w oF Lei =
CHAP. 1] THE GOVERNOR
89
lative Assembly of Victoria in the year 1908, a resolution
was introduced in favour of local appointments, and, though
there was no intention of proceeding with it, it passed, despite
the Premier’s opposition, by two votes, and the Assembly
again asserted their view in the succeeding Parliament of
1909. Tn 1908 the proposal was formally made by Mr. Price,
the Labour Premier of South Australia, that the new Governor
should be a citizen of the state: it was not proposed to
deprive the Crown of the right of appointment, but it was
desired that the choice should fall on a member of the
community of South Australia, and that it should be admitted
that even the highest post in the community was open to
its citizens. It was generally understood that it was not
proposed, had the selection been left to the Government, to
select the Chief Justice, as was suggested in the case of
Victoria, but to choose a distinguished citizen formerly in
politics for the post. But although Mr. Price visited England
and had a discussion with Lord Crewe on the topic, the
Secretary of State found himself unable to accede to the
proposal on grounds which are explained in a dispatch of
October 9, 1908.
The suggestion was made in the following memorandum for
the Secretary of State, dated August 13, 1908 :—?
Premier’s Office, Adelaide, August 13th, 1908.
My Lorp—I have the honor to submit the following
statement to your Lordship :(—
In the interview which your Lordship was good enough
to grant me during my recent visit to England, I had the
honor to place before you the views held by my Government
discussed in the Western Australia Legislative Assembly on August 27, 1902,
in the Victorian Assembly in March 1903 ; see also South Australia Parlia-
mentary Paper, 1900, No. 99; New South Wales Acts, No. 41 of 1901,
No. 32 of 1902 (reducing the amount to £5,000 from £7,000). In 1901 the
Victorian salary was reduced to £5,000.
! The Legislative Council of South Australia objected strongly to the
dispatch of Mr. Price, with which they entirely disagreed ; cf. Parliamen-
tary Debates, 1908, pp. 1568 seq., 175 seq. See New South Wales Parl. Pap.,
1908, No. 104; and ef. Western Australia Parliamentary Debates, 1908,
Pp. 1114 seq.
