CHAP. VI] THE LOWER HOUSES 491 
in the division in which he demands to be registered. Only 
white persons are given the franchise, and soldiers on full pay 
from the Imperial Parliament are disqualified, as also those 
who have received relief from public funds otherwise than 
by way of repatriation under the terms of peace of May 31, 
1902, or in a public or semi-public hospital. There is no 
disqualification on the ground of lunacy, but there is one on 
the ground of conviction, without the option of a fine, for 
crime, save for treason previous to June 1, 1902. 
In the old Legislative Assemblies there were sixty-nine 
and thirty-five (after 1908, thirty-nine) members respectively, 
each for one division. 
In the Union of South Africa, unless and until Parliament 
makes other provision, the qualifications for the Lower House, 
which consists of fifty-one members for the Cape Province, 
seventeen for Natal, thirty-six for the Transvaal, and 
seventeen for the Orange Free State Province, each for one 
division, will under s. 35 of the Constitution be the same as 
those existing in the provinces at the time of the Union being 
constituted, provided always that no member of His Majesty’s 
Regular Forces on full pay shall be entitled to be registered as 
a voter. The provisions of the laws in force in the Colonies 
at the establishment of Union with regard to electoral matters 
apply to such elections, but all polls must be taken on one 
and the same day, thus obviating to any large extent plural 
voting. No law which affects the franchise shall dis- 
qualify any person in the Province of the Cape of Good Hope, 
who under the laws existing in the Colony at the time of the 
establishment of the Union is or may become capable of 
being registered as a voter, from being so registered in the 
province by reason of his race or colour only, unless the Bill 
be passed by both Houses of Parliament sitting together, and 
at the third reading be agreed to by not less than two-thirds 
of the total numbers of members of both Houses. Even 
in such a case no person who at the passing of the law is 
registered as a voter in any province shall be removed from 
the register by reason only of any disqualification based on 
race or colour. For the Provincial Councils the franchise is 
the same as for the Union Assembly.