The Globe. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1216, 26 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1878.

THE scenes which are being enacted in Victoria at the present moment are startling enough to attract the attention even of those who take but little interest in political questions. By a stroke of the pen the other day the Governor in Council not only dismissed a large number of meritorious public servants, and brought distress and ruin into many a home, but he at the same time virtually suspended the operation of several important Acts, thus usurping the authority of the Legislature. It will be seen by to-day's telegrams that in this respect the Ministry have been forced to reti'ace their steps. They have reinstated nearly all the Judges of the County, Mines, and Insolvency Courts, although removals in other departments still continue to be made. Although the majority of our readers are no doubt acquainted with the causes which have brought this state of things about, it may not be out of place ; to give a brief history of the struggle. It has ai'isen out of a difference of opinion between the two houses of the Legislature regarding the payment of members. A few years ago tho Victorian Parliament resolved to make a tr'al of the system, when a Bill was passed autbb. Vims tiio jwynicufc of £3OO a yea; to

each member up to the end of the present session. The majority of the Lower House were of course anxious to pass a new Bill this session continuing the system, unci as it was known that the Upper was opposed to such a course a great deal of tall talk was indulged in. The Ministry at first determined to place the sum necessary in the Appropriation Bill, hut afterwards introduced and passed a Bill authorising the system. This was sent to the Upper House, and thrown out without discussion, because the obnoxious item was still included in the Appropriation Bill, and when this measure came before them, they also threw it out. At this stage the Berry Ministry had three courses open to them. They might have waitod and ondeavored to treat with the Upper House; they might have tendered their resignations; or they might have appealed to the country. They chose none of those courses. They resolved to make the country feel the effect of the rejection of the Appropriotion Bill by the wholesale dismissal of a large body of public servants. Tho cruel wrong thus inflicted will no doubt, raise popular indignation, but whether against the Council or the Berry Ministry, remains to be seen. But tho effect of those dismissals was not confined to the individuals concerned. Tho removal of tho Judges of County Courts, Courts of Mines, Courts of Insolvency; and of tho Registrars and DeputyRegistrars of County Courts, suspended the operation of a largo number of Acts affecting tho well-being of tho community; and the conduct of Sir George Bowen in acting on the advice of his Ministers is severely commented on in Victoria. After quoting a number of Acts which was suspended by tho act of the Governor, the An/us asks, is this to administer the Government in accordance with the laws of tho colony ? "Is this a power " says our contemporary " which Her Majesty could exercise in England ? A famous Act tells us that' the pretended power of suspending laws or the execution of laws by regal authority is illegal.' A King in England lost his crown for a much less extensive exercise of this ' pretended power' than that which our Governor with a light heart has commenced."

There are signs that the struggle is about to outer upon a new phase. Tho Ministry have no doubt found that they had gone a little too far when they dismissed the Judges of the County Courts, (fee., and so they have been reinstated. Our telegrams do not inform us why the Government has seen fit to alter their tactics; but we can easily imagine that Mr. Berry was beginning to see that ho was not omnipotent after all, and that the tide of popular opinion was rapidly turning. Another telegram also informed us, the other day, that the Government have resolved to revert to the sytem in force prior to 1862, and make payments on the authority of the Assembly alone. From Melbourne files to hand we find the following explanation given of the intentions or the Ministry. It is contained in a speech by the Commissioner of Public Works :—" When a payment is A r oted by " the House of Commons the money is " expended in accordance with the vote. " A similar practice prevailed in this " colony up to 1862. From that time " until now it has been left for the Audit " Commissioners to say whether money " proposed to bo expended is available or " not. If the Government of the day " thought proper to make that innovation, " the Government of this day might think " it necessary to say that it is not ro-

" quired. ... If the Government is " to bo obstructed by tlio Audit Commis- " sioners in the same way that it had " beeu by the Council, he thought it " would take the opportunity, when it " was supported by the people, to deal " with every difficulty, and give full " force to the public desires, as expressed "by their representatives in the As- " seinbly." The above progammo, as the Argus points out, is virtually to abolish the Audit Act, and remove every safeguard which at present protects the Treasury, and give free access to the public funds to any Minister who can command a ternporary majority in the Lower House. How many men are there in the Assembly, asks the Argus, to whom pripte individuals would give an unchecked control over their banking accounts ?