A.—4

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Proclamation of Commonwealth. '•■-■'- 3. It shall be' lawful for the Queen, with the advice of the Privy Council, to declare by Proclamation that, on and after a day therein appointed, not being later than one year after the passing of this Act, the people of [here name the Colonies which have adopted the Constitution] shall be united in a Federal Commonwealth under the name of " The Commonwealth of Australia." But the Queen may, at any time after the Proclamation, appoint a Governor-General for the Commonwealth. I ~..'. . Commencement of Aofc. i • 4. The Commonwealth shall be established, and the Constitution of the Commonwealth shall take effect, on and after the day so appointed. But the Parliaments of the several colonies may, at any time after the.passing of this Act, make any such laws,.to come into operation on the day so appointed, as they might have made if the Constitution had taken effect at the passing of this Act. Operation of the Constitution and laws. 5. This Act, and all laws made by the Parliament of the Commonwealth under the Constitution, shall be binding on the Courts, Judges, and people of every State, and of every part of the Commonwealth, notwithstanding anything in the laws of any State; and the laws of the Commonwealth shall be in force on all British ships, the Queen's ships of war exeepted, whose first port of clearance and whose port of destination are in the Commonwealth. Definition. ... 6. "The Commonwealth" shall mean the Commonwealth of Australia, as established-under this Act. " Colony " shall mean any Colony or Province. "The States" shall mean such of the Colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia, including the northern territory of South Australia, as for the time being are parts of the Commonwealth, and such colonies or territories as may be admitted into or established by the Commonwealth as States; and each of such parts of the Commonwealth shall be called a " State." " Original States " shall mean such States as are parts of the Commonwealth at its establishment. : :, Bepeal of Federal Council Act. 7. " The Federal Council of Australasia Act, 1885," is hereby repealed, but so as not to affect any laws passed by the Federal Council of Australasia and in force at the establishment of the Commonwealth. Any such law may be repealed as to any State by the Parliament of the Commonwealth, or as to any colony not being a State, by the Parliament thereof. Application of Colonial Boundaries Act. 8. After the passing of this Act " The Colonial Boundaries Act, 1895," shall not apply to any colony which becomes a State of the Commonwealth; but the Commonwealth shall be taken to be a self-governing colony for the purposes of that Act. ' ■ ■' '.■••;■« ;_■ Constitution and its Divisions. ' ■' .•■-■■'. 9. The Constitution of the Commonwealth shall be as follows :— THE CONSTITUTION. This Constitution is divided as follows— ■ CHAPTER '." I.— THE PARLIAMENT: f Pact I.—General: _ : ... .;■. ■■',"' Pakt ll.—The Senate : Part lll.—The House of Representatives : Pact IV.—Both Houses of the Pabliament : Pact V. —Powees op the Pabliament : CHAPTER lI.—THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT: CHAPTER lII.—THE JUDICATURE : ■: ■:: CHAPTER rV.— FINANCE AND TRADE : < CHAPTER V.— THE STATES : . CHAPTER VI.— NEW STATES: : - '. ' " : :: : CHAPTER VII.— MISCELLANEOUS: CHAPTER VIII— ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION: /...",... THE SCHEDULE. ■ : ■■■■■■ '■'■■}. ... ■:... ~:■. CHAPTER I. , , THE PARLIAMENT. Part I.—General. , - ,'..,... Legislative Power. \. The legislative power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Federal Parliament, which shall consist of the Queen, a Senate, and a House of Representatives, and which is hereinafter called " The Parliament," or "The Parliament of the Commonwealth." , . - : :