CaP. v] THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURE 473
formal in England—the constitutional conference of 1910
was something altogether outside of the constitution—but
in the Australian States it is real. Thus in Victoria in 1910
the Electoral Act (No. 2288) passed after a full discussion
held in public between members delegated by either House,
who agreed to a compromise. In the same year in South
Australia there were conferences over the Crown Land Bill,
the Closer Settlement Bill, the Payment of Members Bill, and
the Public Works’ Loans Bills : the proceedings were not
reported, but they were real conferences, ending in each
case in mutual concessions, and a satisfactory adjustment, not
formal meetings as in England. Conferences also are used in
New Zealand, the other States of Australia, and the Common-
wealth, but Canada and Newfoundland have too weak Upper
Houses to render conferences desirable or necessary.
In the Australian States, the Commonwealth, New
Zealand, and the Dominion of Canada, there are published
Hansard reports. In the Commonwealth and in New South
Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia the
reports are extremely full, and so in the Union and in the
Dominion, though Mr. Raoul Dandurand has sensibly
suggested! that the Senate Debates should be curtailed. But
South Australia issues a very condensed—and much more
useful—record, and Tasmania has of late abandoned the print-
ing of debates, which certainly curtails discussion, but is open
to other objections ; while the Canadian Provinces normally
but not always dispense with the glories of a Hansard.
In every case the quorum is fixed by law; a third is
about the average figure.
Though the forms of the Imperial House of Commons are
adopted there is a good deal of difference in the spirit of the
conduct of business. In Canada harmless amusement such
as singing during divisions (a practice borrowed perhaps
from the United States) is not rare, while in the Australian
States and even in the Commonwealth personalities are
boo rife, scenes of disorder are not uncommon, and the
President or Speaker must expect to be called a party hack
nd to be accused of doing low, dirty work.
+ Senate Debates, 1911, p. 561.
