however, the Bill received the concurrence of both Houses. It became law on the 25th July, 1890; the new Constitution was proclaimed on 21st October, 1890. It is embodied in the Imperial Act, 53 and 54 Vic. c. 26. The first Responsible Ministry was composed of Sir John Forrest, Colonial Treasurer and Premier; Mr. Geo. Shenton, Colonial Secretary (succeeded by Mr. Stephen Hy. Parker); Mr. Edward Horne Wittenoom, Minister of Mines; Mr. Stephen Burt, Q.C., Attorney-General (succeeded by Mr. R. W. Pennefather); Mr. William Edward Marmion, Commissioner of Crown Lands (succeeded by Mr. Alexander Robert Richardson); Mr. Harry Whittall Venn, Commissioner of Railways and Public Works.

REFORMS.-On 18th July, 1893, the population of the colony being then beyond 60,000, the legislature of Western Australia passed an Act, 57 Vic. No. 14, to amend the Constitution, abolishing the nominee Council and substituting one elected by the qualified inhabitants of the colony.

In the session of 1899 a Constitution Acts Amendment Act" was passed by both Houses of the West Australian Parliament, and reserved on 16th December for the Royal assent. This Act, when assented to, will introduce several important changes. Besides consolidating previous Constitution Amendment Acts, it increases the numbers of both Houses, extends the franchise for both Houses to women, reduces the period of residence in the colony necessary in order to qualify as an elector, and reduces the duration of the Assembly to three years from the date of its first meeting. The Legislative Council is to consist of 30 members, returned by 10 electoral provinces. Under this Act the qualifications of Councillors are: -Male; 30 years; a British subject, either natural-born and resident. in the colony two years, or naturalized and resident for five years. Every adult person, being a natural-born or naturalized British subject, resident six months in the colony, is entitled to be registered as a Council elector in every Province in which he or she has a freehold qualification of £100 capital valne, a household or leasehold qualification of £25 a year, or a Crown lease or license of £10 a year. For membership of the Assembly, of which there are to be 50 members, the qualifications are: male; 21 years; a British subject, either natural-born and resident in the colony for one year, or naturalized for five years and resident two years. Every adult person, being a natural-born or naturalized British subject, is entitled to be registered as a voter if he or she has resided in the colony for six months, and is entitled to vote after being registered for six months; and is also entitled to a property vote in every district in which he or she has a freehold qualification of £50 capital value, a leasehold or household qualification of £10 a year, or a Crown lease or license of £5 a year.

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(6) QUEENSLAND.

FOUNDATION. In 1823 Lieutenant Oxley, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales, was directed by Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales, to inspect Port Bowen, Port Curtis, and Moreton Bay, in order to ascertain which, if any of them, was suitable for the establishment of a new penal settlement. In the course of his explorations he discovered a large river flowing into Moreton Bay, which he named the Brisbane, and explored for the distance of fifty miles. He was so satisfied with the country that he reported in favour of the establishment of a penal depôt on the banks of the Brisbane. In September, 1824, in company with Lieutenant Miller, who was in charge of a detachment of the 40th regiment, Oxley returned to the Brisbane River and formed the nucleus of a prison settlement, comprising thirty convicts, near the present site of the city of Brisbane. In the following year the Brisbane River was further examined by Major Lockyer of the 57th regiment. Captain Miller was the first Commandant. In 1839 it was determined to abandon Moreton Bay as a penal settlement. Sir George Gipps laid out the plan of Brisbane in 1841. On the 4th May, 1842, free settlement commenced; in the same year Captain J. C. Wickham was appointed Police Magistrate and afterwards Government Resident.

PROVISION FOR SEPARATION.-The Act 5 and 6 Vic. c. 76 (30th July, 1842) empowered Her Majesty, by letters patent, to separate from New South Wales any part of the territory of that colony lying to the northward of 26° south latitude, and to erect such territory into a separate colony or colonies. It was subsequently found that the 26th parallel was not far enough south to meet the requirements of a new colony, and by the Act 13 and 14 Vic. c. 59 s. 34 it was declared that upon the petition of the inhabitant householders of that part of the territory of New South Wales lying to the northward of the 30° of south latitude, Her Majesty might detach such territory from the colony of New South Wales and erect it into a separate colony or colonies. By the Constitution Statute and Act of New South Wales, 18 and 19 Vic. c. 54 (16th July, 1855), the power previously granted to alter the northern boundary of New South Wales was distinctly preserved, and Her Majesty was authorized, by letters patent, to erect into a separate colony or colonies any territory which might be so separated from New South Wales. It was further enacted that Her Majesty, by such letters patent or by Order in Council, might make provision for the government of any such new colony, and for the establishment of a legislature therein, in manner as nearly resembling the form of government and legislature established in New South Wales as the circumstances of the new colony would permit.

