JHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 185

Special interest also attaches to the case of Lord Canterbury
 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 adminisbration
 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 consideration
 he gave. His ministers took the then unusual and very
ill-advised course of laying before Parliament the memorandum
 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 satisfaction
 of having his action upheld by the Secretary of State.
In 1879 he had more troubles on his head, for Mr. Crowther,
 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.