On Monday the Western Australia Constitution Bill passed through Committee
in the Lords, and on Tuesday was read a
third time. The measure endows the forty thousand Colonists of- Western Australia with responsible government on much the same lines as those adopted in the case of our other self- governing Dependencies, except that in constituting the Upper• Chamber, neither the principle of nomination nor election is strictly adhered to, but a compromise between the two is employed, by which, for the first six- years, the Council is to be a nominated one, but after that date, or after the inhabitants number sixty thousand, whichever event happens first, elective. But the Colony is only given complete control over the lands comprised by about half of the vast territory marked on the map as Western Australia,—a country, not- withstanding, which even after that reduction will be found to be as big as three Frances. South of the twenty-sixth parallel of latitude, the unoccupied land passes freely to the Colonists. North of that line, it is to still remain under the control of the Home Government, they disposing of it as they may think fit, and investing the money received from sales, either in securities or in internal improvements in the districts in ,which the fund was raised. Further, power is reserved to the Queen, by Order in Council, to divide the Colony of Western Australia as she may think fit ; and finally, a clause is inserted intended to prevent the Parliament of the Colony from forbidding immigration.
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