CHAP. VI] THE LOWER HOUSES 511 
In the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, under the 
Constitution Ordinance of 1852, there was formerly provision 
for plumping at elections of members of the Upper House, the 
elector being entitled to give as many votes as members were 
to be elected, and to distribute them precisely as he willed. 
[t was proposed when constituting the Union of South 
Africa to adopt generally the principle of proportional repre- 
sentation, but that principle was finally dropped, and is only 
applied to the Provincial Councils, which are not legislatures 
in the proper sense of the word, and to the elections for the 
Senate, where it has been pronounced a marked success.! 
In the case of the Commonwealth of Australia,? New 
Zealand? and the Union of South Africa? (as before in the 
case of the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony), very 
elaborate provisions are made for the automatic redistribution 
of electoral districts from time to time, so as to adjust them to 
the changes of population. Similarly in New South Wales 
under the Parliameniary Electorates and Elections Act, 1902, 
and also in Queensland under the Act 1 Geo. V. No. 3, 
which makes certain provisions for the representation of 
the people of Queensland in the Parliament. The provisions 
are fairly typical and may be given at length. The number 
of the members of the Assembly is fixed at seventy-two, 
have been taken by an Act No. 44 of 1911, s, 26, to make preferential 
voting there compulsory, so badly does it work ; see Parliamentary Debates, 
1910-1, pp. 3215 seq. ; Dr. (now Sir W.) Hackett, Parl. Pap., Cd. 5352, 
pp. 155-8. ! The State of South Africa, ii. 610; iii. 698, 699. 
* Sce the Zlectoral Acts, 1902-9: Harrison Moore, Commonwealth of 
dustralia,® pp. 120 seq. 
3 Sco Consolidated Statutes, 1908, No. 101, ss. 16-22. There are two 
sommissioners, one for the North and one for the South Island, and the 
deviation from the quota is fixed at 550 maximum in a rural, and 600 in an 
urban district. 
¢ See 9 Edw. VIL c. 9, ss. 40-2. After cach quinquennial census three 
judges are appointed by the Governor-General in Council, who redistribute 
by a majority—the Governor-General in Council having only power to refer 
back for consideration, They are bound to pay attention to community 
or diversity of interests, means of communication, physical features, existing 
2lectoral boundaries, and sparsity or density of population, and can allow 
15 per cent. either way from the quota obtained by dividing the total 
number of votes by members.