THE TRANSVAAL CONSTTUTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13268, 27 April 1905, Page 7

THE TRANSVAAL CONSTTUTION.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDOxN, April 26.

(Received April 26, at 11.9 p.m.)

Lettevs patent providing for the Transvaal Constitution were issued yesterday. The Legislative Assembly will be reelected every four years. It will consist of the Lieutenant-Governor, between six and niii? officials, and between 30 and 35 elected members. The voters will consist of every burgher in the late Republic entilled to vote lor the First Volksraad, while Britishers with six months' occupation of a house with a rent of £10 or earning*-£IOO per annum. The country is subdivided into 30 to 35 electoral' districts. It will be rsdivided alto the second biennial and each alternate biennial registration. The debates will be conducted ill linglish, but, with the Present's consent, Dutch may bo used. (Received April 26, at 11.10 p.m.) In dividing the Transvaal into districts tho Commissioners will give due consideration timie country's existing administrative They are empowered to depart from the standard number of votes within 10 per regards tho Avar contribution, tlw Government leaves it to the Assembly, assured it will do what is right. Liberal newspapers predict disappointment, but tho Daily Chronicle admits that a real honest, deliberative Assembly is created. Tho Daily News'says a voter in Johannesburg will represent himself, and a rural voter his whole household. Constituencies ought to be based on population, not on the number of electors. The Constitution hands over the Assembly to the mining population.