canada, that marriage and divorce shall be matters for federal legislation alone. By so doing, we may not secure the perpetuation of what we regard as Christian. principles on this subject in the laws of Australia, but we- shall at least prevent the reproduction in Australia of the- great and scandalous American evil of a number of distinct and conflicting systems of law within one nation on so vitally- important a subject. —I am, Sir, &c.,
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