The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1926. CANADIAN POLITICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 29 June 1926, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1926. CANADIAN POLITICS.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For th*> wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that toe can do.

After living precariously for eight months, at the will of a third party, the Canadian Liberal Government, headed by Mr. W. L. MacKenzie King, has resigned. In announcing his resignation to the House, the Premier stated that he had applied for a dissolution, and that the Governor-General had declined to accede to his request. Lord Byng acted with perfect propriety and in full accord with constitutional usage; indeed, Mr. King had no right to make such a request until an opportunity had been given to explore every available opportunity of securing a stable government in the present House. The whole situation is a curious one. The elections on October 29 left no party with a majority in the House, the Liberals, who held office, returning 101 members, the Conservatives 117, and the Progressives 24, while there were two Labour members and one Independent. Mr. King was himself defeated, and seven of his Ministers also lost their seats. Mr. Arthur Meighen, leader of the Conservatives, immediately demanded the resignation of Cabinet, claiming that as leader of the largest party in the House he was entitled to assume office. Mr. King refused to see it in that light; there was no precedent, he said, for recommending before Parliament met that the leader of a party not commanding a clear majority should be called upon to form a government. After a conference with Lord Byng he announced that the House would be convened at the earliest possible moment in order to ascertain its attitude towards

the question raised by the numerical position of the several parties. Mr. Meighen denounced the decision of the Government, stating that it was merely a determination to hang on despite a heavily adverse vote by the people of Canada. Mr. King stuck to his guns, and when the House met on January 7 presented a programme designed to secure the maximum support from the Progressives, most of whom were former Liberals who had lost confidence in the party, but who it was hoped would return to the fold.

The hope was justified temporarily, at all events, for Progressive support gained approval at the crucial division for the Governments action in calling Parliament together, instead of resigning, Mr. Meighen's no-confidence motion being defeated by a majority of ten votes, all but five of the Progressives voting with the Government, as did the Labour and Independent members. A long series of attacks designed to win over the Progressives failed, the Government; surviving each challenge. All through February the attacks continued, one of the most difficult to repel being an amendment condemning the trade treaty with Australia. This agreement was described as disastrous to Canadian farmers, especially dairy farmers and fruitgrowers, but the Government carried* the day by a vote of 119 to 10S. Meantime Mr. King had secured election to Parliament, for a seat in Saskatchewan. The final division on the Address-in-Reply on March 3 saw the Government with a majority of nine. The introduction of the Budget, with the consequent tariff alterations, gave the Government an opportunity to cement its relations with the Progressives. The tariff was the vital issue at the elections, the Progressives advocating a greater downward revision than the Liberals were prepared to suggest, while the Conservatives proposed a much higher tariff wall. Upon this policy the Conservatives increased their representation in the Lower House by 68, the Liberals losing 16 seats, and the Progressives 39. In spite of this Mr. King increased the downward trend of duties to meet the Progressive view. Some of these reductions were greater than was anticipated, especially that upon motor car duties, which was brought down to so low a rate as to cause alarm to Canadian manufacturers, who have, however, so far succeeded in carrying on. The immediate cause of the present crisis was the Governments defeat by one vote on questions involving the honour of the Deputy Minister for Customs and on the rights of the Catholics to have separate schools. Twelve days ago the Government faced a noconfidence motion, and defeated it by a majority of six votes. Since then it secured approval, without division, of the principle that before His Majesty's Canadian Ministers advise the ratification of any treaty or convention affecting Canada, or signify acceptance of any treaty, convention or agreement, in- ; volving military or economic sanctions, the approval of the Parliament of Canada should be secured. Mr. Meighen who is now called on to form a Government is without a majority, and his tenure of -office may prove even more precarious than that of iis predecessor.