HC Deb 22 March 1926 vol 193 cc850-1
16. Captain FAIRFAX

, asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has received a request from the State Governments of the Commonwealth of Australia that, after the termination of present appointments, only Australian citizens should hold State Governorships; and what reply has been sent?

17. Viscount SANDON

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the fact that unofficial surmises have been published in Australia, he will issue officially the text of his despatch on the subject of the memorial as to the appointment of State Governors?

Mr. AMERY

I will answer these questions together. I received last autumn a letter, signed by the Premiers of all the Australian States except Victoria, in which, in effect, it was proposed that it should be laid down as the Constitutional practice to be observed in the future that all vacancies hereafter occurring in the office of State Governor should be filled by Australian citizens nominated by the respective State Governments of the day. I propose to lay papers at an early date, but, in the meantime, I am arranging for a copy of my reply, as conveyed by telegraph on the 8th March, to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information referred to:

APPOINTMENT OF STATE GOVERNORS.

TELEGRAM from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to the Governor of New South Wales.

(Sent 6.0 p.m., 8th March, 1926.)

I have sent to Governors of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, by despatches dated 3rd March, reply to letter of 20th August from Premiers of those States regarding appointment of State Governors, and I have sent copy of the letter and reply to Governor of Victoria.

After stating that representations have received most careful consideration, despatch reads as follows begins: In this letter the Premiers in effect propose that it should be laid down as the constitutional practice to be observed in the future that all vacancies hereafter occurring in the office of State Governor should be filled by Australian citizens, nominated by the respective State 'Governments of the day. The Premiers acknowledge in the warmest terms the qualifications and services both of the existing Governors and of their predecessors, and it is a matter for great satisfaction that the change is not proposed on the ground that the present system does not work well. On previous occasions on which the question of restricting the field of choice for the State Governorships in this manner has been raised, His Majesty's Government have pointed out certain difficulties to which the proposal appeared to give rise, but, in principle, it was recognised that the ultimate decision rested with the people of Australia. This was asserted by Lord Milner in the most explicit terms when, on the occasion to which allusion is made in the Premiers' letter, he stated that the matter was 'for the Australians themselves to decide.' Accepting, as they do, the principle that the matter is one to be decided by Australian opinion, it is unnecessary for His Majesty's Government to enter on any discussion of the issues involved in the suggested restriction of the field of choice. But it the Premiers' proposal is to be adopted there should he no doubt that Australian opinion generally is in favour of the change and so strongly in favour of it that a subsequent demand for its reversal is not likely to arise. It, cannot, in the view of His Majesty's Government, be said that this is the case. On the contrary, it is manifest that there is a very strong opposition to the proposal, and that, having regard to the fact that opinion in Australia on the subject is so acutely divided, there can be no assurance that if the proposal were now agreed to the decision would he accepted as a definitive settlement of the question. His Majesty's Government have, therefore, come to the conclusion that there is no sufficient justification for the suggested abandonment of the existing procedure under which there is no limitation of choice, and I should he glad if you would inform your Premier accordingly." Ends.

Please repeat to all other State Governors.

AMERY.

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