“Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1937. AUSTRALIAN REFERENDA.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 382, 13 March 1937, Page 4

“Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1937. AUSTRALIAN REFERENDA.

The defeat of the Commonwealth Government’s attempt to secure an alteration to the Australian constitution giving it adequate powers to regulate aviation and the marketing of primary products is something more than a severe setback to the industries immediately affected. It is a further and disturbing proof of the extreme rigidity of the Australian constitution.

This is the seventh occasion on which laws for the alteration of the constitution have been submitted to the Australian people; on only two occasions have the laws been approved, and on one of these occasions the proposed alteration was of very minor importance.

In a period when the conflict, overlapping, and maldistribution of Commonwealth and State powers are becoming an increasing hindrance to efficient and economical government, the virtual impossibilling of obtaining popular assento even the most reasonable proposals for readjustment becomes a very serious problem. It is inevitable that sooner or later it will give rise to a crisis comparable to that which occurred when Mr. Lang’s Government in New South Wales threatened to undermine Australia’s financial standing overseas; and when that happens it is fairly certain that the Commonwealth Government, instead of seeking an alteration of the constitution to meet the immediate situation, will move for an amendment to the whole constitution more flexible. For it is abundantly clear that referenda have not even the small merit of producing a genuine expression of public opinion.