VALUE OF STATE GOVERNORS

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16266, 17 July 1918, Page 8

VALUE OF STATE GOVERNORS

♦ (raoil OXTB OWN corbesfondent.) SYDNEY, July 10. The expense of the State Governor system appears to be a matter of grow, ing concern among somo sections of the community, and there is not much, doubt that the time is approaching when thero will be a firm demand that the King shall be represented in the Commonwealth by the Governor-Gene-ral alone. : The other day, at a Chamber bf Commerce function, the new Governor,: fair Walter Davidson, expressed BOtue war-time opinions on the eight-hours'' day and overtime which, while perfectly justified, and in order as a personal view, were perhaps a little tactless. At any rate, he succeeded in stirring up tho Bolsheviks, and tlioy proceeded to make a noise in the legislative Assembly. A Mr McKell began to ask a question about the speech, but , ra promptly pulled up by the Speaker/' ihe honourable member may not ask'

a question about the Governor." This oxcited the Bolsheviks further, and they declared that "his Excellency °t g r\° kee P out politics." Later, eVnr,^- a n r P" skecl under what Standing Order the Governor could nA" be referred to in respectful terms •in 1 the House. The Speaker replied that ho was acting under an opinion of May that no question could be put refleltinri upon the Sovareign, and the same op-'! plied to tho representative of t£e : bovereign. The Opposition emphatic ally dissented, from this ruling, and 1 various notices of motion relating io' Pa'per^tt 61 " DOw decorate tie Order •. The Farmers' and Settlers' Associa^. tion, an important section of the Nationalist organisation, is now in con* ■ (Terence, and it had a tilt at the Go. vepior system only this moraine i' motion was tabled advocating theabolition of Stato Governorships, in the in < tcrests of national economy. An amend. - ment proposed that the word "Governments" be substituted for ''Governor-' ships," and both proposals fourth- Hnumber'of eloquent and earnest fridndg.* Ihe majority was against both and amendment, however. The opiniot • majority of the delegates vol' indicated by the man who said: '1 come from the Riverma, and if thert - were no State Parliament, the Federal Parliament would not know- wo wen there. The Conference also rejected a motion expressing the opinion that the country is overgoverned; The delegate! thought that the trouble does not lie'in : the number of members of Parliament, J>ut in the poor class of men who hicome members.