OHAP. vir] RELATIONS OF THE HOUSES 633
Labour party have stated as one of their objects the intention
of reducing the franchise of the Upper House, which also
allows of plural voting! It cannot be said that the franchise
is very high, but it is desired by the Labour party to assimilate
the franchise to that of the Lower House, which is, as is
usual, manhood suffrage. The Upper House was understood
to be quite determined to resist this change; on this point
there was no means of bringing substantial influence to bear,
and in 1909 the Council remained obdurate; in 1910-11
however, it wisely agreed to a reduction of the franchise.
§5. THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
In the case of the Commonwealth the provisions of the
Constitution are no doubt in part due to the fact that the
Upper House is a body which represents the states as well
as the people, and has thus a power such as no other Upper
House has ever possessed, or is likely to possess. Thus the
only restrictions on the power of that House are, in the first
Place, the fact that initiation of Money Bills is denied to it,
and secondly, that it may not amend proposed laws impos-
ng taxation or appropriating revenue or moneys for the
ordinary annual services of the Government. But it is
amply protected even in these cases by the fact that tacking
18 prohibited whether in appropriation or in taxation Bills,
and that where it cannot amend it can suggest amendments
gy can reject. Moreover, in all other cases save those
allomn amend, and its power of proposing amendments
the he 1t to evade the rule that it cannot amend to increase
tn urden on the people. The Parliament was a little slow
Tealizing its powers: in 1901 the old forms were used
threw out by a majority of two; the Governor then refused a dissolution
“nd declined to allow ministers to resign, but prorogued Parliament for
A time ; then the Bill was reintroduced and carried with alterations; see
Admiral Sir B. Bedford's speech, September 19, 1907: Parliamentary
Debates, xxxi. 1504-6; above, pp. 199, 200.
! See Parliamentary Debates, 1910, pp. 3192 seq. In 1905 a referendum
Was proposed by the Labour Government to decide whether a single
Chamber was not sufficient. and as to the franchise : ibid.. xxvii. 534.
