366 THE FEDERATIONS AND THE UNION [PART iv
relation to employment on or about railways the property
of any states’! Moreover, as noted above, a further para-
graph wasto be added to s. 51 empowering the Commonwealth
to legislate in respect of combinations and monopolies in
relation to the production and manufacture or supply of
goods and services.
The second Bill empowered the Commonwealth to make
laws for carrying on an industry or business by or under the
control of the Commonwealth and to acquire for that purpose
on just terms any property used in connexion with the
industry or business, provided that each House of the
Parliament in the same session had by resolution declared
that the industry or business of producing, manufacturing,
or supplying any specified goods, or of supplying any
specified services, was the subject of a monopoly.?
The question what use would be made of this great power
naturally aroused much interest in Australia, and the
Acting Premier, Mr. Hughes,? issued to the press on Decem-
ber 9 a memorandum which he had addressed to the States
Premiers regarding the scope of Federal legislation under the
new constitutional powers to be given to the Commonwealth.
He anticipated that the legislation passed would include
‘ In addition to the cases involving questions of state rights may
be mentioned, R. v. Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration,
ex parte Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Lid., (1909) 8 C. L. R. 419 ; Jumbunna
Coal Mine No Liability v. Victorian Coal Miners’ Association, 6 C. L. R.
309 ; Colliery Employés’ Federation of the Northern District, N. 8. W. v.
Brown, 3 C. L. R. 255; Master Retailers’ Association of N. S. W. v. Shop
{ssistants’ Union of N. S. W., 2 C. L. R. 94.
* See Parliamentary Debates, 1910, pp. 5415 seq., 5485 seq., 5614, 6184.
* The Labour party in South Australia unreservedly threw in its lot
with the Federal Labour party on this referendum (see a criticism by
Mr. Peake in the Register, January 9, 1911). The Labour party in Western
Australia and in New South Wales was less clear in its approval, but
the refusal of the party in New South Wales to allow discussion though
oressed by Mr. Wade, indicates its attitude adequately. The ‘Liberal’
party in the state carried on a propaganda for the opposition to the
referenda, and this plan was adopted by the Liberals in Victoria, Queens-
iand, Tasmania, South and Western Australia. The Age threw its influence
woainst labour.
