The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1912. THE SPOILS PARTY AT WORK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1475, 25 June 1912, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1912. THE SPOILS PARTY AT WORK.

The Mackenzie Ministry, on the eve of the session of Parliament which isto decide its fate, has again abused its trust by adding three more to the long list of its supporters in the Legislative Council. There is not a shadow of excuse for making these appointments, and the only purpose in view has been to ensure that no'opportunity shall be missed of distributing the spoils of office amongst the friends of the Ministry. A week or a fortnight hence the Mackenzie Ministry may be thrust from thoTreasury benches, and apparently it is determined that before that time arrives it will make the most of its chances. Concerning the gentlemen appointed we shall have little to say for the moment. Sir William Steward and Messks. Duncan and Pakata have been faithful, not to say slavish, supporters of the party which has for so long controlled the affairs of this country. They are all well advanced in years, and have a record of long service in the House of Representatives. As to their possible usefulness in their new positions we prefer to say nothing more than this: that they will not add strength to an already weak second Chamber. But while the particular appointments made have little to commend them beyond a recognition ot faithful party service, tho circumstances in which the Government has acted call for tne strongest censuru. It must not be lost sight of that the Mackenzie Ministry is merely a stopgap Ministry which has never faced either Parliament or the. country. It came into existence as the result of a meeting of a minority of members during the recess, and it has avoided facing Parliament so long as it was possible to do so. Despite its boasted confidence in the result of the issue when Parliament meets, the Ministry induced his Excellency the Governor to prorogue Parliament until the latest possible hour, and in the meantime it has been seizing every chance to exercise its power of patronage for the benefit of its friends and to furthcr the interests of its party, and incidentally its own. Its tactics'have been "spoils" tactics from the outset. But the position is made even worse than stated above by the fact that at tho present time the Ministry has an overwhelming majority in the Legislative Council, and that there was not the slightest necessity for any further appointments either to ensure the proper conduct of business or the carrying of any policy measures which the Government might have in view. Of tho thirty-six members constituting the Legislative Council, at least thirty are the nominees of the "Liberal" party, and the three additional now added will merely go to swell that overwhelming majority. Should a change of Government take place, as seems in every way probable, the new Government may be seriously embarrassed in carrying out its legislative programme by having to face an antagonistic Second Chamber. The difficulty may bo overcome by nominating a large number of new Legislative Councillors, but on rfie shoulders of the Mackenzie Ministry must rest the blame for having aggravated tho_ difficulties of the situation. The Ministry, in fact, has badly overstepped the mark in thus rushing in to benefit its friends heedless of political decency and regardless of tho interests of the public. Had it any real hopes of carrying on, it could hardly have been so| foolish as to commit itself openly to an action which everyone can so plainly _ see was quite unnecessary, and which, apart from tho question of cost, has so vicious a princiclej

underlying it. There are some people, no doubt, wliij will In; inclined: to lay spme shave, of the blame- at the door of. his Exeeiieiiicj the Governor for acq'li'resei'ng in these a.iiptuatmcnts. It si.ioit-lcl not be overlooked however, t hat- in' a matter of tlvis, kind the. Governor occupies. .a d'ijfc cult and a t!.-licaic position. lie is expected.to follow the advice tendered by his. responsible; Advisors, unless he considers ChpM is Spme strong and sound' reason: for acting otherwise. He- niji-jf .not; agree with a course proposed to be taken, and' may. consider it his duty to tell his Ministers so. but although he possesses the, right- to tier- in opposition to the wishes- of the Kxeeutive Council, it is a right seldom exorcised save in extreme .Cases-. The tendency is, and ii is a right one, to int.-riYie as little 1 fis- .p'd's'si'bl.a .in matters, affefetintr the internal administration of a self-gove'riiing Dominion, mucli greater weight being allowed to the opinion, of Ministe'rs.. in such pases than in matters of Imperial interest. Whatever-:..his Excellency's opinion may have been concerning the' desirableness ot making !the'sfe .appo'intlnents at. the present juncture, lie would no doubt, feel that; the responsibility was one which Miaiil'd pro, perly rest with his Ministers, and not with;, .-.i'nise'lf.