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I :

j^fJS^-^i

> . i >■

THE

in PERI AL CONSOLIDATION ACT.

'). ^

■,-J£

An act for the ve-organlsaliov nf llir Ifovw of Lordu, untl In itroriiU' )r/tr<'Sfnl<illiiii Ihirtin
for all BriliKh />o.w.t.*i/r/(N.

WHEREAS the possessioriH of Her Majesty in various parts of the world abroad have
in these late years greatly increased in population, wealth, and importance, and continue
to increase not only by their natural and internal progress, and by the transfer to them
of population from' foreign countries, but also by the emigration and ri'sort thereto and the
settlement therein of great numbers of Her .Majesty's subjects of (Ireat Britain and
Ireland.

And ivlwreoM, to the end that the feeling of loyalty to her Majesty's throne and
person, and of attachment to the Mother Country and the free Government thereof,
which have ever been displayed by the inhabitants of the colonies and (lependencies
may be maintained and fostered, it is right and exix'dient that they shoidd be enabled
to participate in the legislative govi'rnment of the Empire by tiieir rejjresentatives in
the Inii^erial Parliament, and so consolidate in a closer political union Her Majesty's
subjects in ah parts of her domiiuons •

And irliiTfax it is of ancient usage and right that no tax or toUage should be
imposed on Her Majesty's subjects, except on tlieir consent thereto by their represen-
tatives in Parliament, but t'lat they should of their free will and pleasure give and
grant to Her ]\hijesty supplies for the maint<'nance of her Royal dignity and govern-
ment, and for the defence of lu'r Domiuimis l\v laud and si'a ;

And irht'ri'iis the JniMeriai Parliament has ever had, has and of right ought to have,
full and su])reme po'ver i.nd authority to make laws binding upon Her Majesty's sub-
jects in all parts of h< i- dominions in all matters tnuching the general weal of the
Empire, and the maintenance and defenct' of the same, and it is right and expi'dieiu
that representatives of all liritish possessions should have seats in tin- House of Lords,
and that the Constitution of the Imperial Parliament should be amended for such pur-
pose in the manner in this act provided :

Be it then>fore enacted, &i'.,

1. The short title of this act is " The Imi)erial Consolidation Act."

2. This Act shall come into oi)eratiou so far as regards the I'nited Kingdom of (ireat
Britain and Ireland on day of . lU , and a copy shall immediately, on the
passing thereof, be sent to the (iovernor of each ]5ritisii colony or dependency, who
shall cause it to be published therein, but this act shall not takV effect in any of said
colonies or dependencies until after it has been approved and adopted by its Parliamen.
or Government, nor until steps have been taken by the saiil Government, in accordance
with the provisions of this act. to send deU'gates to ivpresent it in the House of Lords.

PART 1.

Of the Iliiiixv of Lordii, or (ireat Connetl of the Em/iiri.

3. The House of Lords shall consist of the T^ords spiritual at i)resent possessing seats
therein, and of the Lords of Parliament, Imperial Councillors, and Imixnial Delegates
elected, appointed, or deputed, as by this Act provided.

4. Thept^ers of the United Kingdom shall elect three hundred of their numb*>r, and
the peers so elected shall be Lords of Parliament for life. The number of such represen-
tative Lords of Parliament, to b*' electetl by the iH'ers oi England, Ireland and Scotland
respectively, shall be ileterinined by and b(' in proportion to the relative population of
these countries.

5. Such elections shall be conducted in the same manner as that heretofore in force for
the election of the representative peers in Ireland.

6. It Hhall be hiwfiil for Her ^rajcHty, from time to time, by her myal letters patent,
to apixiiiit swell porsoiis as she thinks lit to be IniiM-rial CoinieilloiN fnf life, to represent
India, the crown depeiideneies, and (he self-governinjj; colonies in the Honse of Lords,
HO soon as saitl eonntries have expressed their apjiroval of this act, their willingness to
b(Maxed for Iinperial i)urposes, and have taken the necessary steps, by this Act pro
vitled, for sending dele; ntes from their resiH'ctive Parliaments' or (iovernments to the
House of Lords, bnt so .hat not more than fifty peisons so appointed for life shall have
seats therein at any one time Sneh councillors shall hold their seats on the same con-
ditions as the othi'r Lords of Parliament, and shall, while holding such seats, rank as
barons in the order of their patents.

