6. THE STATES, THEIR CONSTITU TIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL DE PARTMENTS. Colonies Transformed Into States.— Under the Constitution of the Com monwealth Act, the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, West ern Australia and South Australia have been converted into states of the Federal Union, and certain legislative, executive and judicial powers formerly vested in colonial authorities have been transferred to the Commonwealth.
Executive Departments of States.— In each state there is a governor representing the King, and he is the head of the executive as well as a branch of the legislature. In the administration of public affairs the governor is assisted and advised by responsible ministers who preside over the public departments and generally have seats in the legislature.
In New South Wales the governor receives a salary of L5,000. There are seven respon sible ministers, among whom the public depart ments are distributed as follows, viz.: (1) premier and treasurer; (2) chief secretary; (3) attorney-general and minister of justice; (4) lands; (5) public instruction; (6) lands and agriculture; (7) the minister for labor and in dustry and mines. The sum of f10,400 is ap propriated for payment of ministers in such proportions as may be arranged among them selves.
The governor of Victoria receives a salary of f5,000;, the various public departments are presided over and distributed among ministers as follows, viz.: (1)premier, treasurer and minister of railways; (2) chief secretary and minister of labor; (3) attorney-general and minister of justice; (4) lands; (5) public in structions; (6) works; (7) mines and forests; (8) water supply and irrigation. Two ministers must sit in the Council. The aggregate amount of salary payable among ministers is £8,400 per year. A minister being a member of one house may attend the other house by its permission, and speak upon and explain bills relating to his department.
In Queensland the governor's salary is £3,000. There are seven salaried ministers among whom the offices are distributed as fol lows, viz.: (1) premier, chief secretary and secretary for railways; (2) treasurer; (3) home secretary; (4) secretary for agriculture and public works; (5) attorney-general, secre tary of mines; (6) secretary of lands; (7) pub lic instruction. The aggregate amount of salary payable among ministers is f8,300 per year.
The governor of Tasmania receives a salary of L2,750. Ministerial offices are distributed as
follows, viz.: (1) premier and chief secretary; (2.) attorney-general; (3) treasurer and lands; (4) mines and works. The aggregate amount of salary payable among ministers is f.3,200 per In South Australia the governor's salary is £4,000. There were formerly six responsible ministers, but by the Constitutional Amendment Act of South Australia (1901), the number was reduced to four, and the aggregate salary divisible among them is f4,000 per year. By an act passed in 1913 the number of ministers was raised to six and salaries to f5,000. The offices at present are distributed among them as follows, viz.: (1) premier and treasurer; (2) attorney-general; (3) chief secretary; (4) lands and agriculture; (5) public works; (6) industry_ and mines.
The governor of Western Australia receives a salary of f4,000. There are six ministers holding offices as follows, viz.: (1) premier and treasurer; (2) attorney-general and education; (3) colonial secretary; (4) works and indus try; (5) mines and water supply; (6) lands and agriculture. The aggregate amount of salary payable among ministers is 16,200 per year.
Legislative Departments of The state Parliaments have no longer any control over customs, excise, post-offices, telegraphs, telephones, navy and military defenses.
The Parliament of New South Wales, like that of every Australian state, consists of a Legislative Council and a Legislative Assembly. The Council is still a nominated body as it was at the beginning of responsible government, being composed of 56 life members. There were before Federation 125 members of the Assembly; in 1901 that number was reduced to 90 as one of the results of the transfer of certain powers and functions to the Common wealth government. Plural voting was abol ished in 1893. Manhood suffrage, established in 1858, was in 1903 superseded by adult suf frage; that is to say, ((one adult person one vote.' Since 1899, each member of the As sembly receives the sum of £300 per year in reimbursement of his expenses together with a free railway pass. Members of the Council receive free railway passes but no payment. The Assembly is a triennial chamber, but it may be at any time dissolved by the governor. Elections are conducted by ballot; this being the method of election of members in all the Australian states.