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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Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part II. The executive Government

Collection:: Economics Books

232 THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT [PART II was intended by statutory enactment to establish the practice which obtains in England. It gives no vested right to a Lieutenant-Governor in his office for five years ; it does not place him in the position of a judge who holds office during good behaviour, although removable by vote of both houses. The statute merely operates and was meant to operate as a check upon the capricious and arbitrary exercise of the power of dismissal by compelling the Ministry to submit the reasons for the exercise of the royal pleasure for Parliament. A Lieutenant-Governor is still removable and ought to be removable whenever it is felt by the Dominion Government that it is for the public interest that he should be displaced. Due regard should of course be had to his feelings and position, and the power should not be lightly exercised ; but it is not necessary that he should be tried, convicted, or even charged with gross moral or personal wrong. If, as in the case of Imperial officers of like position, it becomes necessary or expedient for the advantage, good government, or contentment of the people governed that he should be removed, it is the duty of the Dominion Govern- ment to discard him. His usefulness may have been destroyed by accident or misfortune as well as by fault, but still the usefulness once gone the office should also go. This is, we know, the practice in England, but there Her Majesty’s Government have the means from the multiplicity of offices at their gift to remove the unsuccessful or erring Governor to another sphere of action. Here the same means can scarcely be said to exist. It may perhaps be said that stronger reasons should therefore be assigned for the dis- missal of a Governor ; but, on the other hand, a Canadian officer so removed is not deprived of any professional status or prospects. He belongs to no service, and his office is considered more as a dignified retirement from active political life than one of profit or emolument. At the end of his five years he has no claim for another appointment or for further consideration, and he stands in a position similar to that of a minister who has lost power. In Mr. Letellier’s case it is not in the opinion of his Excellency’s advisers at all necessary in order to justify their advice to go behind the vote of Parliament ; it is sufficient for them that Parliament has passed a censure on his official conduct. After such a vote it must be obvious that he cannot either with profit or advantage be maintained in his position. At the same time they must express their full concurrence in

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