A VICE-REGAL EVICTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 6

A VICE-REGAL EVICTION.

Having, in the worst possible taste, resumed possession of the Vice-Regal rcsidonoe in Sydney during the term of office of the Governor-General of the Australian Commonwealth (Lord Denman), who has now removed his household to Melbourne, the New South Wales Labour Government proposes to celebrate tho _ formal opening of the historic mansion and beautiful grounds to the public by a big demonstration. The State Premier hopes, by heeling up the party's supporters, that this demonstration will have the appearance of furnishing popular reply to the vigorous criticism which has been directed at the M'Gowen Ministry from all quarters for its. deliberate slight to the King's representative; Democracy has suffered much at the hands of its professing champions, but this latest humiliation has seriously compromised ' the prestige of the parent State of the Commonwealth, and as the Sydney Daily Telegraph puts ifc,_ affixed to it "a detestable stigma in the eyes of the loyal communities in the other selfgoverning Dominions." The step taken has apparently been forced upon Mit. M'Gowen by the ultraradical section in his Cabinet, for the history of the case records some attempt on his part to effect such a settlement with the Federal Government as would at least have postponed the resumption of Government House the expiry of Lord Denman's term of office. An offer was made that the Federal Government, upon which the primary responsibility of finding a suitable residence for the Governor-General rests, should lease the Government House, Sydney, at an annual rental of £4500, but this was rejected and the State Government .declined .to modify its demands. Negotiations then ended,' and Lord Denman thereupon announced his intention of leaving Sydney. To the eternal discredit'of the Federal and State Governments, his _ Excellency . was permitted to take his departure without any further effort being made by either to evolve even a temporary settlement that would save the face of the Commonwealth. Replying to a farewell address on the occasion of his departure from Sydney, Lord Denman put his personal view of the matter as follows:

"I accepted the appointment of Gover-nor-General," lie said, "on the clear understanding that I should have a residence in- Sydney as well as in Melbourne. Several months later, shortly before I lfcft England, I learnt that notice had been given by the Government of State of its intention to resume possession of Sydney Government House. I was advised by high authorities in England, and by my Ministers at Melbourne, to come here and endeavour to arrive at an amicable settlement of the trouble. I have tried to do so. I suggested that I should give up the greater part of tho grounds of Government House, as I have always agreed with those who hold' the view that too much land should not be reserved in the heart of the city for the residence of any individual, but such efforts as I have made, I regret to say, have been in vain." ■

It will reasonably be supposed _by anyone with a spark of loyalty within him that if the squabbling Governments could not agree between themselves, they might at least have waived their eontentions > in deference to the expressed anxiety of his Excellency that he should have some residential connection with the parent State of the Commonwealth, especially m view of, the fact that his Majesty the King had evinced_ some concern in the matter. But this apparently did not weigh at all. The great bulk of trades unionists wo have no doubt have little sympathy with the element which appears at times to dominate the Labour caucus and which does such injury to the cause of labour by its disregard of the feelings of the community, at large. ________