car w] THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 805
aven in case of domestic disorder the federal power can, by
s. 119 of the Constitution only intervene on the invitation
of the executive authority, although it is bound to protect
‘he states against invasion.
The whole question came again to the front in connexion
with the Colonial Conference of 1907. No invitations were
sent to the Governments of the states to be represented at
that Conference just as no invitations had been sent to them
in 1902.2 Realizing that this would be done, representations
were made by the Governments of New South Wales,
Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia, in
favour of the representation of the states at the Conference.
The Secretary of State declined on the ground that no
invitations had been sent in 1902, with the result that
reasoned arguments in favour of the inclusion of the states
in the Conference were presented by the Government of
South Australia and by the Government of New South Wales,
while the Government of the Commonwealth criticized in
detail the arguments of New South Wales and of South
Australia. It was urged by the Government of South
Australia that it was not right that the Australian states
should be omitted from the Imperial Conference. The
Australian states were not in the position of Canadian
provinces ; they were still self-governing Colonies. Although
certain specified powers were vested in the Commonwealth,
and these powers might be extended by means of its legis-
lative jurisdiction, by far the larger share of the work of
carrying on the Government of Australia remained with the
states, and the importance of the states was such that they
felt it a slight to be excluded from the Conference to which
1 Quick and Garran, pp. 964. 965 : Harrison Moore, pp. 297. 348. 404.
198.
t See Parl. Pap., Cd. 3337, 3340, 3524, pp. 924; and 5273, pp. 12-14.
On the sending of invitations to the State Premiers via the Governor-
General to attend the Coronation, which resulted in their not coming, see
Daily Chronicle, January 25, 1902 ; Adelaide Register, January 18, 1902;
British, Australasian, February 20, 1902. In 1910 the invitations went
direct via the Governors, and in several cases were accepted ; Western
Australia voted £1.500 for the expenses of the Premiers visit.
