COMPLICATED SET-UP IN AUSTRALIA

Chronicle (Levin), 24 October 1946, Page 5

COMPLICATED SET-UP IN AUSTRALIA

CONSTITUTION THAT MAY NEED AMENDING Received Wednesdav, l".l 0 p.ni. S YDX 11 Y, Uct. 25. For the fourtli timo since the Austrai ian constilution was apjuoved 45 vears ugo, the people have agree to a r.'ferenduin proposal. I>y so doing tliey have given the Federal Governmeut t'ull power to eontrol, mufy and develop socdal serviee legislation. At presenx the States adniinister wliat soeial benelits there aro in a series of sehemes, inanv of whieh bear no relationship to eaeli other. The euinliersome referendnni melhod is the only way by whieh the stage ean bo set for the production of a unilied system sueli as New Zealand lnis been en.joying for a nuniber of years. When after 50 years of arguinent, a eonvention of e'eeted Btate representatives drew up a const itution in 1S97, ineinbers of the conventiun inade it extremely dillieult for ehanges to be made. Jts writing and final adoption took nearly three years more, wliich were fraught with intrigue and couqironiise. Speeial powers, noted in Oi) articles, were delegated to the (5nnnionwealt.il and others unlisted let't to Ihe States. The resulting doi iiinent. diffcred in many respeets froni ils three principul niodels, the eonst it ulions of t'annda, Fnited States and Swilzei land, 'i o aiter anv section of it an absolut e niajority in botli Federal Houses had lirst lo approve the propo.-ed alleration. Tlien it must be de'-i red not only liy a niajority of Australian eleetors Imt also by majorities in foui of ihe si States. 1 n the reeent i i -fereiiil u m Australihns as a wlnde were in favoiir of all three proposals liut a lialaiu-e in three States wa- again-t approval of questions relating to the eontrol of marketing and einploymeiit eondit ioiis. Since the Feileration 2't proposals have been put foruard in 11 referendunis and of these only four have been approved. The mai ti issue in the struggle ngainst ihe in violabilily of the 15-year old eoiistitution, is whether the Cone iiionwealth shouid assume eertain powers now held by the States. Feeling is growing that the Boer war eoiistitution has been rendered obsolete by lnodern ndvanees in comnuin icj.it ions ainl that drastie ehanges must be made. The batlle has iuten-ilied sinee 1942 when Dr. F.vatt invjted the Promior and Dpposition leader of each State to eonfer with metnbers of the, Federal Parliament on the proposed referenduni. Tlie result of this eanvention was a drai't HUI for the ( 'omnmii wealth to take over If cont rolling powers from the States for live years after the cessation of hostilities. ("itizens, however, reacted unfavourably when they fouml tliey had to sav " ves " or ''no" to oue liuge question involving the reinstnteuien't of servieemen, eninloynient, priees, m'onopolies, marketing, aviatipn, uniformity of railway gauges, health and other national matters. Only three States were favowrable. it is possible that with two of its three latest proposals de- j feated by the aneient mechanisni, the (fo\ ernment considers that the timo has arrived for Australia's third constitutional con vention.