CHAP. VII] THE UPPER HOUSES 533 
vided by the Elections Act, ascertain the number of votes 
respectively recorded at the referendum poll in favour of 
and in opposition to the Bill at the various polling-places 
within the electoral district for which he is the returning 
officer, for which purpose the presiding officer at each such 
polling-place shall make a return (certified by him to. be 
correct) to the assistant returning officer of the number of 
votes so given respectively at such polling-place ; and the 
assistant returning officer shall thereupon forthwith make 
out and furnish a return for such district (certified by him to 
be correct) to the returning officer appointed under this Act. 
Every return to be made under this section may be 
transmitted by telegraphic message or messages under 
"The Telegraphic Messages Act of 1872’ 
9. The total number of votes respectively recorded at the 
referendum poll in favour of and in opposition to the Bill 
shall be endorsed upon the writ by the returning officer, who 
shall forthwith return the writ so endorsed to the Governor. 
The result of the referendum poll so endorsed shall be 
published by the Home Secretary in the Gazette within 
twenty-eight days from the return of the writ. 
Such publication shall be conclusive evidence of the 
result of the referendum poll. 
10. If the referendum poll is decided in favour of the 
Bill, the Bill shall be presented to the Governor for His 
Majesty’s assent, and upon receiving such assent the Bill 
shall become an Act of Parliament in the same manner as 
if it had been passed by both Houses of Parliament, and 
notwithstanding any law to the contrary. 
(e) South Australia 
Under the Constitution Acts, No. 2 of 1855-6, Nos. 779 
and 959, the Legislative Council of South Australia consists 
of eighteen elected members. The state is divided into four 
Council districts, of which one returns six members and the 
other three return four members each to the Legislative 
Council. The period of their service is regulated by ss. 10, 
11, and 12 of the South Australia Constitution Amendment 
4et. 1908, No. 959, which are as follows — 
10. Subject to the provisions hereinafter contained as to 
the dissolution of the Legislative Council, every member of 
the said Council, except a member elected to fill a casual 
vacancy, shall occupy his seat for the term of six years at