In 1843, the Moreton Bay settlers found themselves included in a large electoral district constituted under the Act 5 and 6 Vic. c. 76 for the purpose of returning representative members to the new Legislative Council of New South Wales. In 1851, Moreton Bay was ✔made a separate electoral district, and was assigned one elective member in the Council of New South Wales; in 1853, it was assigned

an additional member. When the new Constitution of New South Wales came into force in 1856 the Moreton Bay district was divided into eight electorates, returning nine members to the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.

SEPARATION.-Petitions in favour of separation from the parent colony were signed and forwarded to the Imperial Government so early as the year 1851. It was not until 1859 that it was decided to grant a separation. On 6th June, 1859, letters patent were issued erecting the Moreton Bay district into a separate colony, under the name of Queensland, and appointing Sir George Ferguson Bowen to be Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief thereof. The boundary of the new colony was defined as a line commencing on the seacoast at Point Danger, in latitude about 28° 8' south, running westward along the Macpherson and Dividing Ranges and the Dumaresq River, to the McIntyre River, thence by the 29th parallel of S. latitude to the 141st meridian of E. longitude; on the west, the 141st meridian. of longitude from the 29th to the 26th parallel, and thence the 138th meridian north to the Gulf of Carpentaria, together with all the adjacent islands, their members and appurtenances in the Pacific Ocean. The Governor was authorized to appoint an Executive Council to advise and assist him in the government of Queensland. The Constitution of Queensland was embodied in an Order in Council bearing the same date as the letters patent.

THE CONSTITUTION.-The Order in Council provided that there should be within the colony of Queensland a Legislative Council and a Legislative Assembly, with the advice and consent of which Her Majesty should have power to make laws for the peace, welfare, and good government of the colony in all cases whatsoever. The Legislative Council was to be composed of persons appointed by the Governor, subject to the proviso that not less than four-fifths of the members so appointed should consist of persons not holding any office of emolument under the Crown except as naval or military officers. The members of the Council were to hold their seats for the term of their natural lives. The Legislative Assembly was to consist of members elected by the qualified inhabitants of the colony. The Assembly was to continue for five years from the day of the return of the writs for choosing the same, subject, however, to be sooner dissolved by the Governor.

The powers and functions granted to this legislature were sub- stantially the same as those granted to New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, and similar restrictions were imposed. With reference to the relative powers of the two Houses in financial matters, the Council could not originate any Bills for appropriating any part of the public revenue, or for imposing any new rate, tax, or impost. The Assembly could not originate or pass any vote, resolution, or Bill for appropriation of any part of the public revenue to any purpose which should not have been first recommended by a message from the Governor.

The formation of the new colony was proclaimed in the London Gazette on 3rd June, 1859; Sir George Bowen arrived in Brisbane on 10th December, 1859. The Order in Council was published in the

Queensland Government Gazette on 29th December, 1859. The first Parliament under the new Constitution was convened for the despatch of business on 29th May, 1859. The first Responsible Ministry was composed of the Hon. Robert George Wyndham Herbert, Colonial Secretary; Mr. Ratcliffe Pring, Attorney-General; Mr. Robert Ramsay McKenzie, Colonial Treasurer; Mr. Maurice Charles O'Connell, without portfolio. The Act 24 and 25 Vic. c. 44 (22nd July, 1861) was passed to validate and effectuate the Order in Council establishing the Government of Queensland, and to remove all doubts as to the legality of arrangements made by the Crown upon the erection of Queensland into a separate colony. On 28th December, 1867, the Queensland legislature passed an Act to consolidate the law relating to the Constitution of the colony. The Act begins with a long recital, referring to the Order in Council ordaining the Constitution; the Act 5 and 6 Vic. c. 76, relating to the Royal assent to Bills, the disallowance of Bills reserved, and the Governor's conformity to instructions; and the Act 13 and 14 Vic. c. 59, relating to the reservation of Bills. It then proceeds to re-enact the Order in Council, in the shape of a local statute, in which is embodied, in addition to the Order in Council, all the constitutional law of the colony passed up to that date.

