RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8060, 8 March 1906, Page 3

RUSSIA.

THE DOU.MA ELECTIONS. St. PmiusiiUKG, March G. Twenty-eight Douma constitucnces will elect representatives ou April Stli, and tiie rest ou tlic 22nd and May 3rd. Preliminary peasant elections in the province of St. Petersburg resulted in the .selection of Conservative villagers. CONSTITUTION OF THE HOUSES. Deceived 7, 10.7 p.m. St. Petebsbukg, March 7. Au Imperial manifesto announces that the Kussian Council of the Empire will be composed of atv equal number of elected and nominated members. ' The elected members will be eligible for nine years, a third of the number being re-elected every three years. The Czar convokes and prorogues the Council and the Douma annually. Both possess oqual Legislative powers, and the same initiative for introducing Bills, which must pass both Assemblies before being submitted to the Czar. The sittings arc to be open to the public, and members will be immune from arrest during the progress of the session, except by permission of the Diuuia. The Council of Ministers is eligible for election to Hie Douma. If extraordinary circumstances arise during the Dotuna's suspension, the Council of Ministers may lay the matter before the Czar, but the Legislature must ratify the action taken trithiu two mouths of the session beginning.