A.—s

44

The Bill.

of Representatives, the Speaker shall issue his writ for the election of a new member, or if there is no Speaker or if he is absent from the Commonwealth, the Governor-General in Council may issue the writ. 34. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualifications of a member of the House of Representatives shall be as follows :— (1.) He must be of the full age of twenty-one years, and must be an elector entitled to vote at the election of members of the House of Representatives or a person qualified to become such elector, and must have been for three years at the least a resident within the limits of the Commonwealth as existing at the time when he is chosen. (2.) He must be a subject of the Queen, either natural-born or for at least five years naturalised under a law of the United Kingdom, or of a colony which has become or becomes a State, or of the Commonwealth, or of a State. 35. The House of Representatives shall, before proceeding to the despatch of any other business, choose a member to be the Speaker of the House, and as often as the office of Speaker becomes vacant the House shall again choose a member to be the Speaker. The Speaker shall cease to hold his office if he ceases to be a member. He may be removed from office by a vote of the House, or he may resign his office or his seat by writing addressed to the Go-vernor-General. 36. Before or during any absence of the Speaker, the House of Representatives may choose a member to perform his duties in his absence. 37. A member may by writing addressed to the Speaker, or to the Governor-General if there is no Speaker or if the Speaker is absent from the Commonwealth, resign his place, which thereupon shall become vacant. 38. The place of a member shall become vacant if for two consecutive months of any session of the Parliament he, without the permission of the House, fails to attend the House. 39. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the presence of at least one-third of the whole number of the members of the House of Representatives shall be necessary to constitute a meeting of the House for the exercise of its powers. 40. Questions arising in the House of Representatives shall be determined by a majority of votes other than that of the Speaker. The Speaker shall not vote unless the numbers are equal, and then he shall have a casting vote. Past 4. —Houses of Parliament. 41. No adult person who has or acquires a right to vote at elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of a State, shall, while the right continues, be prevented by any law of the Commonwealth from voting at elections for either House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth. 42. Every senator and every member of the House of Representatives shall, before taking his seat, make and subscribe before the GovernorGeneral, or some other person authorised by him, an oath or affirmation of allegiance in the form set forth in the schedule.

Explanation.

34. Qualifications of Member. — The Parliament may define the qualifications of a member; but until it does so, the qualifications of a member are to be as follows: He must be twenty-one years of age, must be qualified to be a federal elector (see section 30), must have resided for three years within the limits of the Commonwealth, and must be a British subject, either natural-born or for five years naturalised. 35 to 40. Miscellaneous. —These are sections of minor importance, making the usual provision for the election of a Speaker, the absence of the Speaker, the resignation of members, vacancies by absence, a quorum of the House, and voting in the House. 41. Federal Franchise. —The Parliament, if it makes a federal franchise (see section 30), must not disqualify from voting at federal elections any adult person who has a right to vote at elections for the Legislative Assembly of his State. [Nor may it give any elector more than one vote (see section 30).] 42. Allegiance. —Members of both Houses must take an oath or affirmation of allegiance.