JHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 185 
Special interest also attaches to the case of Lord Canter- 
bury in Victoria, because of his large and varied experience 
in Parliamentary Government! The Duffy Ministry asked 
him to dissolve when defeated, and represented that they 
should be given a dissolution, as a Ministry in England was 
given one. They also pointed out that they had not appealed 
to the country before, that the Parliament had been elected 
ander the auspices of their opponents, that the country was 
likely to be with them if they appealed to it, and that it was 
improbable that there could be formed any stable adminis- 
bration from the existing Parliament. But the Governor 
refused to accept their advice : he was not fully prepared to 
accept their view of the English position, though it is pretty 
clear that he really agreed with them, but he dwelt upon the 
personal responsibility of a Governor, which was serious. He 
held that the country could well be managed by a Ministry 
chosen from the existing Parliament, and proceeded to 
choose one which held office with success. His action was 
criticized very bitterly by the outgoing Ministry, and it was 
certainly a hard case, for they had very good reason for their 
belief that they might very easily have won in the country.? 
In Tasmania in 1877 the Governor, Mr. Weld, was asked for 
a dissolution by the Fysh Ministry, which after full considera- 
tion he gave. His ministers took the then unusual and very 
ill-advised course of laying before Parliament the memoran- 
dum in which he explained the position, with the result that 
the Assembly criticized the views of the Governor, a criticism 
to which he returned very wisely no reply, and he had the satis- 
faction of having his action upheld by the Secretary of State. 
In 1879 he had more troubles on his head, for Mr. Crow- 
ther, who had followed Mr. Giblin, Mr. Fysh’s successor 
' Parl. Pap., H. C. 346, 1873. In 1875 the Acting Governor, Sir W. 
Stawell, refused a dissolution to Mr. Kerferd in August, and then later 
refused one to Mr. Berry, because he did not think that there were clear 
party lines on which the House and people could divide; see Morris, 
Memoir of George Higinbotham, pp. 194. 195; Parliamentary Debates. xxi. 
942 seq., 1259 seq. 
* Victoria Legislative Assembly Votes, 1872, No. 45. 
' Tasmania Legislative Council Journals, 1877, Sess. 2, No. 45; Sess. 4,No.19.