FIRST CHINESE PARLIAMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 84, 6 October 1909, Page 10

FIRST CHINESE PARLIAMENTS.

The machinery for the creation of tho first Parliaments throughout tho Chinese provinces has already been set in motion (reports tho Sydney Telegraph), and a first ballot has bocn taken of the various districts, with tho result, that Mr. L. Yep, Hing, lately managing director of the firm of On Chong and Co., of George-street, Sydney, has been returned as one of the peven selected for the district of Tsunfchun, in the province of Canton. After the district election the provincial choice baa lo be made, and the candidates who succeed at the second ballot will compose tho first Parliaments of the various provinces throughout tho Chinese Empire. There will only be ono House in pach province, and all measures after passing the Legislative Chamber will be subject to viceregal ratification before they becomo tho law of the province The representation is on a population basis. Houses of Parliament are now being erected in all tho provinces throughout the Chinese Empire, and it is expected that they will all bo ready for the assembling of the various Parliaments early in 1910. These provincial Parliaments are the precursors of a general cchemo of constitutional government, which tho late Emperor granted, by decree, to his subjects, and it may be paid that tho privilege of allowing the Chinese to govern themselves in this provincial fashion ib intended only as a means of coaching tho people in the principles of self-government. Under tho proposed scheme of constitutional reform the Chinese Imperial Parliament, which will be tho central legislative authority of the realm, will como into existence in eight years.