WHAT THE QUEEN MIGHT DO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1671, 5 March 1890, Page 4

WHAT THE QUEEN MIGHT DO.

In these days one hears a great deal about the power of the people ; uever a word, however, about the power of the Crown, unless it be information that such power is merely nominal, and is ever diminishing. JjjTow it may surprise many to know the Queen might without consulting the people disband the army and dismiss all the officers. She is not allowed to engage more . than a certain number of soldiers, certainly but at the same time she is not obliged to engage any. Then, again, Her Majesty could dismiss , all the sailors, and could sell all our ships of war and all her naval stores. To say, then, that the Queen has no power is to say what is scarcely correct. Moreover, she might make' peace at any time by the cession of Cornwall, and might enter upon a war for the conquest of Brittany without asking yea or nay from the people. Then she could make any or every citizm, male or female, in the United Kingdom a peer ; she con Id create in every parish a university ; she could discharge moat of the civil servants, and she could pardon all offenders. In the words of Sir Erskine May, 'she could upset all the action of the civil government within the Government ; could disgrace the nation Hy a bad war or a disgraoeful peace ; and could leave us defenceless by land or sea. 1 Fortunately our Queen has always proved herself to be a model of patriot' ism.