A.—s

The Bill.

President is absent from the Commonwealth, the Governor-General, shall notify the same to the Governor of the State in the representation of which the vacancy has happened. 22. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the presence of at least one-third of the whole number of the senators shall be necessary to constitute a meeting of the Senate for the exercise of its powers. 22. Questions arising in the Senate shall be determined by a majority of votes, and each senator shall have one vote. The President shall in all cases be entitled to a vote; and when the votes are equal the question shall pass in the negative. Pact lll.—House op Repkesentattves. 24. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members directly chosen by the people of the Commonwealth, and the number of such members shall be, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of the senators. The number of members chosen in the several States shall be in proportion to the respective numbers of their people, and shall, until the Parliament otherwise provides, be determined, whenever necessary, in the following manner : — (1.) A quota shall be ascertained by dividing the number of the people of the Commonwealth, as shown by the latest statistics of the Commonwealth, by twice the number of the senators. (2.) The number of members to be chosen in each State shall be determined by dividing the number of the people of the State, as shown by the latest statistics of the Commonwealth, by the quota; and if on such 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.

Explanation. . *

Section 24. The House of Representatives is to be composed of members directly chosen by people of the Commonwealth. Those chosen in the several States to be in proportion to the respective numbers of their people. The number of members of the House to be as nearly as practicable twice the number of Senators. The number assigned to each State is determined by a "quota." To ascertain the "quota" divide the population of the Commonwealth by twice the number of Senators. Eesult, say, 53,000 ; that means each State will be entitled to one representative for each 53,000 of the population. Proviso: No original State to have less than five representatives. According to these rules the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives will, at the establishment of the Commonwealth, be as follows :— New South Wales ... ... 25 Victoria ... ... ... ... 22 South Australia ... ... .. 7 Tasmania ... ... ... 5 West Australia ... ... ... 5 Total ... ... ... 64 Section 25. If the people of any particular race resident in a State are disqualified from voting (say, Chinese or Kanakas or Afghans), then, in reckoning the number of people of a State to decide the number of its Representatives, the people of the disqualified race resident in that State are not counted. See section 51, subsection (23), which gives the Federal Parliament power to deal with the "people of any race." See also section 126, which provides that in reckoning the number of people of the Commonwealth, or of a roll for the purpose of distributing seats, the aboriginal Natives shall not be counted. Section 26. Number of Representatives to be chosen in ea.ch State at first election to be ascertained according to latest statistics, and inserted in this clause before the Bill is sent to the Imperial Parliament for enactment. Section 27. Number of Representatives may be increased or diminished subject to certain limitations, as set forth in section 24—namely, (1) No original State to have less than five, and (2) the Representatives not to exceed twice the number of Senators. If the number of Senators is increased either by adding additional Senators to existing States or by

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