Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-18
SIMILAR TO OURS.
The New Constitution Proposed
for Australia.
Proceedings of the Recent Fed
eral Convention.

The New Government Organized on the
General Lines of That of the United
States, Except That the Queen Appoints
a Head, and the Senate viii Choose Its
Own Presiding Officer.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 18.-The steam
ship Alameda arrived, and brought ad-
vices regarding the Australian Fedora
ton convention, which concluded its
sittings April 8, having prepared draft
of the constitution for the proposed
federation, which will be submitted to
the people of the colonies for their ap-
proval.
AS soon as three colonies have &C
cepted the constitution as it stands, for
they cannot amend it, bill will be sent
to England for the assent of the imperial
parliament, and, if ratified, the queen
WILL by proclamation, appoint day
when the Commonwealth of Australia is
to be established, and will also appoint a
governor general. On his arrival the
usual constitution process of forming a
ministry will be gone through, and a
parliament be elected.
Prominent Points.
The salient points of the constitution
are as follows The federation shall be
known as the Commonwealth of Aus
tralia, and the colonies be called states,
! The legislature is to consist of a senate
and a house Of representatives, to be
called parliament. The governor gen.
eral will be appointed by the queen, and
receive Il salary of not less than 10000.
! The members of parliament before tax
ing seats are to make oath of or affirma
ton of allegiance to the queen. The par
| liaments are TO be held as appointed by
| the governor, but there is to be session
Of parliament at least once every year,
so that twelve months shall not inter
vene between two sittings of parliament.
The senate is to be composed of eight
members of each state, chosen by the
the house Of parliament of each state,
Senators will be chosen for six years,
one-half the members to retire every
three years. The president of the SEN
ate is to be chosen by the senate.
He is to be in all cases entitled
to a vote, and when voting is
equal the questiAl is to pass in the mega
tive. The house of representatives will
be chosen by the people of the several
states in proportion to their numbers,
each state to have one representative for
every 10000 people; but the minimum
number of representatives for each state
will be four. The speaker is to be elect
ed by the house of representatives, and
when the votes are equal, but not other
wise, the speaker is to have a casting
vote. The life of the house of repre-
sentatives is to be three years. Parlia-
ment must be called together not later
than thirty days after the day appointed
for return of writs for a general cleo
ton. Members of both houses are to
receive an allowance of $500 per annum,
and the usual penalty clauses are pro
vided to meet cases where a member is
under disability to sit No member of
the house of representatives is to hold
any office of profit under the crown, but
ministers are not to be compelled to
offer themselves for reelection.
Powers of Parliament.
The powers of parliament as to the
making of laws include the regulation of
coinage, trade and commerce, and are i'll
general the same as delegated to con-
gress by the constitution of the United
States. Appropriation or tax bills must
be sent down by message from the gov
ernor. The governor general is to assent
to all measures, and have the power of
reserving any bill for the queens APP
proval. The queen, in council, may
disallow any bill within two years after
its receipt
Governor General and Cabinet.
The executive power of the common
wealth is to be vested in the queen, and
exercised by the governor general as the
queens representative. The governor
is to be advised by an executive council,
consisting Of ministry whose number
is not to exceed seven. The ministers
are to be members of the Federal execu-
tive council, and the queens ministers
of state for the commonwealth They
may sit in either house of parliament,
and 900 per annum is set apart for
the payment of their salaries until other
provision is made.
Supreme Court.
The supreme court is to consist of a
chief justice and not less than four other
justices, to be appointed by parliament
and hold Office during good behavior
Tariff and Debts.
As soon as q uniform tariff has been
imposed inter-colonial free trade is to
prevail between all colonies. The rev.
enue collected is to be applied in detray
ing the expenses of the Federal govern
ment, after which parliament is to de-
eide the manner in which the surplus is
to be divided. Parliament may make
provision for the consolidating of the
whole or any part of the debts of the
states. The states are to retain all pow
ers which they at present possess, with
the exception of those expressly delegated
to the Federal parliament.