CHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 193
cession as to the franchise, though not one so large as was
desired by the Lower House. The action of the Governor was
approved by the public press and by the people generally.
In 1907 the Governor of Queensland was involved in a
Juestion of great difficulty also arising out of the relations
of the two Houses. He was asked by his Premier, under
circumstances which will be detailed elsewhere, to consent
to swamp, if need be, the Upper House : he refused to do so,
and the Premier resigned. He then sent for Mr. Philp, who
was unable to obtain supply. The Lower House declared
that it was willing and ready to go on with business, that
important matters awaited disposal, and protested against
a dissolution ; but the Governor insisted on dissolving, with
the result that Mr. Philp was badly beaten and the old
Ministry reinstated, whereupon the House, at the instance
of the new Ministry, passed an address regretting the Gover-
nor’s action, but took no further step to proceed against him.2
1t is clear in this case that the Governor was not correct in
thinking that there was a reasonable chance of the Govern-
ment being successful at the elections, but he was probably
influenced by the fact that the election would decide legiti-
mately the fate of the Upper House. It did so, and in a curious
manner, for the coalition by which Mr. Philp had been de-
feated, consisting of Labour and Kidstonites, rapidly dissolved,
and Mr. Kidston, backed by his quondam enemies, proceeded
tosolve the relations of the Houses by arranging a Referendum
Act? to decide in cases of disputes between the two Houses.
In the case of Victoria in 1908 the position was very
peculiar. A very strong Government by sheer muddling
frittered away its large majority, and shortly after seeming
quite invincible found itself defeated in the Assembly. What
ensued can best be set out in the memorandum of the facts
made by the Governor and agreed to by the ex-Premier,
which by the consent of the Governor was communicated to
! House of Assembly Debates, 1906, Sess. 2, pp. 524 seq.
* Parliamentary Debates, ¢. 1735 seq. ; ci. 38 seq. ; below, pp. 582 seq.
* Act No. 16 of 1908. See also Parliamentary Debates, ci. 361 seq., 566
eq., 606, 648 seq., 706, 717, 767, 801.
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