7. l^pon any vacancy of the seat of an ehcted Lord by death or ri'signation, a fri'sh
election shall be held by the peers of that country of the Tnited Kingdom in whose
representation the vacancy has occurred. If such vacancy should take place in the
representation of any of the other divisions of the Emi)ire tlian the United Kingdom, a
fresh appointment shall be made by Iler Majesty.

S. The sons of the (iueen being of full age, and every ])eer holding or having heldthe
office of Lord High Chancellor of the Kmpire, and every Lord of Parliament holding or
having held office as one of Her Majesty's Imix'rial Ministers, shall be a Lord of Parlia-
ment, and shall hold his seat for life; unless he resigns the same.

9. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to .affect in any manner the royal
prerogative to (create jirivileges or titles of rank and honor.

10. After each general election in the United Kingdom oi members of the Honse
of Commons, the said House shall select eighty of their nundxM' to be members of the
Hou.«e of Lords, The persons so si'lected shall be called Im])erial delegates, and shall
hold their seats diu'ing the teiin of the existence of the Parliament selecting them.

11. It shall form part of the business and duties of the Hou.«i' of Lords to take diligent
care of, and provide for, the expenses of Her Majesty's throne and court, of the naval
defence of the P'anpire, its fortresses and coaling stations, of the War office, of the
diplomatic and consular services, of the Foreign and Colonial Offices, of the various
means of Imperial inter-communication, and of all other dei)artments and undertakings
generally useful to the whole l'ani)ire.

12. It sliall be lawful for (he House of Lords to levy duties of a uniform rate and
character on all foreign importations into any part of the I'jnpire, over and above the
local tariff in force there, to such an extent as will defray the Imperial expenditures foi
the purposes mentioned in the 11th clause of this Act. 8uch uniform Imperial impoit
duties shall, however, not be levied in any one of Her ]\Lijesty's colonies an<l
dependencies until it has olrtained representation in the House of Lords in the mannei-
hereinafter provided. It shall also be lawful for th<' House of Lords to raise revenue
for Imperial purposes in any other manner which may seem to it to be expinlient.

13. Until such time as a colony or dependency ol)tains representation in the House of
Lords, and the ImiMjrial import duties are collected at its ports of entry, the Imperial
duties in question shall be levied on the goods which said colony may send to the jiorts
of the United Kingdom, or of any British possession which has" obtained Imperial
representation.

14. In general, the House of Lords shall have cognisance of and authority regarding
all matt(*rs which affect the Empire as a whole, and shall not revise the legislation of
the Hou&e of Commons of the United Kingdom, or of any other of the local Parlia-
ments of the Empire, except in the case of such of their enactments as have Immmi
reserved for Her Majesty's consideration, or have lu'en disallowed by her authority.

PART H

Of the Imperial MiniMri/.

15. It sliall be lawful for Hi'r Majesty to select, from among the niemlK'rs of the
House of Lords, one of their number whom she may deem to possess the confidence o!
the said House, and to be most capable of forming a Ministry for the Administration
of Imperial affairs, to act as Inqx^rial Prime Minister.

16. The Imperial Prime Minister shall select, from among the members of the Housr
of Lords, such persons as appear to him to be best qualifii'd for carrying on tin
administration of Imperial affairs, and place one of them in charge of e.ach of the
following departments : The War Office, th«! Admiralty, the Foreign Ofiice, the Colonio'
Office, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, etc.

17. The departments, or offices, lM>retofore presided over by the Secretary of State fo,
War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, th^
Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Secretary of State for India, the Lord Chancellor,
etc., sliaiU hereaft' r bo regarded as Iniix>rial departments, and separated from thosi
cliarged with the administration of the affairs of tlie United Kingdom.

18. Besides the departments, enuinerati'd in clauses 10 and 17 of this act, it shall bi

. )

TH patent,
ivprcsiMif
nf Lords,
iiigncsH to
■i Act pro-
iits to the
"liall have
saiiii' con-
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in, a frcsli

in wiiosc

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lolding or

of Parlia-

tlio royal

the Ilonsc
x'rs of tlic
and sliali
leni.

ce diligent
the naval
;e, of the
le varions
lertakings

I rate and

above the

litnres for

ial import

lies and

manner

revi'n\ic

It.

lonse ol'

Imperial

he ports

inperial

garding

lation of

al Parlia-

ive Vx'eii

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Colonin '

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airs, thi
incellor
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shall b.

