The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1914. THE FEDERAL DISSOLUTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 10 June 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1914. THE FEDERAL DISSOLUTION.

A political crisis has its advantages as well as its drawbacks, but the country | which possesses the necessary constitu- . tional machinery for dealing with such a crisis by transferring the problem to the judgment of the people is in a happy position. Australia is fortunately able to take this course, the Governor-Gen-eral being empowered to dissolve both chambers if so advised by the Ministry of the day. The growth of the Labor party in Australia has brought about a slate of affairs in politics that has put stability of Government almost out of question, the balance of power fluctuating from time to timo in a most embarrassing maimer, all the. more so as both of the Federal Chambers do not accord in their reflection of the will of the electors. The Federal crisis is not a sudden eruption, but has been looming more or less acute for a considerable time. The immediate cause of the dissolution was the twice repeated refusal of the Senate to pass a measure prohibiting preference to Unionists in the Government's employment, the Bill Slaving been twice passed in the Lower House. It is not surprising to find that the Federal Premier, Mr Cook, lias invoked the powers of the constitution and asked for a double dissolution. WJien the Federal Parliament met on April 1-J, it was well known that the Government did not propose to do anything but push through its two test Bills and then demand a dissolution of both the Senate a,nd the House, The Colonial OAice was fully aware of the fact, and the Governor-General was doubtless well prepared to act as lie might be advised by the Federal Government, hence 'his compliance with the request for a dissolution shows that he considered it a legitimate one under the circumstances, though it may probably have appeared to him as a somewhat drastic course, for the whole of his political life has been set in a totally different mould. In the House, the liberals have a majority, but it is only a majority of one, while in the Senate Labor is dominant. The position therefore is fraught with possibilities that, especially a s there has been a steady increase in the Labor vote in Tasmania, are not easily forecasted. The Labor party claims to be in a complete state of efficiency at the present time, so far as organisation is concerned, but, in view of the last general election results, it is more than likely that they would have preferred the Senate being left alone and taken their chance of victory at the polk in a new election to the Lower House. That, however, would not fuit the Liberals, and the result will be awaited with great interest in New Zealand as well as in Australia.

A STRAIGHT REPLY. > The, anti-militarists waylaid the Prime Minister at Christchurch on Saturday and asked for no lees than the "absolute and unconditional repeal of the Defence . Act." Mr. Massey rose to the occasion in lino style. His reply was direct and I emphatic. "The present Government is going to stand or fall by the principle of the Defence Act. We take the responsibility for the Act just as did-the Government which placed it on the Statute Book. If you don't agree with that you will get your remedy at the cud of the year: vote against us." There is no room for misunderstanding about a declaration such as this, and for having tho courage to make it, the Prime Minister is to be commended. There is a noisy but small element in the community who can see nothing good in the defence system—who, indeed, feel that training to bear arms «in the protection of the country in the event of it being assailed is one huge mistake, and who are ever condemning those who ar e striving to put the country in a position of safety, but it is fortunate, even in their own interests, that their neurotic lamentations carry no weight with those in authority. Mr. Massey, in his reply, told the anti-militarists that the Government was willing to improve the Act, but it held that the young fellows of tho country must be trained to do their duty in the event 'of the Empire being brought to war. He was just as anxious to preserve peace as was anyone else, but Ihow was the Empire to be kept together if they did not keep it in a state of delence? It was right that defence should be undertaken by the Empire; it was also right that this part of the Empire should do its share. There was no other way than the present by which New Zealand could get into a position of defence. Now Zealand was simply following the example of other countries. If New Zealand was going to do justice to its people it must do justice to the Empire. Mr. Massey wont on to say that lie did not agree with the views expressed about the effect of military training. His own boys were not of training age, but if they were, and they declined to do their duly to tho country, lie would be ashamed of them — he would disown them. This statement, both frank, wise and patriotic, will meet with the hearty endorsement of all wh« take a sane view of the defence question, and who value the rights and liberties they enjoy in this "lone bright star of th'e southern constellation." The visionary or misguided anti-inililarUtj t;ot very little change out of the Prime Minister, and if the Defence Minister (Mr. Allen) adopted the same frank and linn attitude regarding the treatment of passive-registers, all resistance to the I defence system would soon die a natural death.