Vol. XXIX.. \. 



NOVEMBER i. 1906. 



The Rev 



EVIEWS 



fASIA. 



BQUlTABLli HVlLDlTiG, MBLBOURffE. 



THE HISTORY OF THE MONTH, 



Federal 

 Politics. 



Melbourne, October loth. 



The Federal Parliament is closing 

 iLS 1900 i.,iS»uii. i: has not 

 been marked by any great results. 

 Even the penny postage proposal, 

 which everybody is interested in, and would like to 

 see carried, was dropped, and by a very substan- 

 tial majority indeed. True, it happened only 

 on the adjournment of the debate, but that prac- 

 tically meant the killing of the Bill. Looking back 

 over the historv of the session, one cannot help 

 wishing that the days of party government were 

 past, and that measures could be discussed upon 

 their merits. The endless talk, the voting against 

 measures to overthrow Ministries, the sinking of 

 political principle to accomplish the same end — all 

 these things mean hindrance to progress, and the 

 perpetuation of much injustice. One could wish 

 that Mr. Deakin would go to the country with a 

 very definite proposal on the question of Elective 

 Executives. The probabilities are that he would 

 still be Premier, although Mr. Deakin is the last 

 man in the world to charge with the suggestion that 

 he would refrain from advocating it, if he thought 

 it would be right, for fear of losing office. But now 

 is a most opportune time to put forward such a pro- 

 posal. There is a great certainty of the present 

 tri-partv position being perpetuated after the elec- 

 tions. Indeed, it is inevitable, for whatever may 

 be the relative strength of parties, it is certain that 

 representatives of each will be returned to power, 

 and if a Government be in earnest over its pro- 

 gramme, it is unconsciously continually affected by 

 the changes in the barometer that a three-party 

 system brings about. Once or twice the Govern- 

 ment lost ground, but, under the present system, it 

 would have been worse than foolish for it to resign. 

 But what if things are no better after the elections? 

 The r.incour of parties, the blocking of business, 

 would probably all be pre^■ented if the simple 

 method of conducting business that is carried out 

 in every circle but Parliamentary ones were adopted. 

 This is a question which every social reformer 

 might put on his list of questions for candidates — 

 " Are \ou in favour of the abolition of Partv Go- 



\ernment, and the substitution of Elective Execu- 

 tives, and, if returned, will you do all in your power 

 to bring about this change?" 



, , . The preferential treaty drawn up 

 an'd'pref^entfa. ^y Mr. Deakirj and the late Mr. 

 Trade. Seddon has fallen through. jNew 



Zealand is not willing to accept 

 the provisions. Sir Joseph Ward, in his cable to Mr. 

 Deakin, "hopes that a scheme may yet be devised 

 which will be satisfactory to both countries." That 

 hope everyone will echo. It was hoped by some of 

 us that the treaty would be accepted as paving the 

 wav towards free trade between the two countries, 

 and looked at in that light the falling through is 

 to be regretted, although as affecting the general 

 question it would not have been a very important 

 contribution. There is really no reason why these 

 two countries should not pass their products from 

 one to the other with perfect freedom. Geo- 

 graphically, New Zealand and Australia are prac- 

 tically one, as much as New South Wales and West 

 Australia are one. Very many of our interests are 

 identical. Social reform stands high in both coun- 

 tries, and evervthing that would tend to unite the 

 two peoples ought to be hailed with delight. The 

 South .\frican treaty seems to have been more suc- 

 cessful, although one stands amazed at the chuckle 

 of the Minister for Customs to the effect that the 

 benefit is all on our side. It makes one wonder 

 whether from an ethical standpoint the Government 

 is justified in making an arrangement so manifestly 

 one-sided. Australia imports little from South 

 Africa, and is therefore interested in a low tariff 

 on that side. Possibly some day Australia may 

 import largely from South Africa, and that country 

 may then be interested in viewing the position afresh 

 from their side. Altogether the comment of the 

 Minister for Customs is rather suggestive. 



,. . . With the rejection of the West 



Sugges*tior Australian Survey Bill by the 

 in W.A. Federal Parliament, there has arisen 



in the West a very strong manifesta- 

 tion of feeling in favour of secession. Of course the 

 dis|ilav is not a new one. so far as the States are 



