A.—s

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CHAPTEE lI.—THE EXECUTIVE GOVEENMENT. Executive power. 61. The executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exerciseable by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative, and extends to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, and of the laws of the Commonwealth. Federal Executive Council. 62. There shall be a Federal Executive Council to advise the Governor-General in the government of the Commonwealth, and the members of the Council shall be chosen and summoned by the Governor-General and sworn as Executive Councillors, and shall hold office during his pleasure. Provisions referring to Governor-General. 63. The provisions of this Constitution referring to the Governor-General in Council shall be construed as referring to the Governor-General acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. Ministers of State. Ministers to sit in Parliament. 64. The Governor-General may appoint officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may establish. Such officers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General. They shall be members of the Federal Executive Council, and shall be the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth. After the first general election no Minister of State shall hold office for a longer period than three months, unless he is or becomes a senator or a member of the House of Eepresentatives. Number of Ministers. 65. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the Ministers of State shall not exceed seven in number, and shall hold such offices as the Parliament prescribes; or, in the absence of provision, as the Governor-General directs. Salaries of Ministers. 66. There shall be payable to the Queen, out of the Consolidated Eevenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salaries of the Ministers of State, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall not exceed twelve thousand pounds a year. Appointment of Civil servants. 67. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the appointment and removal of all other officers of the Executive Government of the Commonwealth shall be vested in the Governor-General in Council, unless the appointment is delegated by the Governor-General in Council or by a law of the Commonwealth to some other authority. Command of naval and military forces. 68. The command in chief of the naval and military forces of the Commonwealth is vested in the Governor-General as the Queen's representative. Transfer of certain departments. 69. On a date or dates to be proclaimed by the Governor-General after the establishment of the Commonwealth, the following departments of the public service in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth : Posts, telegraphs, and telephones ; Naval and military defence ; Lighthouses, lightships, beacons and buoys; Quarantine. But the Departments of Customs and of Excise in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth on its establishment. Certain powers of Governors to vest in Governor-General. 70. In respect of matters which, under this Constitution, pass to the Executive Government of the Commonwealth, all powers and functions which at the establishment of the Commonwealth are vested in the Governor of a colony, or in the Governor of a colony with the advice of his Executive Council, or in any authority of a colony, shall vest in the Governor-General, or in the Governor-General in Council, or in the authority exercising similar powers under the Commonwealth, as the case requires. CHAPTEE lII.—THE JUDICATUEE. Judicial power and Courts. 71. The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Federal Supreme Court, to be called the High Court of Australia, and in such other federal Courts as the Parliament creates, and in such other Courts as it invests with federal jurisdiction. The High Court shall consist of a Chief Justice, and so many other Justices, not less than two, as the Parliament prescribes. Judges' appointment, tenure, and remuneration. 72. The Justices of the High Court and of the other courts created by the Parliament— (1.) Shall be appointed by the Governor-General in Council: (2.) Shall not be removed except by the Governor-General in Council, on an address from both Houses of the Parliament in the same session, praying for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity : (3) Shall receive such remuneration as the Parliament may fix; but the remuneration shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.