AUSTRALIAN GOVERNORS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1907, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNORS.

The Age returns to the subject of the over-government of Australia with an interesting article on the cost of the vice-regal establishments. With a population of 4,050,000, Australia supports seven vice-regal representatives, at an annual cost of £50,297, a sum sufficient to meet the interest ui)on capital invested in land capable of sustaining nearly 1000 producing families, or interest upon coastal defence ships worth nearly £750,000. This annual bill does not include the capital sunk in Government House property, which is improved from time "to time. Queensland voted £IO,OOO for the extension of the Government Houso in 1904. Imperial communications aire now made through the Governor-General, and the office of the State Governor has become a fifth wheel in the coach. Most people, says the Age, are of the opinion that one Governor for Australia is sufficient for all tmrposes, for loyalty to tho Throne and Empire is not measured by tho number of Government Houses, and it would be much better if tho money were spent in making Australia stronger and more prosperous. The extravagance of Australia compared with Canada is remarkable The six Australian States, with a population of 4,050,000, pay to their Governors £24,950 a year; the eight Canadian provinces, with a populatio of 5,970,00, pav their Governors £l4, 550. Tho Australian Governor-Gen-erals establishment has cost up to date £120,403, a fairly large sum for nominally governing 4,050,000 people, i even if there were no Stato Governors to be provided for. The Age hopes that before new State appointments are made a cheaper system will bo employed, either by adopting the Canadian system of appointment by the Governor-General, or the American system of election, or cutting down expenses drastically. The present state of affairs is said to be largely due to inter-State jealousies, and tho determination of State Ministers and members to preserve, at any cost, a sense of sovereign dignity.