FEDERAL POLITICS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 60

FEDERAL POLITICS

THE ARBITRATION BILL. RESIGNATION OF THE DEAKIN MINISTRY. ' MR WATSON SENT FOR. MELBOURNE, April 19. The debate is proceeding in the federal House of Representatives on the proposal to include State and Commonwealth Civil servants within the scope of the Arbitration Bill. The Premier, Mr Deakin, pointed out that the Constitution gave no power to include State officers Avithin the legislative scope of. the Commonwealth. Even if the amendment was carried it could have no effeot as it was bad in law. The only reason that justified him in arguing and pleading against an amendment Avhioh the majority of the House supported Avas that he saw a great principle involved. The supporters of the amendment would find themselves incapable of separating from those Avho now declared through the amevudment that this Commonwealth must cease to be a federal union, and must become the paramount power,' with the States under its heel. It Avas because of the might and majesty of the federal principle in the Constitution that he asked them to reject the amendment. MELBOURNE, April 30. The debate Avas continued in the federal House of Representatives to-day on the Arbitration Bill. The leader of the Opposition/ Mr George Reid, congratulated the Premier, Mr A. Deakin. on hi® fearless and straightforward course. It Avas, he said, in accordance Avith the highest traditions of the Prime Minister’s office. He failed-to see that the Civil servants of any State crossed the borders of that State. Each State was a distinct entity. The raihvaiymen of the different States, for instance, Avere under different 'authorities and different laws, and there was not a connecting link between them. The amendment to include Civil servants in the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Court was unconstitutional. MELBOURNE, April 21. The debate on the Arbitration Bill was continued in the federal House of Representatives. Sir John Forrest. Minister for Home Affairs, in a characteristic speech, almost brutal in its frankness, revolted against the pressure to which the Government had been subjected in the past at the hands of the Labour party. The Navigation and Arbitration Bills, he said, had been put in the forefront of the Ministerial programme to assist the Labour party. The latter had - hurried Ministers on to their doom, and were now going to be their executioners. A new situation bais now developed. The present discussion is on an amendment by Mr Fisher making the measure apply to Civil servants generally. It is believed if this is carried, Mr Reid, leader of the Opposition, may be asked to form a Ministry. Mr Fisher’s amendment Avas carried by 38 votes to 29. MELBOURNE, April 22. An analysis of the. division in the federal House of Representatives on Mr Fisher’s amendment (carried by 38 votes to 29) to make the Arbitration Bill' apply to Civil servants generally, shows that, counting the pairs, there were 40 votes for Mr Fisher’s amendment, and 31 against it. The forty comprised twenty-three Labour members, thirteen members of the Opposition, and four supporters of the Government. Eleven members of the Opposition party,.including its leader, Mr G. 11. Reid, "voted Avith the Government minority.

After the division wag taken, the Premier Mr Deakin, moved the adjournment of the House till Wednesday. He thanked members for the assistance they bad accorded him in his capacity as leader of the House in seeking to maintain the standard of Parliament of Australia.

After the House adjourned Mr Deakin mad© a statement to the press. He ©aid the majority against the Government was composed! of three sections—viz. (1) those Avlio believe the Constitution confers the poAver to include public servants of the State; (2) those who doubt that tliei Constitution confers the power, but think that the High Court ought to determine it; and (3) those who believe that the Constitution doe® not confer the power, but support the proposal in order to oust the Government.

Mr G. H. Reid, leader of the Opposition, stated that in his experience of politics in Australia he had never known a case in Avhioh individual Ministers left office attended by more general expressions of esteem and regret than the feelings which accompany the defeat of Mr Deakin and Sir G. Turner. The Deakin Government has resigned. At a caucus of the Labour party, it was decided that if Mr Watson were sent for. he should be left with a clear

