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The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1914. PARALYSIS OF RESPONSIBLEGOVERNMENT

The greatest election battle ia the ■ history of Australia is about to eoramence; and it is quite impossible lot anyone to speak with Any degree of confidence as to the- probable re.st.ik. The announcement tna-de on Frktay last by the Prime Minister (Mr. Cook) that the Governor-General had agreed to grant a simultaneous dissolution of both Houses fell life ■ a bombshell in the Souse of ftepre- ■ sentatives. The Unbine.6 iiad kont: the secret well, and the ivmk and file of the Liberal Party were just as unprepared'for the sensational news as tho Labour members, filer® was a general suspicion that something was in the air, and the Leftfe of the Opposition (Mr, Fisher) asked if Mr. Cook had any sfcatenreiaf; to make, but when the stateiuent came it proved to be. el a much moremomentous character than ho had anticipated. The annoftnt'emeat was brief,-but explicit. "I have to announce',*' said Mr. C#«fe "that I tendered certain mlvieo' ia Hfe Excellency tho Governor-General which ho lias been pleased to accept. His Excellency has- decided to 'iiwaJve mmm!tnneously'both Houses, A* swai as pro. vision has been made for ii,« ioivdnct the Public Service during the time uf elections tho Houses will uo dissolvoU." The Labour Party is very anxious to know the precise nature of tho actvice which the Prima Minister tendered to Sir Ronald Muxko Feuguson, and a cablegram which we publish in another column declares that the Opposition is threatening to block Supply unless infonimtifm on this point is forthcoming. It is stated, however, that tho only record in existence of the reasons submitted to the Governor-General in support of the request' for a double dissolution i 3 the Cabinet memorandum presented to him. The contention of some labour members that His Esfcellenc? acted in a partisan spirit in agreeing to the dissolution of both Houses does not rest upon any substantial foundation. It is only rmlnnil that the j Labour Party should desire that the present Senate, in which the Opposition has an overwhelming majority, should be allowed to continue in i existence, but it must be plain to any impartial -observer that the? most effective method of ending tire deadlock is to give the people an opportunity of re-electing the whole Par- ■ liament. The Govei'Mr-Gefteral ' undoubtedly acted in strict accordance with the powers conferred on • him by the Constitution. A situa- I tion had .arisen' which justified the I Prime Minister in asking for a ' double dissolution, and it is very ; difficult to see on what grounds the i Kino's.representative cotiM have re- 1 jeeted the request of his responsible i advisers. It is true that the Con- i stitntion leaves the matter to his : discretion, but as the clause in ques- ; tion was evidently framed for the I express purpose of relieving with a i situation as that which now exists, c one can hardly imagine how he cmdd i justify any other coiu'M than that J t

? which ho lias adopted.'! As Sin Jons J Fokeest has pointed out, a single , dissolution would not have met the ease, as however. large ' ■ the Liberal j. majority might be. in the (ioitw of . Ik'preseiitativos consequent upon an election, it would be confronted with , an unchanged condition of affairs in t tne BeiiiUc, which (Jhfimber has for two sessions made (ho Parliamentary ■ machine unworkable. The. machine • has been thrown out of gear, and ' tho Govcrnor-OetKsrftl has taken what • he considers to be the most effective . means of putiing it in Wkiniorder once more. The Ministry admittedly took a very serious step in asking for a dissolution of both Houses. Mb. Cook confesses that it is the most serious stop which 'has been taken sines 'the establishment oi the Federation; but "at the end of thirteen years the Houses aw wad-locked, and resDoiisible government is paralysed"; 'he has therefore referred the difficulty to "the grand tribunal of the- nation," It ill beamies any sincere and intelligent I democrat- to raise objection to this . wethod °f enabling Parliament to carry on the business of the Commonwealth. . In his appeal to the electors., the Prime Minister declares that ' "unless tile political solution now sought «s successful in removing the deadlack some grave «msu!ntio>ial problems must arise," This is undoubtedly the case, and it is br no means certain that even a r.:-<;l?ction oi both Houses will restore the legislative machine to its normal condition. It is quite possible that the Liberals conic back with a majority in the House, and that the Ls'boui Party may maintain its dominating "oositkm in the Seriate. What would happnfi then i It would' mean thai the Constitution would have, to he amended, of Parliament would br paralysed. The Senate is not eleeted on a population. basis, but is composed of sis members for each State which, means that a small State like Tasmania has As much reftvc : ssntatkm as great; States like tip. torn and New South Wales. The Senate was originally intended to Ik a Council of_ States lor the protection »f the rights of the States. II was Mot contemplated that it woule become a thoroughly partisan both such as it has now shown itself to beSir John Foreest is no doubt richi wlien he declares that the fmnier! of the Constitution nnvev inj-agined that the present situation would hive ariiiii; "It wr.s thought thai tlte Senate- would h&v® been coiviposed of parties of long-tried, experieneed politicians, who wonii never, however numerically stroap they might be, attempt to coetoc and usurp tlie I *)f government.'All these ideas have been fnthlessb tipset. The' esistinpr Senate Wf taken the business c-ut of the bands of Ministers, and has brought sb.oui a situation wEieh'has bceoino ititolcrabb.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19140611.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2173, 11 June 1914, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
958

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1914. PARALYSIS OF RESPONSIBLEGOVERNMENT Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2173, 11 June 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1914. PARALYSIS OF RESPONSIBLEGOVERNMENT Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2173, 11 June 1914, Page 4

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