CHAP. vii] RELATIONS OF THE HOUSES 631 
adoption of the system of preferential voting, which results 
In the absence of any strong or clearly defined purpose in 
the Lower House. Further, the fact that the Legislative 
Council has eighteen members only, holding office for six 
years, and that the House of Assembly consists of thirty 
embers, renders effective pressure by a small majority 
In the Lower House out of the question. The tone of the 
Upper House is decidedly plutocratic compared to that of 
the Lower House, for the elector must either be in possession 
of a freehold estate of £10 or a leasehold estate of £30 annual 
value, or be a graduate, a qualified legal or medical prac- 
titioner, a minister of religion, or an officer of the army or 
Navy. On the other hand, democracy in Tasmania, partly 
OWing to the presence in the country of a large number of 
Persons of moderate means, is a feeble plant compared with 
democracy in other parts of Australia, and there does not 
appear to be any such degree of dissatisfaction with the 
relations between the two Houses as would lead one to expect 
that the powers of the Upper House will be lessened! But 
there can be no doubt that Tasmania remains the least 
Progressive part of the Commonwealth, from which, of course, 
1b is separated in space and still more in feeling. 
§ 4. WESTERN AUSTRALIA 
v ig case of Western Australia the period of the existence 
to ae Parliament has been too short to render it possible 
Te te what position the Upper House will achieve, 
Houses 16 will gain the independent strength of the Upper 
it wy of Victoria ; South Australia,and Tasmania, or whether 
ed moderate its claims and merely serve as a useful 
CX on the Lower Honse. 
* In 1908 it rejected proposals for a land tax, for land purchase, for 
hospitals, and for factory regulation ; Hobart Mercury, November 21, 1908. 
In 1910 threw out a Bill for closer settlement, despite the feeling through- 
Out Australia that such settlement is urgently needed. The tenure of 
office by Councillors was reduced (see Act 49 Vict. No. 8) to six years, and 
the franchise has been made broader by 64 Vict. No. 5. The Lower House 
'% Powerfully influenced by Labour, which owes its strong position there to 
the preferential vote. as shown in 1909. See also above, p. 200.