hand to choose whom he liked in forming a Ministry. Mr Watson, leader of the Labonr party, has been sent for to< farm a new Ministry. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. MELBOURNE, April 22. Commenting upon tkei crisis in federal politics, the “Argus” says the Ministry under Mr Deakin’s leadeirskip has made a good ending. Mr Deakin lias gone down in defence of the rights of the States against unfair federal aggression. Discussing the probabilities of the future, the “Argus” ac|ds: —“Should Mr Watson receive a vice-regal .commission, we shall have the experiment ment nolb by Cabinet,but by caucus. The members of the Labour party Avho join the Ministry Ayill not be able to dissever themselves from- the caucus or throw off its control. Thus the ivhole party Avill be virtual members of the Cabinet. Faced, as it Avould be, by a poAverful Opposition, the Labour Ministry Avould be poAverless for much mischief, and a brief experience on the Treasury benches might prove the most salutary discipline it could undergo.” The “ Age” says the crude fact disclosed by the debate is that the attack on the Deakin Ministry Avas primarily due to an anti-Victorian agitation, based oil the utterly false and insulting cry that the people and the Parliament of this State have meanly underpaid and overworked their railway servants. In a larger and more secondary sense, continues the “ Age,” the agita.tion, as Mr Deakin conclusively showed, is essentially anti-federal. With the object of penalising Victoria for daring to resist the demands of the railway men, the anti-federalists are ready to invade the rights of the States, and, if necessary, to the attainment of their objects, shatter the federal Constitution. It now remains for the leaders of the movement to take upon themselves the responsibility of working it out to- its legitimate conclusion. LONDON, April 22.

“ The Times,” in an article dealing with the crisis in Australia, hopes that the responsibility of passing and applying of the Arbitration Bill will be thrOAvn exclusively upon the shoulders of its real authors, The article proceeds :—“ It is certain to prove hurtful to Australia’s best interests. The difficulties will be grave if the Bill is confined to private undertakings, but Avill be greatly magnified if it is imposed upon the separate States. Whenever the organisers desire to invoke federal jurisdiction it is always easy to convert as local into an inter-State dispute. An exceptional law like that which Mr Irvine proposed' in connection with t-he railwaty strike would increase the perils which would prevail in the States, and it would be an exceptional laAv for the arbitration tribunals to have a general jurisdiction. A Labour Cabinet openly bearing the burden of government is the best solution, for Mr Reid is not strong enough to form an independent Administration. . If the people find the experience costly and disagreeable, they must remember that labour lias triumphed Owing to their indifference and carelessness at the last election. The remedy rests Avith themselves and should be used at the first opportunity Unless the Labour Government exhibits exemplary moderation.” The “ Daily Chronicle ” says“ The crisis tends to clear the political atmosphere, so far as the position of labour is concerned, and ought to result in the restoration of legitimate constitutional government under Avhicih majority rule is secured.” MR WATSON’S 1 CAREER. Mr Watson, Avho has been summoned to form a Ministry, is an ex-New Zealander. He resided for many years in the small township of Weston, a few miles out of Oamaru, and received the ordinary school education. After leaving school, he began Iris apprenticeship as a compositor in the “Oamaru Mail” office, and some time after completing liis indentures left for the North, and thereafter proceeded to Sydney, where he Avorked at his trade. He took a prominent part in labour matters in Australia, bxrt while in Oamaru avoided political questions. His whole political career has, in fact, been developed in Australia. The Melbourne corresnondent of the “Sidney Morning Herald.” in discussing last week Mr Watson’s chances, wrote: “The greater probability is that Mr Watson will be given a free hand by liis party to form a Government, and will undertake the task. If Mr Kingston were in health, the political outlook might be sensibly altered, but just noAV he is a negligeable quantity. Mr Watson would probably suggest that he be sent for. He would become Prime Minister, and Avould be able to carry on for a year or so. Now comes the question whether Mr Watson, having formed a Government, AA r ould be able to command a majority. Talking with a politician of great experience tonight, I gathered that his opinion ran pretty much in this groove: Mr Watson Avould succeed in forming a Government with distinct labour leanings*, and the assumption of responsibility Avould have a very steadying effect upon him and his party. -They Avould have to refuse many things-Jwhich noAV they contend should be granted, and though they might retain the confidence of their own party in the House, they would lose it from their supporters outside. The alliance with the Radicals of other sections of the House for destructive purposes would soon be dissolved, and. the Government might last six months, but not nruen longer. Then the coalition for which

Mr Deakin asked might come about~« moderates on one side and Radicals on the other. A neAV man Avould be sent for —possibly Mr Reid—and a Government could be formed, Avkick might last for. years.”