QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1908, Page 6

QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

At the cost of three months' time and probably £20,000, Governor Chelmsford's blunder has resulted in reproducing the identical situation which ho refused to face. The Philp party is a good deal weaker ; the Kidston party is stronger, and the Labour paity is considerably stronger ; but the threeparty deadlock persists, and nothing can be done without an alliance of two. Queensland, as might have been expected, has not changed its political mind in the si): months since the previous election, unless to emphasise farther its distaste for Mr. Philp and most of his candidates. That gentleman has resigned an office to which he should never has been inducted ; and Mr. Kidston is again "sent for" to do what he can in the way of forming a Ministry. What can he do? Nothing that is apparent. In strengthening Labour, the flection has reduced Mr. Kidston's chance of effecting a compromise with Laboßfi jmd that .cUan,ce wap previously

so slight that it could scarcely be said j to be visible. Already he has had suf- 1 fic-ient experience .of Ihe whip of the taskmaster to daunt him from entering again upon the struggle that he undertook in the last Parliament. Yet he can work neither with Labour nor without il. For the election has increased thi» bitter feeling between tho Kidston and Philp sections, and there seems to bp no hope of compromise. Had Mr. Philp been defeated, possibly his followers would havo come to terms, and it might have been feasible to surprise Labour with a coalition ; but this now appears impracticable. Labour has never been thought of as forming a Ministry, and without the support of one of the other parties it is as impotent as either And Labour is prevented by a party pledge from taking seats in a Cabinet unless it can take a majority of scats, so there is no chance of, securing from it Ministerial host-ages for the general good behaviour. The knot is probably the tightest that has ever baffled an Australian Parliament ; and the election has only tied it tighter. Such a result is no victory for Labour ; and those vlio call it so, including the Labour press and the members of tho Labour party, have no appreciation of the situation. It does not matter whether Labour has five Parliamentary representatives or fifty, as long as it has not a Parliamentary majority or cannot dominate the House. The organisation of Labour voters in Queensland probably is now as efficient as it will ever be ; and the support given to Labour opinions probably has reached its climax. Yet an overwhelming majority remains arrayed against Labour. This majority, tested so often and tested so truly, doubtless represents a settlcl popular opinion. "Hitherto and no farther" is said decisively and significantly. What function, then, can irreconcilable Labour discharge but that of a Parliamentary nuisance? and how long will it be before opposing parties unite to make the nuisance harmless? The few seats that Labour in Queensland has just gained merely hasten the day of ail antagonistic coalition. They do not •represent any gradual progress of Labour opinion which will presently or at any time attain a majority in Parliament. They represent only a triumph of organisation, the unquestioning obedience of the rank and file. Labour has adopted the American tactics of the machine, the boss, and the caucus ; and while opposition lacks consolidation opposition is borne down. Bi4t this stato of things cannot last. Parties and the people will tire of the stoppage of Parliamentary business ; and the refluent wave will leave Labour in a wor.<e position than before. So we reach tho paradox that the apparent Labour gain in Queensland is really a Labour loss, because the election has hastened the time when Labour will tako its true place in Parliament as an important but not a, ruling minority. Meanwhilo Mr. Kidston has to grapple with parties as they are. What is to bo wished, though it appears to be a futile wish, is that the Philp section should throw it 3 Jonah overboard, accept a portfolio or two in a coalition Cabinet, and establish a working majority against Labour — presently compelling Governor Chelmsford to agree to reform of the Legislative Council. Probably the time is not ripe for this solution. Queensland must dree her weird experience of Parliamentary government.