A.—s

Qualification of electors. 30. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualification of electors of members of the House of Bepresantatives 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 such members each elector shall vote only once, and if any elector votes more than once he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour; and no elector who has at the establishment of the Commonwealth, or who afterwards acquires, a right to vote at elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, whilst the qualification continues, be prevented by any law of the Commonwealth from exercising such right at elections for the House of Representatives. Qualifications of members of House of Eepresentatives. 31. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualifications of a member of the House of Eepresentatives shall be as follows : — (1.) He must be of the full age of twenty-one years, and must when chosen be an elector entitled to vote in some State at the election of members of the House of Eepresentatives, 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 elected : (2.) He must be either a natural born subject of the Queen, or a subject of the Queen naturalised by or under a law of Great Britain and Ireland, or of one of the said colonies or of the Commonwealth or of a State, at least five years before he is elected. Members of States Assembly ineligible for House of Representatives. 32. A member of the Senate shall not be capable of being chosen or of sitting as a member of the House of Eepresentatives. Election of Speaker of the House of Representatives. 33. The House of Eepresentatives shall, at its first meeting after every general election, and before proceeding to the dispatch 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 Speaker ; and the Speaker shall preside at all meetings of the House; and the choice of the Speaker shall be made known to the Governor-General by a deputation of the House. The Speaker may be removed from office by a vote of the House, or may resign his office. Absence of Speaker provided for. 34. The House of Representatives may choose a member to perform the duties of the Speaker during his absence. Resignation of place in House of Representatives. 35. 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. Vacancy by absence of member. 36. The place of a member shall become vacant if, for two consecutive months of any session of the Parliament, he, without permission of the House entered on its Journals, fail to attend the House. Issue of new writs. 37. Upon the happening of a vacancy in the House of Eepresentatives, 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 shall issue the writ. Quorum of House of Representatives. 38. The presence of at least one-third of the whole number of the members of the House of Eepresentatives shall be necessary to constitute a meeting of the House for the exercise of its powers. Voting in House of Representatives. 39. Questions arising in the House of Representatives shall be determined by a majority of votes other than that of the Speaker; and when the votes are equal the Speaker shall have a casting-vote, but otherwise he shall not vote. Duration of House of Representatives. 40. Every House of Representatives shall continue for three years from the day appointed for the first meeting of the House, and no longer, but may be sooner dissolved by the Governor-General. The Parliament shall be called together not later than thirty days after the day appointed for the return of the writs for a general election. Writs for general election. 41. For the purpose of holding general elections of members to serve in the House of Representatives, the Governor-General may cause writs to be issued by such persons, in such form, and addressed to such Eeturning Officers, as he thinks fit. The writs shall be issued within ten days from the expiry of a Parliament, or from the proclamation of a dissolution. Continuance of existing election laws until the Parliament otherwise provides. 42. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the laws in force in the several States for the time being, relating to the following matters —namely, the manner of conducting elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State, the proceedings at such elections, the

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