CHAP. VII] THE UPPER HOUSES 
53 
(f) Western Australia 
The Legislative Council of Western Australia consists of 
30 elected members, who are elected for six years.! They are 
returned for 10 electorates, each returning three members. 
At the expiration of two years from the date of election, 
and every two years thereafter, the senior member for the 
time being retires. Seniority is determined—(a) by date 
of election ; (b) if two or more members are elected on the 
same day, then the senior is the one who polled the greatest 
number of votes; (c¢) if the election be uncontested, or in 
the case of an equality of votes. then the seniority is deter- 
mined by the alphabetical precedence of surnames and. if 
necessary, of Christian names. 
A Legislative Councillor must be a male natural-born or 
naturalized British subject of the age of 30 years or upwards, 
and—(a) in the case of a natural-born subject, resident in 
the state for two years; and (b) in the case of naturalized 
subjects, if naturalized for five years previous to the election 
and resident in the state during that period. He must not 
be a member of the Commonwealth Parliament, Judge of the 
Supreme Court, Sheriff of Western Australia, a clergyman, an 
andischarged bankrupt, under attainder of treason or con- 
viction of felony in any part of His Majesty’s dominions, or 
directly or indirectly concerned in any public contracts, 
save as a member of an incorporated trading society, or 
a member of the Legislative Assembly, and an officer (other 
than a minister) vacates office by election. 
Seats in the Legislative Council may be resigned and are 
vacated by election to the Commonwealth Parliament. and 
in the following instances — 
If any member of the Legislative Council after his election— 
(1) Ceases to be qualified ov becomes disaualified as 
aforesaid ; or 
(2) Takes the benefit, whether by assignment, composition, 
Originally the Council was a nominee body of fifteen members, but it 
was to become elective when the population (exclusive of aborigines) was 
60,000, or six years had elapsed ; 53 & 54 Vict. c. 26, sched. s. 42. For its 
present composition see 63 Viet. No. 19 and 64 Vict. No. 5, and for the 
franchise. Acts No. 27 of 1907. and No. 31 of 1911.