59

A.—s

The Bill.

affect the exercise by the Governor-General himself of any power or function. 126. In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted. CHAPTEE VIII.— ALTEEATION OF CONSTITUTION. 127. This Constitution shall not be altered except in the following manner :— The proposed law for the alteration thereof must be passed by an absolute majority of each House of the Parliament, and not less than two nor more than six months after its passage through both Houses the proposed law shall be submitted in each State to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Bepresentatives. The vote shall be taken in such manner as the Parliament prescribes. But until the qualification of electors of members of the House of Bepresentatives becomes uniform throughout the Commonwealth only one-half the electors voting for and against the proposed law shall be counted in any State in which adult suffrage prevails. And if in a majority of the States a majority of the electors voting approve the proposed law, and if a majority of all the electors voting also approve the proposed law, it shall be presented to the Governor-General for the Queen's assent. An alteration diminishing the proportionate representation of any State in either House of the Parliament, or the minimum number of representatives of a State in the House of Eepresentatives, shall not become law unless the majority of the electors voting in that State approve the proposed law.

Explanation.

126. Aboriginals. —ln reckoning the population of the Commonwealth or of a State [to determine either its representation in the Parliament or its share of the surplus revenue! aboriginals are not to be counted. 127. Alteration of the Constitution. —Any Bill for altering the Constitution must be passed by an "absolute majority" of each House of the Parliament ; that is, by a majority of all the members, not merely of those who vote. It will then be put to a referendum, and must be approved by a majority of all the electors voting, and also by separate majorities in more than half the States. If so approved, it is to be presented to the Governor-General for assent. In any State where women have votes (as long as women have votes in some States and not in others), only one-half of the votes, both for and against the alteration, are to be counted. [This is to prevent those States from having a double influence, as they have about twice as many voters in proportion to population.] An alteration which reduces the proportionate representation of a State in either House of the Parliament, or its minimum number of members in the House of Eepresentatives, may not become law unless it is approved by a majority of the electors voting in that State,

SCHEDULE. OATH. I, A.8., do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors according to law. So help me God! AFFIKMATION. I, A.8., do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors according to law. (Note. —The name of the King or Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the time being is to be substituted from time to time.)

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