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

cpap. 111] THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA 949 cerned is assumed as given ; the preamble merely recites the approval of their existing Parliaments, without reference to the people at all. In the case of the Commonwealth of Australia, in every instance not merely did the Parliaments assent but referenda took place, so that the electors were fully responsible for the decision to accept federation. In the case of Canada the electors were not in all cases con- sulted, inasmuch as the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia on their own responsibility accepted confederation. For that error the Nova Scotia Government were turned out of office at the next general election, and Nova Scotia returned to the Federal Parliament members pledged to agitate for the undoing of the Union so far as it concerned Nova Scotia. Eventually it was found possible, through the influence of the Imperial Government, and by the exercise of tact on the part of the Federal Government, to arrive at a compro- mise, under which the Federal Parliament undertook to pay Nova Scotia a larger sum than it originally had con- templated as a contribution towards the provincial finances, and the province acquiesced in the new arrangement and Mr. Howe entered the Dominion Parliament. It must be confessed that the precedents were in favour of a fuller consultation of the electors than was in this case required.! It must be admitted, moreover, that the Parlia- ments then existing were not elected with a view to union or federation, and that it is somewhat contrary to principle that Parliaments elected merely for the ordinary conduct ! In Natal arrangements were made to hold a referendum under Act No. 2 of 1909, a promise to this effect having been given on September 3, 1908, by the Prime Minister. The voting on January 10, 1909, was unexpectedly decisive, viz. 11,121 to 3,701, the number of electors registered in 1908 being 25,463. Only one vote was allowed to each elector, and in every electoral division of the Colony the majority was decisive. Only a simple majority was required, following the precedent of the New South Wales enabling Act No. 2 of 1899; see Parl. Pap., Cd. 5099. Cf. the criticisms in The Empire Review, xviii. 114 seq., where it was pointed out that the Senate would represent the existing Colonial Governments and could not be changed for ten years, while the nominee Senators would -epresent the first Government for ten vears also.

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