The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1913. POLITICAL COMPLICATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1769, 6 June 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1913. POLITICAL COMPLICATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

A in&st complicated jjolifcical situation seems likely to arise out of the Australian Federal elections, and judging, by present indications it is difficult to see how a deadlock can be avoided. As regards_ the House of Representatives, the Liberals will probably have a majority of one; but if one of their number should be appointed to the Speakership, the two parties will be evenly balanced, ancl if a Labour member becomes Speaker—which is unlikely—the Liberals will have a majority of two. As against this the Labour members of the Senate far outnumber tho Liberals, and, as Mit. Hughes points out, this will make a deadlock almost inevitable, as no legislation which does not meet with the approval of the Labour party would be allowed to. pass the Senate, and a Liberal Government could not even get Supply except by favour of its opponents. On the other hand, the Labour Government, if, as at present appears to bo probable, it should be in a minority in the House of Representatives, will, of course, be compelled to resign, notwithstanding its large majority in the oth6r Chamber. It must be remembered that' in Australia the Senate can claim to represent the people just as much as the House, as it is directly clected on the' ono-man-one-vote principle, and the strength of parties there cannot be altered by nominating now members of the desired political colour. It is certainly very strange that the same people should send a Labour majority to one House and a Liberal majority to the other; but this is partly explained by the fact that the Houso of Representatives is electcd by single-member constituencies, in which the personal element is likely to bo a whereas each State votes as one constituency for members of the Senate, and, in consequence, the majority of the electors in most cases know very little, _ if anything, personally of the various candidates.

in connection with the granting of Supply, it is true that the Senate cannot amend laws imposing taxation, or appropriating money for the ordinary annual services of the Government, but it can_ send back to the House any such Bill, requesting the omission or amendment of any item contained therein. This gives a hostile Senate ample opportunity of blocking Supply. In order to prevent a perpetual deadlock, the Constitution provides that if the Senate rejects a Bill sent to it from the House of Representatives, and if after an interval of three months the House, in the eamc or next session, again psses_ the Bill, and the Senate again rejects it, the Governor-General may dissolve both Houses simultaneously. If, after the dissolution, the House again passes the measure, and it is once more rejected by the Senate, a joint sitting of both Houses is provided for, and tho passing or rejection of the proposed legislation will be decided by an absolute 'majority of the members of tho two Chambers. If, therefore, the Liberals prove to be in a majority, in the House of Representatives, and the Senate obstructs the business of the country, the Government will bo able to force 'a double dissolution; but unless the temper of the country undergoes a very marked change, the joint sitting would probably result in th<s rejection of any Liberal Bill, owing to the very narrow Liberal majority in the House, and the great strength of the Labour party in the Senate.

The latest particulars regarding the Referenda indicate the possibility of all the proposals being carried. This comes as a surprise, for it was generally believed that, even if the Labour Government was returned to power, the Referenda proposals would be rejected. It will be a strange situation if the Liberals secure a majority in the House, and the people at the same time declare in favour of the amendments in the Constitution, which the Liberals so vigorously opposed, and the Labour party so strongly supported. If present indications arc confirmed'by the final figures, a positira will be reached which will be decidedly un.usual, if not absolutely unique, in the history of democratic government within the British Empire.