Poverty Bay Herald POBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1911. ALTERING THE CONSTITUTTON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12376, 9 February 1911, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald POBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1911. ALTERING THE CONSTITUTTON.

Australia has a written constitution, m which the respective powers of the Federal or Commonwealth Parliament and the powers of th© various State Parliaments are defined. The Commonwealth Labor Government desires to have the right to control industrial questions, to make laws affecting labor and employment, including the wages and conditions of labor and employment m any trade, industry or calling; and the prevention of disputes, including disputes m relation to employment on or about the railways the property of any State. That is the first of t_e two referenda to be shortly submitted to the vote of the people, ihe second question to be put to the vote of the people is as follows: When each House of tne Federal Parliament has by resolution declared that any business or trade is the subject ol a monopoly the Federal Parliament shall have the power to make laws for carrying on that business, by or under the control of the Commonwealth, and acquiring for that purpose on just terms any property used m connection with that industry or , business. These two referenda,' oh the proposals of the Fedoral Gdvertimeht to amend the constitution involve the use of all the elaborate official : machinery - necessary to carry on a general election. There is a bitter controversy going on m Australia just now m reference particularly to the first of these questions, namely that which involves taking away from the various States the right to deal with industrial disputes, including disputes which may arise m. the State railway services. It means a very serious curtailment of the powers of the States, and if carried, will give .added importance to the Federal Government. The second point is whether the Commonwealth Government shall have the right to declare any business to be a monopoly and take it over and manage it as a national business. The Labor party is now face to face with ' its first great difficulty, viz., a division m its ranks caused by some of tho State Labor' Governments fighting for the right to deal with any disputes m their own railway services. Here is the spectacle of one Government proposing to take away from other Governments the right to control a numerous branch of their own employees. From one end of the Commonwealth to the other these questions are agitating the : public mind, and a vigorous campaign is being carried on by the party leaders. It is not an easy thing to alter the constitution. When it was framed ten years ago, care Mas taken by the States that i there should' be no possibility of its amendment unless with the fullest consent of an undoubted majority of the contract ing. parties. In order to amend the constitution, the following step's must be taken. In the first place, the law must be passed by a majority of v both Houses, and must then be submitted to a referendum of the people. When the referendum takes place, the proposed amendment must be approved by a. majority of tho 'total -electors of Australia, and' also by a majqiity ol the electorsvoting m a majority "of each of the States. As a proof of the determined hostility to the referenda, the words of

Mr Murray, Premier of Victoria, may be quoted. Sneaking at a dinner of the Australian Natives' Association, at which Mr Fisher. Federal Prime Minister, was also present, Mr Murray said: "It is our duty to defend th© constitution if it is unfairly attacked, and m my humble opinion it is now being attacked m a way that will not be for the welfare of Australia. I do not want to see the government of millions of people concentrated m one body. I do not want to see Victoria's autonomy unduly j diminished. I want to see the legislation required by the various units of the Commonwealth carried* out by those best able to perform it. -The Commonwealth should deal with national questions, and leave tho local bodies to deal with local affairs." It is .easy to foresee the trouble which may arise out of the controversy on these questions — indeed the proceedings m the Labor Conference now being held m Sydney indicate that there is some danger that internal dissensions amongst the party, if they do not end m disruption, may materially weaken its power. v