5

A.—4

*•■■:- Governor-General. 2. A Governor-General appointed by the Queen shall be Her Majesty's representative in the Commonwealth, and shall have and may exercise in the Commonwealth during the Queen's pleasure, but subject to this Constitution, such powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign to him. Salary of Governor-General. 3. There shall be payable to the Queen out of the Consolidated Eevenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salary of the Governor-General, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall be ten thousand pounds. The salary of a Governor-General shall not be altered during his continuance in office. Provisions relating to Governor-General. 4. The provisions of this Constitution relating to the Governor-General extend and apply to the Governor-General for the time being, or such person as the Queen may appoint to administer the Government of the Commonwealth; but no such person shall be entitled to receive any salary, from the Commonwealth in respect of any other office during his administration of the Government of the Commonwealth. Sessions of Parliament. Prorogation and Dissolution. 5. The Governor-General may appoint such times for holding the sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit, and may also from time to time, by Proclamation or otherwise, prorogue the Parliament, and may in like manner dissolve the House of Eepresentatives. Summoning Parliament. After any general election the Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than thirty days after the day appointed for the return of the writs. First Session. * The Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than six months after the establishment of the Commonwealth. Yearly Session of Parliament. 6. There shall be a session of the Parliament once at least in every year, so that twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of the Parliament in one session and its first sitting in the next session. Pact ll.—The Senate. 7. The Senate shall be composed of senators for each State, directly chosen by the people of the State, voting until the Parliament otherwise provides, as one electorate. But until the Parliament of the Commonwealth otherwise provides the Parliament of the State of Queensland, if that State be an Original State, may make laws dividing the State into divisions and determining the number of senators to be chosen for each division, and in the absence, of such provision the State shall be one electorate. Until the Parliament otherwise provides there shall be six senators for each Original State. The Parliament may make laws increasing or diminishing the number of senators for each State, but so that equal representation of the several Original States shall be maintained, and that no Original State shall have less than six senators. The senators shall be chosen for a term of six years, and the names of the senators chosen for each State shall be certified by the Governor to the Governor-General. 8. The qualification of electors of senators shall be in each State that which is prescribed by this Constitution, or by the Parliament, as the qualification for electors of members of the House of Eepresentatives; but in the choosing of senators each elector shall vote only once. Method of Election of Senators. 9. The Parliament of the Commonwealth may make laws prescribing the method of choosing senators, but so that the method shall be uniform for all the States. Subject to any such law, the Parliament of each State may make laws prescribing the method of choosing the senators for that State. Times and Places. The Parliament of a State may make laws for determining the times and places of elections of senators for the State. Application of State Laws. 10. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, but subject to this Constitution, the laws in force in each State for the time being relating to elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, as nearly as practicable, apply to elections of senators for the State. Failure to choose Senators. 11. The Senate may proceed to the despatch of business, notwithstanding the failure of any State to provide for its representation in the State. Issue of Writs. 12. The Governor of any State may cause writs to be issued for elections of senators for the State. In case of the dissolution of the Senate, the writs shall be issued within ten days from the proclamation of such dissolution. Botation of Senators. 13. As soon as may be after the Senate first meets, and after each first meeting of the Senate following a dissolution thereof, the Senate shall divide the senators chosen for each State