A. -5

Royal Assent, Royal assent to Bills. 57. When a proposed law passed by the Houses of the Parliament is presented to the GovernorGeneral for the Queen's assent, he shall declare, according to his discretion, but subject to the provisions of this Constitution, either that he assents to it in the Queen's name, or that he withholds assent, or that he reserves the law for the Queen's pleasure to be made known. Governor-General. Amendments. The Governor-General may return to the House of the Parliament in which it originated any proposed law so presented to him, and may transmit therewith any amendments which he may recommend to be made in such law, and the Houses may deal with the proposed amendments as they think fit. Disallowance by Order in Council of law assented to by Governor-General. 58. When the Governor-General assents to a law in the Queen's name he shall, by the first convenient opportunity, send an authentic copy to the Queen; and if the Queen in Council, within one year after the receipt thereof, thinks fit to disallow the law, such disallowance on being made known by the Governor-General, by speech or message to each of the Houses of the Parliament, or by Proclamation, shall annul the law from and after the day when the disallowance is so made known. Signification of Queen's pleasure on Bill reserved. 59. A proposed law reserved for the Queen's pleasure shall not have any force unless and until within two years from the day on which it was presented to the Governor-General for the Queen's assent the Governor-General makes known, by speech or message to each of the Houses of the Parliament, or by Proclamation, that it has received the assent of the Queen in Council. An entry of every such speech, message, or Proclamation shall be made in the Journals of each House. CHAPTEE lI.—THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT. Executive power to be vested in the Queen. 60. The executive power and authority of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen, and shall be exercised by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative. Constitution of Executive Council for Commonwealth. 61. There shall be a Council to aid and advise the Governor-General in the government of the Commonwealth, and such Council shall be styled the .Federal Executive Council; and the persons who are to be members of the Council shall be from time to time chosen and summoned by the Governor-General and sworn as Executive Councillors, and shall hold office during his pleasure. Application of provisions referring to Governor-General. 62. The provisions of this Constitution referring to the Governor-General in Council shall be construed as referring to the Governor-General acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The Executive Government. Ministers of State. 63. For the administration of the Executive Government of the Commonwealth, the GovernorGeneral may from time to time appoint officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may from time to time establish, and such officers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General, and shall be capaple of being chosen and of sitting as members of either House of the Parliament. Such officers shall be members of the Federal Executive Council, and shall be the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth. Ministers to sit in Parliament. After the first general election no Minister of State shall hold office for a longer period than three calendar months unless he shall be or become a member of one of the Houses of the Parliament. Number of Ministers. 64. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the number of Ministers of State who may sit in either House shall not exceed seven, who shall hold such offices, and by such designation, as the Parliament from time to time prescribes, or, in the absence of provision, as the Governor-General from time to time directs. Salaries of Ministers. 65. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, there shall be payable to the Queen, out of the Consolidated Eevenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salaries of such officers the sum of twelve thousand pounds a year. Appointment of Civil Servants. 66. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the appointment and removal of all other officers of the Government of the Commonwealth shall be vested in the Governor-General in Council. Authority of Executive. 67. The executive power and authority of the Commonwealth shall extend to the execution of the provisions of this Constitution, and of the laws of the Commonwealth. Command of Military and Naval Foroes. 68. The command in chief of all the military and naval forces of the Commonwealth is hereby vested in the Governor-General, as the Queen's representative.

2—A. 5.

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