Responsible government in the Dominions: Responsible government in the Dominions

Responsible government in the Dominions (Vol. 2)

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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:: 1896935052

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-238139

Document type:: Volume

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

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Volume count:: Vol. 2

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Pr.

Year of publication:: 1912

Scope:: XI Seiten, Seiten 570-1100

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part IV. The federations and the union // Chapter II. The commonwealth of Australia

Collection:: Economics Books

806 THE FEDERATIONS AND THE UNION [PART IV Newfoundland and Natal were to be admitted without question. They had no desire to disparage the Common- wealth Government or its dignity or importance. They were loyal to the principles of federation, but in substance the Commonwealth Government was practically an agency for the management, under the united control, of the customs and excise, postal, and defence departments of the six states. The admission of the agent to the Conference and the exclusion of the principals was as indefensible from a practical point of view as it was from the constitutional aspect. The Commonwealth Government had no power to represent the states in any matter over which they retained legislative and executive jurisdiction, as for example the administration of justice, police, municipal and local govern- ment, public health, education, poor relief, Crown lands, woods and forests, water conservation, irrigation, pastoral, agricultural, mineral and manufacturing interests, railway, rivers and harbours and lighthouses, and the aborigines. Moreover, even in the matters in which the Commonwealth had power, the questions for discussion—defence, customs, posts, and telegraphs—were of paramount interest to the economic working and efficiency of the State Governments. They instanced as examples in which the consultation of the states was essential, the proposed creation of an Imperial Council, an Imperial Court of Appeal, the discussion of immigration, and of preferential tariffs! On the other hand, the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth criticized the arguments of South Australia in detail? He insisted that the purpose of federation was to create a new unit entitled to act on behalf of Australia as a whole in all matters relating to the interests of Australia as a united community. The Imperial Con- ferences were primarily if not exclusively for the purpose of discussing external relations, and in these matters the states of Australia should no more be represented than the pro- vinces of Canada. There might be matters on which the states should be consulted and conferences held, but they were not suitable matters for discussion at Imperial Conferences. ! See Cd. 3340, pp. 21 seq. ? Ibid., pp. 26 seq.

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