586 PARLIAMENTS OF THE DOMINIONS [PART III
the remaining members were Labour, and were united in
feeling with Mr. Kidston. Mr. Philp therefore resigned
before Parliament met, and Mr. Kidston took office again,
and naturally the address in reply to the Governor’s speech
was devoted to a criticism of his action in dissolving the
Parliament contrary to the request of the Assembly.
Moreover, it had been necessary to spend a very large
sum of money, £687,000, without legislative appropriation
in the interval, and threats were freely uttered that the
expenditure would not be sanctioned. Political events,
however, led to a change in the position ;1 Mr. Kidston’s
alliance with the Labour party was unsteady, and it
became necessary to consider a coalition with Mr. Philp’s
followers. The result was seen in the passing at the end
of the session, in a very inconspicuous manner which escaped
the notice of the Labour members, of an appropriation to
make good the sums expended during the period of Mr.
Philp’s Ministry, and the adoption of an Act, No. 16, pro-
viding for a referendum in case of difference of opinion
between the two Houses, in place of swamping the Council.
On the other hand, the Council showed its change of spirit
by accepting the legislation of the Ministry without further
demur, and in particular it passed the Bill for the referendum,
though by a narrow majority, and in 1910 it accepted in
substance a very elaborate Government programme. The
relations of the Houses may thus be said to be settled
on a new basis; no doubt it is still legally open to the
Government of the day to ask the Governor to swamp the
Council, but such a course would hardly be approved in
view of the new position as provided in the Referendum Act.
§ 4. NaraL, Transvaal, OraNegE River CorLoNy
In the case of Natal the period of the existence of the
Upper House, seventeen years only, was too short to enable
it to develop an individuality of its own, and it was decidedly
! The postal vote was, however, abandoned by Act No. 5, and a Wages
Boards Act (No. 8) passed in wide terms. For the coalition, see Parlia-
mentary Debates, cil. 28 seq.
