THE COMMONWEALTH

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1920, Page 1

THE COMMONWEALTH

REVISING THE CONSTITUTION.

SYDNEY, December 9

Again there ‘is talk of revising the Constitution of -Australia. Twenty years’ experience of .the Constitution, while it has on the whole demonstrated the workableness of the instrument of government pfeovided, has aljso indicated several weak places that need to hie strengthened, and omissions that have to be supplied. The people of Australia are reluctant to alter their Constitution A° their own motion, here and there,'at‘the behest of their poll'-, ticians. Already some seven or eight referendum? for Constitutional alterations liaye all been rejected. The States, jealous of their rights under the Constitution, and suspicious of Federal aggression, are determined that they will he fully consulted in any proposed change. 'Hie Federal .Government appears resolute on baying a major voice in the remodelling of the instrument of government. Whether the Convention which is to look' into the whole subject and bring up a new Constitution, is to lie elected by the people or nominated by the Federal Parliament and the State Legislature, or partly one, partly the. other, is not yet known. The Labour Party, which is in favour of unification and the sweeping away of State rights, is out with a programme of radical changes. Their idea is to split up the Commonwealth into 31 provinces to replace the six States, each with provincial Legislatures of a municipal character: The Federal Senate is to disappear—uni-eameral government being another fad of Labour —and the House of Representatives is to consist of 100 members. The Commonwealth is to talde over all, State debts. This would be a clean sweep of everything and nothing is less likely than that the States will have anything to do with it.