36

A.—s

The Bill.

Explanation.

increase, diminish, or otherwise alter the limits of the State, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed on, and may, with the like consent, make the provision respecting the effect and operation of any increase or diminution or alteration of territory in relation to any State affected. 123. A new State may be formed by separation of territory from a State, but only with the consent of the Parliament thereof, and a new State may be formed by the union of two or more States or parts of States, but only with the consent of the Parliaments of the States affected. CHAPTER VII.—MISCELLANEOUS. 124. The seat of government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by the Parliament, and shall be within territory vested in the Commonwealth. Until such determination the Parliament shall be summoned to meet at such place within the Commonwealth as a majority of the Governors of the States, or, in the event of an equal division of opinion among the Governors, as the GovernorGeneral shall direct. 125. The Queen may authorise the GovernorGeneral to appoint any person, or any persons jointly or severally, to be his deputy or deputies within any part of the Commonwealth, and in that capacity to exercise during the pleasure of the Governor-General such powers and functions of the Governor-General as he thinks fit to assign to such deputy or deputies, subject to any limitations expressed or directions given by the Queen ; but the appointment of such deputy or deputies shall not affect the exercise by the Governor-General himself of any power or function. 126. In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted. CHAPTER VIII.—ALTERATION OP CONSTITUTION. 127. This Constitution shall not be altered except in the following manner : — The proposed law for the alteration thereof must be passed by an absolute majority of each House of the Parliament, and not less than two nor more than six months after its passage through both Houses the proposed law shall be submitted in each State to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Representatives. The vote shall be taken in such manner as the Parliament prescribes. But until the qualification of electors of members of the House of Representatives becomes uniform throughout the Commonwealth only one-half the electors voting for and against the proposed law shall be counted in any State in which adult suffrage prevails. And if in a majority of the States a majority of

Territories, such as the Northern Territory, now administered by South Australia, could be surrendered to the Commonwealth, which could make provision for its government, and for its representation in the Federal Parliament on such terms as it thinks fit. The Federal Parliament may, with the consent of a State, alter the boundaries of such State, by increasing or diminishing the area. It could be increased by adding to it federal territory or the territory of another State, with the consent of that State. It could be diminished by taking territory from it, with its consent, and adding such territory to another State, or to the federal territory. This power is exercisable only with consent, and on such terms as may be agreed to. A new State could be formed by the separation of territory from an existing State, with its consent. A new State could be formed by the union of two or more States, or by the union of parts of States, with the consent of the States concerned. Section 124. The seat of government is to be within federal territory, vested in the Commonwealth, the site thereof to be determined by the Federal Parliament. The Federal Parliament will have exclusive jurisdiction in such territory. (See section 52.) Until the Parliament so determines, the sittings must be held at such place as a majority of the Governors of States direct. Section 125. The Governor-General may appoint deputies to act for him in certain cases. Section 126. Aborigines not to be counted in reckoning the numbers of the people for the purpose of distributing seats under section 24. (See section 25.) Section 127. The first condition precedent to the passage of a Bill amending the Constitution is that it must be passed through the Senate and House of Representatives by absolute majorities in each Chamber. Within not less than two months and not more than six months after so passing the Bill must be submitted in each State to the federal electors thereof. If at such a reference in a majority of States a majority of the electors voting affirm the proposed law, and, if a majority of all the electors voting throughout the Commonwealth affirm the proposed law, it may be presented to the Governor-General for the Queen's assent. For the purpose of preventing any State in which adult suffrage may prevail from having an undue and disproportionate weight in the counting of the total number of electors voting, it is provided that until a uniform federal franchise is imposed only