POLITICS IN CANADA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 14

POLITICS IN CANADA

THE COMING ELECTIONS. CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S DECISION. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. 5 VANCOUVER. Jul, 9. _ Lord Byng of Vjmy has, for the past, fortnight,, been more in the spot-light, of public criticism than any GovernorGeneral of Canada—possibly of any. British Dominion—before him, for bis decision to refuse a dissolution to Mr. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister for four years, and granting n dissolution to Mr. Meighen, Leader of the Opposition, after three days' tenure of office. The Liberals, led by Mr. Mackenzie King, have pledged themselves to fight the coming general election on the constitutional issue thus raised, some of them going so far as to voice the opinion that the action of the Governor General was tantamount to an inter-; ference from Downing Street. The bitterness of the campaign may, therefore, well bo imagined. . The facts are simple. Mr. Mackenzie King, Liiberal Prime Minister, had 102* of his party elected at the last appeal to the people, nino months ago. He him-, self lost his seat, but. succeeded, at a byelection arising out of a vacancy created for him, in a Western constituency threo months later. Mr. Meighen, Conservative) Leader, had 118 followers elected. The balance of power was held by the Progressives, and, in return for certain concessions in legislation, thny maintained the Mackenzie King Administration in. office until tho result of the customs in<f??iry becanio known. Governor-General's Decision. , vi ,\ I It is generally accepted now that the defeat of the Mackenzie King administration, on a vital amendment to the adopts tion of tho Royal Commission's report, made further tenure of office impracticable. The Prime Minigtor applied to the Governor-General for a dissolution. ■ The Governor-General refused, and commissioned Sir. Moighen to form a Govern* ment. By two votes the temporary Meighen regime was supported by the House of Commons. In a third vote, by a majority of one—a member who was paired cast his vote by mistake —• tho Meighen Government was defeated. &»• Meighen, in turn, applied for a dissolution. The Governor-General • acceded Ho his request. ' i ' Men and women of all shades of politic cal belief are in sympathy with tfci Govenoc-General, in tllo position in which he finds himself. He commanded the Canadians in the Great War. He is held in greater esteem than any man now or before him. H« has had tt distinguished career of five years as Viceroy of Canada, Ho-is on tho point of departing, for home. Learned constitutionalists who h&vii been consulted agree that the GovernorGeneral acted rightly, in refusing to grant a dissolution to a Premier who was am ticipating his inability to carry on, anti in giviiag an opportunity to form a Qqv» ernmcnt to a leader of tho opposition who, with the largest numerical following of any party, had a sporting chancy of succeeding in forming a GovemmottC .They agree also in tho view that the cont stitutionality of the action is not the issue before the clectori; but the exigencies of tho political situation, a:i. they existed at the moment of Mr. Mackenzie King's supplication for ft dissolution. , , The Constitutional Position. Summed up, the constitutionalists' view is that the Governor-General did ,not change hin mind on the question of granting a dissolution after hoaring tho criticism of his first decision, but that he considered that neither leader could say with assurance that he enjoyed tha confidence of the House at the momept he tendered his advice for a dissolution. All agree that no more impartial umpire : could have been found. Meantime, tlie Conservatives want to fight the election cn the maladministration of the customs, the Liberals on tho question of the constitutionality of the Governor-General's '• action.