CHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 201 
by the majority held by the Government in that House, and I doubt 
whether any Ministry formed from those who are opposing the Government 
sould carry on. 
The reduced revenue returned and returnable from the Commonwealth 
Decessitates a re-consideration of pledges given by members of the House 
of Assembly to the electors upon the question of taxation. A majority in 
that House are pledged to the repeal of the personal exertion provisions 
of the income tax. 
If a dissolution is granted the Government would submit to the people 
a modification of the personal exertion clauses and of the occupancy tax, 
which was passed by the House of Assembly this year. but rejected by the 
Couneil. 
Your Excellency is aware that Parliament has granted the Government 
supplies to the 30th of September next. 
I have the honour to be, 
Your Excellency, 
Your most obedient servant, 
(Signed) W. B. ProPsTING, 
Premier.’ 
The position is a most unusual one. It is most unusual 
for Ministers to advise a dissolution when there has been no 
adverse vote against them. 
Ministers assumed office in April last year, immediately 
after the general election, which had resulted in the pro- 
nounced defeat of the then existing Administration. The 
cardinal feature of their taxing policy was the repeal of the 
tax on incomes derived from personal exertion. They have 
on more than one occasion successfully carried through the 
House of Assembly a bill for its repeal, and the bulk of their 
proposals, especially those relating to taxation and finance, 
have been passed in this House by substantial majorities. 
There has been no vote of want of confidence passed in either 
branch of the Legislature, and presumably Ministers possess 
the confidence of that House to which constitutional usage 
accords the right of primarily determining their existence as 
an Administration. But Ministers are quite unable to 
obtain the sanction of the Legislative Council to their pro- 
posals, and repeated attempts to this end have failed con- 
Spicuously. A conference with the Legislative Council upon 
constitutional reform and financial questions has been re- 
quested quite recently by the Assembly, but the Legislative 
Council found itself unable to comply with the request, and the 
relations between the two Houses during the last few months 
have not facilitated the transaction of public business. 
The Premier within the last few days has informed Parlia- 
ment of the falling off in the revenue, and has called attention 
bo the disquieting financial outlook. He also has informed 
the Acting Governor that in consequence of the altered con-