Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-18
WORKING FOR LIBERTY.
Points of Constitution of the Proposed
Australian Federation.


SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.-THE
steamer Alameda arrived and brought
advices regarding the Australian Feder-
alton Convention, which concluded its
sittings April 9, having prepared draft
of the Constitution for the proposed fed
Grafton. which will be submitted to the
people of the colonies for their approval.
As soon rs three colonies have accepted
the Constitution as it stands, a bill will
be sent to England for the assent of the
Imperial Parliament, and if ratified the
Queen will, by proclamation, appoint a
day when the Commonwealth Of Aus
traia will be established and will APP
point a GovernOr-General. On his ar
rival the usual constitutional process Of
forming Ministry will be gone through,
and Parliament will be elected. The
salient points of the Constitution are as
follows:
The federation shall be known as the
Commonwealth of Australia and the
colonies be called States. The Legisla-
ture is to consist Of Senate
and House of Representatives
to be called Parliament. The Governor
General will be appointed by the Queen
and receive d salary of not less than
10000. The members Of Parliament
before taking their seats are TO make
oath of allegiance to the Queen. The
Parliaments are to be held as appointed
by the Governor, but there is TO be a
session of Parliament at least once
every year, so that twelve months shall
not intervene between two Sittings of
Parliament. The Senate is to be com
posed of eight members of each State,
chosen by the houses of Parliament Of
each State. Senators will choose for
six years, half Of the members to retire
every year. The House of Representa-
tives will be chosen by the people Of the
several States, in proportion to their
numbers, each State is TO have one Rep
resentative for every 10000 people; but
the minimum number of representatives.
for each State will be four. When the
votes are equal, but not otherwise, the
Speaker is 10 have a casting vote. The
life of the House Of Repre- esentatives is
to be three years. Parliament must be
called together not later than thirty
days after the day appointed for return
OF writS for general election.
Members of both houses are to receive
an allowance Of $500 per annum. No
member Of the House of Representatives
is to hold any Office Of profit under the
Crown, but Ministers are not to be COM
pelled to offer themselves for re-elec-
tion. The powers of Parliament and
the making of laws include the regula-
lation OF coinage, trade and commerce,
and are in general the same as delegated
to Congress by the Constitution Of the
United States. Appropriation or taxa
tton bills must be sent down by message
from the Governor. The Goyernor-Gen-
eral is to assent to all measures and have
| the power of reserving any bill for the
Queens approval. The Queen in coun-
ell can allow any bill within two years
of its report. The power Of the Com
monwealth is to be vested in the Qaeen
and exercised by the Governor-General
as the Queens representative. The
Governor is to be advised by an Execu-
tive Council consisting of ministry
whose number is not to exceed seven.
The Ministers are to be members OF
the Federal Executive Council and the
Queens Ministers of State for the Com
monwealth. They may sit in either
house of Parliament and receive f15,-
600 per annum.
The Supreme Court is to consist OF
Chief Justice and not less than four
other Justices, to be appointed by Par
lament and hold Office duri.g good be-
havior. As soon as uniform tariff has
been imposed colonial free trade is to
prevail between all Eastern countries.
The revenue is to be applied in defray-
ing the expenses Of the Federal Gov
ernment, after which Parliament is to
decide the manner in which the surplus
is to be divided. Parliament may make
provision for the consolidating OF the
whole or any part of debts OF the States.
The States are to retain all powers
which they at present possess with the
exception of those expressly delegated
to the Federal Parliament.