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A.—4

number of Senators for each State, but so that equal representation of the several original States shall be maintained, and that no original State shall have less than six Senators. The qualification of electors of Senators is that prescribed by the Act, or by Parliament, as the qualification of electors for the House of Representatives, and each elector can only vote once. The House of Representatives consists of members chosen by the people of the Commonwealth, the number of such members being, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of the Senators. The number of members chosen in the several States is in proportion to the respective numbers of their people, and, until Parliament otherwise provides, are to be chosen in the mode prescribed in section 24. Section 25 is to the effect that, in ascertaining the proportion of members, if by the law of the State all persons of any race are disqualified from voting at elections of the more numerous House of Parliament of the State, then, in reckoning the number of the people, persons of that race resident in that State shall not be counted; and a subsequent section also enacts that in reckoning the number of the people aboriginal natives shall not be counted. For the first Parliament, however, the number of members is fixed at seventy-five, as stated in section 26. Every House of Representatives is to continue for three years from its first meeting, subject to a power of dissolution by the Governor-General. The qualification of electors of members is that prescribed in each State as the qualification of the more numerous House of Parliament of the State, but in the choosing of members each elector has only one vote. Part IV. contains general provisions applicable to both Houses of Parliament; and in this Part, and in Parts 11. and 111., are enactments as to the procedure and government of each House, respecting disqualification, disputed elections, and other matters affecting the powers and control of these bodies. The legislative powers of the Parliament are chiefly contained in sections 51 and 52. It will be seen that, while some of these are exclusive as regards the Commonwealth, others are concurrent, and may be exercised either by the Commonwealth Parliament or by the State Legislatures; subject, however, to ■ the qualification (section 109) that where the law of a State is inconsistent with the law of the Commonwealth the latter shall prevail. Attention may be called to the terms of section 57, providing for cases of disagreement between the Houses of Parliament, and conferring upon the Governor-General a power to dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously in case of continued disagreement. The executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Crown, and is exercisable by the Governor-General as its. representative, and extends to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth. Provision is made respecting the Federal Executive Council, Ministers and their salaries, the civil and military services, and for the transfer to the Commonwealth of the Departments of Customs and Excise, Posts and Telegraphs, Defence, Lighthouses, Quarantine, &c. The judicial power is vested in a Federal Supreme Court, called the High Court of Australia, to consist of a Chief Justice and other Justices (not less than two), as Parliament prescribes. Provision is made as to the appointment of Judges, their tenure of office, and remuneration; as to the jurisdiction, both original and appellate, of the Court; and generally to give effect to the enactments. Important provisions are to be found in sections 81 to 105, relating to finance and trade. Section 86 vests the collection and control of duties of Customs and excise in the Commonwealth; section 87 is to the effect that during a period of ten years after the establishment of the Commonwealth, and thereafter till Parliament otherwise provides, of the net revenue from Customs and excise not more than one-fourth shall be applied annually by the Commonwealth towards its expenditure, and the balance shall be paid to the several States, or applied towards the payment of interest on debts of the several States taken over by the Commonwealth; section 88 requires that uniform duties of Customs shall be imposed within two years after the establishment of the Commonwealth;

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