the public service, a new Factories Act and a new Lands Act. In June 1883, at a banquet at Albury celebrating the opening of the railway line between Sydney and Melbourne, Service raised the question of Australian federation. He supported Sir Thomas McIlwraith in his action with regard to the annexation of New Guinea, and suggested the inter-colonial conference which was held at Sydney in November 1883. There a bill constituting a federal council was framed which was carried by Service through the Victorian parliament in 1884. Service himself desired the establishment of a federal government, but the other premiers were comparatively lukewarm and the proposed council was to have very limited powers. By the time of the 1886 election Service was in declining health and decided to retire from active politics and return to England for a while. In 1888 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne Province, and served there until April 1899. References Further reading Geoff Browne, A Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament, 1900-84, Government Printer, Melbourne, 1985 Don Garden, Victoria: A History, Thomas Nelson, Melbourne, 1984 Kathleen Thompson and Geoffrey Serle, A Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament, 1856-1900, Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1972 Raymond Wright, A People's Counsel. A History of the Parliament of Victoria, 1856-1990, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1992 External links 1823 births 1899 deaths Premiers of Victoria Scottish emigrants to colonial Australia Victoria (Australia) state politicians People from Kilwinning 19th-century Australian politicians 19th-century Australian businesspeople Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Treasurers of Victoria