CHAP. 1V] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 211 
Bond also must be admitted to have been guilty of a serious 
error in tactics in not allowing the Government of Sir Edward 
Morris to elect a Speaker from their own number : that 
would have left them in a minority in the case of a vote 
of non-confidence, and then Sir R. Bond would have had 
a stronger claim to be recalled and given a dissolution : it is 
indeed uncertain whether the Governor would have in that case 
given him a dissolution, but at any rate the situation would 
have been much more favourable to him than it actually was. 
In the case of the Cape the most important example of 
difference of opinion with ministers falls under another 
category and will be treated later. But an interesting 
example of the difficulties of a Colonial Premier was afforded 
by the circumstances in which Dr. Jameson found himself 
placed at the end of 1907. He had led the Government since 
1904, when he displaced Sir Gordon Sprigg, but latterly his 
Ministry had, through internal dissension, lost more and 
more of weight. Finally, the defection of a member in the 
Upper House deprived him of control there : it was just 
possible to proceed with supply there by the President’s 
casting vote, as long as the House was sitting and did not 
go into Committee, but once the House was in Committee 
nothing whatever could be done, and though the House, 
when out of Committee, could resolve that the Committee 
should proceed to dispose of the Bill, there was no means 
by which effect could be given to this resolution, and an 
effort to move to omit the Committee stage failed through the 
Opposition members staying awayand leaving the House with- 
out a quorum. Eventually the Prime Minister was compelled 
bo promise to ask for a dissolution, if he were granted supply, 
and the grant then was made and the Governor granted a dis- 
solution. In such a case it is clear that the Governor had 
no alternative, as the parties were agreed that there must be 
a reference to the people which alone could settle the issue, 
and in point of fact the issue resulted in the decisive defeat of 
the Ministry and the return to power of Mr. Merriman! 
* House of Assembly Debates, 1907, p. 589 ; Legislative Council Debates, 
1907, pp. 338-74 DASSTM,