43

A.—s

The Bill.

division there is a remainder greater than one-half of the quota, one more member shall be chosen in the State. But, notwithstanding anything in this section, five members at least shall be chosen in each original State. 25. For the purposes of the last section, if by law of any State all persons of any race are disqualified from voting at elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State, then, in reckoning the number of the people of the State or of the Commonwealth, persons of that race resident in that State shall not be counted. 26. Notwithstanding anything in section twentyfour, the number of members to be chosen in each State at the first election shall be as follows: [To be determined according to the latest statistical returns at the date of the passing of the Act, and in relation to the quota referred to in previous sections.] 27. Subject to this Constitution, the Parliament may make laws for increasing or diminishing the number of the members of the House of Representatives. 28. Every House of Eepresentatives shall continue for three years from the first meeting of the House, and no longer, but may be sooner dissolved. by the Governor-General. 29. Until the Parliament of the Commonwealth otherwise provides, the Parliament of any State may make laws for determining the divisions in each State for which members of the House of Eepresentatives may be chosen, and the number of members to be chosen for each division. A division shall not be formed out of parts of different States. In the absence of other provision, each State shall be one electorate. 30. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualification of electors of members of the House of Eepresentatives shall be in each State that which is prescribed by the law of the State as the qualification of electors of the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State; but in the choosing of members each elector shall vote only once. 31. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, but subject to this Constitution, the laws in force in each State for the time being relating to elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, as nearly as practicable, apply to elections in the State of members of the House of Eepresentatives. 32. The Governor-General in Council may cause writs to be issued for general elections of members of the House of Eepresentatives, After the first general election the writs shall be issued within ten days from the expiry of a House of Eepresentatives, or from the proclamation of a dissolution thereof. 33. Whenever a vacancy happens in the House

Explanation.

are not to be counted [nor are aboriginals (see section 126).] The number of members to be chosen at the first election is to be settled in the Constitution according to the latest estimate of population. The Parliament may increase the number of members to any extent; provided that it also increases the number of Senators, so as to keep the proportion between the two Houses. [To illustrate these provisions, suppose the Commonwealth comprised the five colonies represented at the Convention. Then the population of the Commonwealth (according to estimates for the end of 1897) would be 3,196,368. There would be thirty senators; therefore the quota entitled to return a member would be 3,196,368 -f- 60—that is, 53,272. The estimated population of New South Wales is 1,323,460, which contains twenty-four quotas; and there being a remainder of 44,932, or more than half the quota, New South Wales would have twenty-five members. The figures for the several States would be as follows : — State. Population. Members. New South Wales .. 1,323,460 25 Victoria ... ... 1,176,238 22 South Australia ... 363,044 7 Western Australia ... 161,908 5 Tasmania ... ... 171,718 5 Total ... 3,196,368 64 Western Australia and Tasmania, owing to the " minimum " provision, would each have two more members than their present population would give them; and thus the whole number of members would be sixty-four instead of sixty.] 28. Duration of House. —Every House of Eepresentatives is to continue for three years, unless dissolved before that time. 29. Electoral Divisions.- —The Federal Parliament may make electoral divisions in the States. Until it does so, the States may make their own electoral divisions [and may pass laws for this purpose before the Constitution comes into force (see section IV); and failing this, each State will be one electorate. 30. The Franchise. —The Parliament may make a uniform franchise ; but until it does so, members of the House of Eepresentatives are to be elected in each State on the franchise of that State. Each elector, however, may vote only once. [When the Parliament makes a uniform franchise, it must not disqualify any State elector (see section 41).] 31. Electoral Laws. —Until the Parliament makes electoral laws, the laws of each State are to apply as nearly as practicable. 32. 33.— The Writs. —Writs for general elections are to be issued by the Governor-General; writs for vacancies by the Speaker (if he is in the Commonwealth).