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THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — WESTERN AUSTRALIA

and control of the waste lands of the Crown in Western Australia is vested in the Legislature of the State. By the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act, 1920, it has been enacted that a woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage for being elected to or sitting and voting as a member of the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly.

State of political parties (1920): — Legislative Council, Independent, 17, Primary Producer Nationalists, 4, National Labour, 4, Labour 5. Legislative Assembly, Nationalists, 16, Primary Producer Nationalists, 13, National Labour, 6, Labour, 14, Independent Labour, 1.

Governor.— Rt. Hon. Sir F. A. N. Newdegate, K.C.M.G. (April, 1920).

The salary provided for the Governor is 4,000 J. per annum. He is assisted in his functions by a cabinet of responsible ministers, as follows : —

Premier, Treasurer, and Minister for Lands and Repatriation. — Hon. Jas. Mitchell, C.M.G., M.L.A.

Minister for Education, Public Health and the North- West. — Hon. H. P. Colcbatch, M.L.C.

Minister for Works, Water Supply, Trading Concerns, etc. — Hon. W. J. George, C.M.G., M.L.A.

Minister for Mines, Railways, Industries, etc. — Hon. J. Seaddan, M.L.

Attorney-General.— Hon. T. P. Draper, K.C., C.B.E., M.L.A.

Colonial Secretary. — Hon. F. T. Broun, M.L.A.

Minister without Portfolio. — Hon. F. E. S. Will7)iott,li.li.A.

Minister without Portfolio — Hon. C. F. Baxter, M.L.A.

.A.

Agent-General in London. — Hon. J. D. Connolly. Offices. — Savoy House, Strand.

Area and Population.

As defined by Royal Commission, Western Australia includes all that por- tion of the continent situated to the westward ox 129° E. longitude, to- gether with the adjacent islands. The greatest length of this territory from Cape Londonderry in the north to Peak Head (south of King George Sound) in the south is 1,480 miles, and its breadth from Steep Point near Dirk Hartogs Island, on the west to the 129th meridian, on the east, about 1,000 miles. According to the latest computations, the total estimated area of the State is 975,920 English square miles, or, 624,588,800 acres. It is divided into 31 magisterial districts.

Western Australia was first settled in 1829, and for many years the population was small.

The enumerated population in the various census years was as follows : —

Years

Males 2,818

Females

Total

1848

1,804

4,622

1854

7,779

3,964

11,743

1859

9,522

5,315

14,837

1870

15,375

9,410

24,785

1881

17,062

12,646

29,708

1891

29,807

19,975

49,782

1901

112,875

71,249

184,124

1911

161,565

120,549

282,114