Responsible government in the Dominions: Responsible government in the Dominions

Responsible government in the Dominions (Vol. 1)

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Multivolume work

Identifikator:: 1896933912

Document type:: Multivolume work

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Press

Year of publication:: 1912-

Collection:: Economics Books

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Volume

Identifikator:: 1896934455

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-236504

Document type:: Volume

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Volume count:: Vol. 1

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Pr.

Year of publication:: 1912

Scope:: LI, 568 Seiten

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part II. The executive Government

Collection:: Economics Books

214 THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT [PART II interest that Parliament shall meet on as early a day as possible, and be able to proceed to business forthwith. Again, in regard to the various recommendations which in detail or by inference we discussed on Thursday, and in regard to all business which is not urgent and yet outside routine administrative requirements, the assumption that the Government has failed to secure the confidence of the electorate at the polls, leaves undiminished, indeed increases, the stringency of the limitations of an already somewhat peculiar position. Let me explain my meaning. The circumstances are these : The previous Administration (with Sir Mackenzie Bowell as Prime Minister), representing the views of the same political party and having a majority in both chambers, failed to pass its proposed legislation, and on the 25th of April Parliament expired by efflux of time, without having granted supplies for the public service beyond the 30th of June. Subsequently, when no Parliament was or could be, under. the circumstances, in existence, the present Adminis- tration was formed. So far, therefore, as these are dependent apon the subsequent approval of Parliament, the acts of the present Administration are in an unusual degree provisional. And as the powers of an Administration undoubtedly full and unrestricted must surely always be used with discretion, their exercise would seem to be rightly limited, under such circum- stances as the present, to the transaction of all necessary public business, while it is further a duty to avoid all acts which may embarrass the succeeding Government. On this ground I would ask your further consideration of some of the recommendations ‘which we discussed inciden- tally on Thursday. On this ground too, I felt obliged to withhold the expression of my acquiescence in your sugges- tion as to the appointment of Senators or J udges. (You have since then laid before me certain recommendations as to Senatorships which are vacant.) These are life appointments, and with them, under such circumstances as the present, it would seem proper to leave all other life appointments, and the creation of all new offices and appointments, for the consideration of the incoming Ministers, unless always such a course is shown to be con- trary to the public interest. In the case of the Senate, which consists of seventy-eight members, it is to be noted also that there are said to be now no more than five Senators who are Liberals. And it may well be urged that to aggravate this inequality at the

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