BEHIND THE NEWS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume VLI, Issue 3421, 18 December 1935, Page 5

BEHIND THE NEWS

THE KING AND MINISTERS. Statements have been published, to the effect that Mr Anthony Eden withdrew threats of resignation only after being summoned to Buckingham Palace, where he received counsel of moderation from the King. The Sovereign in ths British Constitution retains great influence, great dignity, and complete freedom from political liability, although he has had to abandon the right to direct national affairs, or to shape national affairs. But though the King does not govern the country, he does still have a share •in the control of Government, which may be greater or less according to circumstances, but is in any case substantial.. In the ordinary course of i.nings he is understood to have three rights, which have been defined as the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. The Minister can do what seems good to him and his colleagues. But it is subject to the obligation of submitting every important decision before it can be carried into effect, to this dignified, authoritative, supremely influential critic.” The correct attitude for the King, we are told by Walter Bagehot, is that of “the sagacious, dispassionate mentor. He should address the Minister in some such terms as these: ‘The responsibility of these measures is upon you. Whatever you think best must be done. Whatever you think best must have my full and effectual support, i But you will observe that, for this reason and that reason, what you propose to do is bad; what you do not propose to do is better. I do not oppose, it is my duty not to oppose; but | observe that I warn’.’’ Such remonstrances and exhortation,‘must often have effect. They come to the Minister from a quarter he cannot ignore, with all the weight and prestige given to them by the exalted station of the speaker. The King speaks from the vantage ground of perhaps a greater knowledge than the Minister possesses, and a closer and more intimate connection with affairs of State. Ministers come and go; but there is no resignation for the King while life endures.—The Dominion. f

SOCIAL CREDIT IN ALBERTA. The Premier of Alberta, Mr William Aberhart, is reported to have repudiated his pledge to pay 25 dollars a month to all citizens of Alberta as a social credit dividend. At the provincial general election on. August 22, a Social Credit Party organised by Mr Aberhart defeated the United Farmers of Alberta, who had been in power since 1921. Mr Aberhart, who was not himself a candidate, but who has been found a seat since, was at that time the principal of a Calgary high school and proprietor of the Prophetic Bible Institute and its radio station in the same city. He promised that he would issue provincial creditdividend books of about 25 dollars a month to all citizens,- with lesser amounts for minors. This credit would, of course, be available only for transactions inside the provincial economy, with the Provincial Treasury arranging for ordinary transactions outside. Funds for these certificates were to be secured for fixing prices fot* domestic raw products and levying a tax of about 10 per cent, on their turnover. Unfortunately, there was not only no cash in the Provincial Treasury, but the very victory of social credit had promptly destroyed other forms of .credit. The provincial bonds, already depressed, fell further as capital fled to safer havens. Even the Canadian r dollar was slightly depreciated abroad. On August 27 the province suspended redemption of its savings certificates because of extensive withdrawals and the unsaleability of the provincial bonds which constituted the reserves. By the beginning of September it was calculated that Mr Aberhart had to raise 12,000,000 dollars at once to meet obligations quite outside his own schemes.