172 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



their demands, and who verbally promised what he mentally knew 

 he could not perform. Mr. Service could not trim, to dissimulate 

 he was ashamed, and the price he paid for loyalty to his convictions 

 was to be hooted down, and refused a hearing by the Protectionist 

 contingent when he sought the suffrages of Ballaarat, Collingwood 

 and West Melbourne. But the miners were now beginning to 

 realise that the 25 per cent, duties they were paying on their 

 machinery, tools, and nearly everything they used, was a too 

 generous contribution to the maintenance of factories for the glory 

 of Melbourne, and the employment of the town-attracted masses. 

 Eight years of continually increasing duties had not brought them 

 in sight of that cheapness which was promised as their share of 

 the blessing of fiscal manipulation. While their wages remained 

 nominally unaltered, they suffered a decrease by reason of the 

 enhanced cost of living. So the mining constituency of Maldon 

 gave a hearing to the other side, and returned Mr. Service by a 

 very large majority, and retained him as their representative for 

 seven years. 



The first session of the new Parliament was opened on 26th 

 May, 1874, and lasted until 24th December. It was marked by 

 an early reconstruction of the Ministry. One of the prominent 

 pledges given at the hustings during the recent general election 

 was the introduction of a Bill to further amend the Constitution, 

 with a view to avoid the possibility of future deadlocks. It cannot 

 be said that the people generally took much real interest in this 

 perpetual stalking-horse ; but certain noisy agitators found nothing 

 so effective for inflaming the public mind as attacks upon the 

 Legislative Council, and the grossest misrepresentation of its pro- 

 ceedings. The Bill introduced by Mr. Francis to ensure harmony 

 between the branches of the Legislature was based on the Nor- 

 wegian system of the two Chambers, when at variance on any 

 important question, sitting in joint deliberation. It was coldly 

 received in the Assembly, and the feeling displayed was so hostile 

 that the Premier decided to retire. It did not seem necessary to 

 immolate the Ministry. They had not suffered any formal defeat, 

 and commanded a fair working majority ; therefore, at the end of 

 July Mr. Francis resigned on the ground of failing health, and 



