916 THE FEDERATIONS AND THE UNION [PART IV
over a further area the Commonwealth will be able to control
the water-supply. Over the country in question the
Commonwealth will have full legislative authority for the first
time, since in the case of Papua it has not chosen to exercise
that authority as a rule, leaving legislation to the local
Legislature. Besides the Act of 1909 for acquiring the
territory, it has legislated in 1910 for its provisional
Government, and has superseded the state conciliation laws.
Act No. 25 makes provision for the provisional Government
of the territory transferred by the State of New South Wales
for the seat of Government of the Commonwealth. The
most important provision is that contained in s. 12, which
provides that until Parliament makes other provision the
Governor-General may make ordinances having the force
of law in the territory. Every such ordinance shall be laid
before both Houses of the Parliament within thirty days
after it has been made, or, if Parliament is not sitting, within
thirty days after the next meeting of Parliament, and may be
disallowed by resolution of either House of which notice has
been given at any time within fifteen sitting days after the
ordinance has been laid before the House. It is also pro-
vided that the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration
dct, 1904-10, the Australian Industries Preservation Act,
1906-9, and the Secret Commissions Act, 1905, shall apply
to the territory in lieu of the laws of the State of New South
Wales with regard to industrial disputes, conciliation, and
arbitration. No Crown lands in the territory shall be sold
or disposed of for any estate of freehold except in pursuance
of some contract entered into before the commencement of
the Commonwealth Act.2 When land is acquired by the
Commonwealth, the compensation paid for the land shall not
exceed the unimproved value on October 8, 1908, together
with the value of the owner’s interest in the improvements on
1 New South Wales arranged for the transfer by Act of 1909. The
Crown lands are granted free as required in the Constitution ; see Quick
and Garran, p. 982. See Parliamentary Debates, 1910, pp. 5872 seq.,
5945 seq., 6007 seq.; Parl. Pap., 1909, Nos. 6, 23, 35, 47.
Y Of. Mr. Wise’s suggestion in 1897, Adelaide Debates, pp. 1012-9.
