Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/454

 332 THE BRITISH EMPIBE : — SOUTH AUSTRALIA

and a resident in the State for three years. Each member of the Council and also of the House of Assembly, receives 2001. per annum and a free pass over Government railways.

The House of Assembly consists of 42 members elected for 3 years, representing 12 electoral districts. The qualifications for an elector are that of having been on the electoral roll for 6 months, and of having arrived at 21 years of age ; and the qualifications for a member are the same. There were 224,441 registered electors in 1911. Judges and ministers of religion are ineligible for election as members. The election of members of both houses takes place by ballot.

State of parties (December, 1912) : — Liberals, 26 ; Labour, 16.

The executive is vested in a Governor appointed by the Crown and an Executive Council, consisting of 6 responsible ministers and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Governor of South Australia. — Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet, G.C.V.O., K.C.B.

The Chief Justice, being also Lieutenant-Governor, acts pending a new appointment, or during the absence of the Governor.

The Governor has a salary of 4,000Z. per annum. The departraenis of the Public Service are controlled by the following ministers : —

Premier, Treasurer and Minister of Education. — Hon. A. H. Peake, M.P. Commissioner of Ciuion Lands and Immigration. — Hon. F. "VV. Young, M.P.

Chief Secretary.— Ron. J. G. Bice, M.L.C.

Attorney -General and Minister of Industry. — Hon. H. Homburg, M.P.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. — Hon. T. Pascoe, M>L.C.

Commissioner of Public Works and Minister of Mines and Marine. — Hon. R. Butler, M.P.

The Ministers have a salary of 1,000Z. per annum each. They are jointly and individually responsible to the Legislature for all their official acts, as in the United Kingdom.

Agent-General for South Australia in London. — Hon. A. A. Kirkpatrick.

Secretary and Registrar of Stock. — J, B. Whiting.

The settled part of the State is divided into counties, hundreds, muni- cipalities, and district councils, the last being the most general^ as they cover most of the settled districts. The ratepayers have the power of levying rates, &c., and applying the tunds for road-making purposes. There are 47 counties, blocks of country thrown open for agricultural purposes. There are 3 extensive pastoral districts — the western, northern, and north-eastern. There are 32 municipalities and 147 district councils.

Area and Population.

The original boundaries of the State, according to the statute of 4 & 5 Will IV. cap. 95, were fixed between 132° and 141° E. long, for the eastern and western boundaries, the 26° of S. lat. for the northern limit, and for the South the Southern Ocean. The boundaries were subsequently extended, under the statute of 24 and 25 Victoria, cap. 44. By Roj^al Letters Patent, dated July 6, 1863, all the territory lying northward of 26° S. latitude and between the 129th and 138th degrees of East longitude, and now known as the Northern Territory (see below), was added. On January 1, 1911, this Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth. Total area of South Australia