CHAP. viii] RELATIONS OF THE HOUSES 617 
mitted to a general poll unless, within twenty-one days 
of the second rejection, an address was presented to the 
Governor by the Legislative Council asking for the sub- 
mission of the Bills, provided always that the resolution for 
the address should have been passed with the concurrence 
of an absolute majority of the whole number of the Council. 
Provision was made in the Bill for taking the poll, and if the 
majority was in favour of the Bill it would then become law. 
The ministers urged in favour of the Bill that it would end 
difficulties, and they said that they were going to send home 
commissioners of the Assembly if the Legislative Council 
would not accept their proposals, in order, if possible, to 
obtain an Imperial Act. They recognized that it was a strong 
measure, and they thought that this was a case in which 
strong measures were essential. 
In his reply of October 1, 1878! the Secretary of State 
intimated that, so far as matters had gone, and with no 
very definite proof of public feeling in support of the measure, 
it would be impossible to justify so strong a measure as an 
Imperial Act, but that if it were thought that it would be 
useful for members to come home and discuss with him 
he would be glad to do his best to attempt to conciliate. 
The Bill passed the Assembly on the second reading by 
fifty-nine to twenty-two in a House of eighty-six members, 
and on the third by fifty to twenty-one. 
Meanwhile, in a dispatch of the 3rd of October? the Gover- 
nor reported that on the 25th of September the Supreme 
Court of Victoria had again decided, on a motion for a writ 
of quo warranto, that the action of his ministers in dismissing 
certain district judges was free from all illegality. 
The Bill naturally was not accepted by the Legislative 
Council, and it was agreed to postpone the matter until the 
session of 1879. It was expected that the Appropriation 
Bill would be passed, and then in the Parliamentary recess 
members of both Houses would visit England to discuss 
the Constitution. Various proposals had been made by the 
Couneil for avoiding the deadlocks, but it was clear that there 
Parl, Pay., C. 2217, p. 20. 2 Ibid., p. 22.