RELATIONS OF THE TWO HOUSES.-In 1885 a dispute arose between the two branches of the legislature with reference to their relative rights and powers concerning money Bills. The two Houses had agreed to the following joint standing order: "In all cases, not herein provided for, having reference to the joint action of both Houses of Parliament, resort will be had to the rules, powers, and practice of the Imperial Parliament." The following questions were referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for their determination:-(1) Whether the Constitution Act, 1867, confers on the Legislative Council powers co-ordinate with those of the Legislative Assembly in the amendment of Bills, including money Bills? (2) Whether the claims of the Legislative Assembly as set forth in its message of 12th November, 1885, are well founded? The answer of the Privy Council was as follows:-"Their Lordships agree humbly to report to your Majesty that the first of these questions should be answered in the negative, and the second in the affirmative."

REFORMS. The number of members of the Legislative Council of Queensland is about 41; their qualifications and tenure being the same as those of the members of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. The duration of the Legislative Assembly was, in 1890, reduced to three years. There are 72 members of the Assembly, returned by 61 electorates; they are entitled to payment of £300 a year each for their services. Every person qualified to vote at the election of members of the Assembly is qualified to be a member thereof. The qualifications of electors are: male; 21 years; naturalborn or naturalized subjects; resident in an electoral district for six months. Owners of freehold estate of the clear value of £100, or £10 leaseholders, have the right to vote in every district in which the property is situated.

(7) NEW ZEALAND.

FOUNDATION. In 1823, New Zealand was under the nominal protection of the Government of New South Wales, and the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of that colony was extended to embrace the crude groups of settlements which were gradually being formed along the coasts of the islands. In 1826, Captain Herd arrived at Hauraki Gulf with sixty settlers, but he had to abandon the attempt to settle on account of the hostility of the natives. In 1831, thirteen chiefs appealed to the English Government for protection against traders and others with whom they had come into conflict. Accordingly, in 1833, Mr. James Busby was appointed Resident at the Bay of Islands, and shortly afterwards Lieutenant McDonell, R.N., was appointed to act in a similar capacity at Hokianga. European population continued to increase at the Bay of Islands until 1837, when the Government of New South Wales despatched Captain Hobson to enquire into the lawless state of affairs at Kororareka, the main settlement. No action was taken to establish a government in any part of New Zealand until 1839, when the New Zealand Company sent a colonizing expedition, under the command of Colonel William Wakefield, to Port Nicholson, where he took possession in the name of the company, fired a royal salute, and hoisted "the New Zealand flag." Other adventurers subsequently arrived at the same locality and the town of Wellington was founded.

THE QUEEN'S SOVEREIGNTY.-This action of a private company forced the hands of the Imperial Government, and it was then decided to annex the islands to New South Wales. Letters patent were prepared extending the jurisdiction of New South Wales so as to include New Zealand, and Captain Hobson was appointed LieutenantGovernor under Sir George Gipps, the Governor of New South Wales. Captain Hobson proceeded to the Bay of Islands, and Kororareka, which he named Russell, became the seat of government. Captain Hobson convened a conference of native chiefs and British subjects, at which he read his commission and a proclamation, asserting the Queen's authority in the islands and declaring that transactions in land which had not received confirmation by the Government would be considered illegal. Subsequently Captain Hobson entered into negotiations with the native chiefs of the north island, resulting in the Treaty of Waitangi being signed by a number of chiefs, ceding the sovereignty of New Zealand to Great Britain; and in consideration thereof they were guaranteed the preservation of their proprietary interests in the soil, subject to the condition that the Crown was to have the right of pre-emption-that is the first right of purchase of all Maori lands. On 21st May, 1840, the sovereignty of the Queen over the islands was proclaimed.

SEPARATION. By the Act 3 and 4 Vic. c. 62 (7th August, 1840), Her Majesty was empowered to erect into a separate colony or colonies any islands comprised within the colony of New South Wales. By letters patent bearing date 16th November, 1840, Her Majesty erected the islands of New Zealand into a separate colony, independent of