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lawful to establish another fur the collection anil care nf the Imperial Hi-venue, and the
disbursement of Imperial expenditures, which shall be known as the Treasury of the
Kinpire, anil which shall be |)r<'sided over by an Imperial Treasurer. The acenunts of
this Department shall be kept entiri'ly distinct fromthosi- of lier Maji-sty's Ivxcheipier
for the I nited Kingdom.

li). Tlie Ih'partmeut of thi' S-cretary of State for War, besides having control of
the navy and the Imi»erial fortresses and coaling stations, in times both of peace and
war, shall, on the outbreak of the latt»'r, also have authority over the military forces of
the I'nited Kingdom, and of the colonies and dependencies, in order the iu'tter to pro-
vide for the united and ellicieiit defence of tlu' whole Kmpire, an<l tlu' prosecution of
any wars in which Her Majesty's forces may be engaged.

20. The members of the jmpi'rial Ministry shall onlv hold ollice so long as it possesses
the contideiice of the Hoiiwe of Lords. Should the lattvr, by an adverse vote, show
its distru.^t, thelmperial Prime Minister siiall place the resignation of himself and his
colleagues in tlie hands of Her Majesty, who shall, as earlv as may l)e conveiuent,
appoint another Prime Minister to undertake the formation of a New Imperial
Ministry.

PART III.
Of I he ITnUKc of ('oimimns of (Intit liritoin und Ireland.

21. With the excejition of tlu! dei)artments of state specified in <'laus(! 17ofthi<act,
the House of Commons shall continue to control all the business iu'retofore placed
before it, and more es])ecially the affairs of the I'nited Kingdouv Its legislation and
decisions shall go into effect without concurrence by the House of Lords, and shall not
be subject to revision by it, unless in the event of disallow nee by Her Majesty, acting
under the advice of Her Imperial Ministers.

22. With the exception ot the departments named in clauses KJ and 17 of this act, all
the departments of (Jovermnent now in existence forthe adnunistration of the affairs of
the Fnited Kingdom shall contimie to be presidi'd over and controlk'd by tin' same
Ministers or otlicials as at present, and they shall be regarded as Ilei' Majesty's minis-
ters for the Tnited Kingdom aiul as forming the Cabinet.

23. It shall be lawftd forthe House of Commons of the Cnited Kingdom, whenever
it regards such change as advantageous for the common weal, to grant sepaiate legis-
latures to Ireland and Scotland, and endow them with such jxiwers as may be deemeii
necessary for the management of their local affairs, provideil always that authority is
also conferred on the.^e local legislatures to send delegates to the House of T^ords, in
which event the number of 80 delegaies shall be elected by the three differer.t legis-
latures in proportion to the relative i)i>[)ulations of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

PART l\.

Of lltr rclolloiiK of tlii' (iorrniiiiciiln of llii' Coloiilrx mid Dependencies tn tin Ifmiye nf
Lorda.

24. Should the Parliament or (iovermnent of any of Her Majesty's colonies or
pf)Ssessions approve of the terms of this Act, it shall be lawfid for the authorities there
establisluul to inform Her Maji'sty's Imperial (Jovernment of the fact, and to make
applicat'on for representation in the House of Lords or <ireat Council of the Empire.

25. In the event of such application, it shall be lawful for the Imperial (.Jovernment,
in conjunction with the (iovernment making the apiilication, to arrange provisionally
the details of the terms of adnussion to reiiresentation, and more espi'cially to deter-
mine till' highest limits of the rates of the local tariff of the country in (piestion, beyond
which it shall not be lawful for the said country to impose higher rates of duty.

20. It shall be the duty of the Imperial (Tovernment anil of the various ( Jovernments
in the different parts of the Empire to reduce the local rates of duty as much as
possible, consistent with the financial requirements of each of tlu' various parts of the
Empire, so as to approach as nearly as practicable to a system of free trade within the
Empire.

27. So soon as the negotiations between the Imperial Government and the Govern-
ment making the application for representation are completed, and the details arranged,
it shall be lawful for the Imperial Government to communicate tlu'se to the (ieiu'ral
Council of the Empire, and if approved, to take steps for the appointment of Imperial
Councillors to represent the applying colony or dependency, in consonance with the
terms of this act.

28. It shall be the duty of the Governments of the various dominions, colonics, and
d(>|)endencies of the Empire which have (jbtained ImiK'rial representation, to cause the
officials in their custom houses at the various ports of entry within their several
territories to collect, in addition to the duties levied under the local tariff, the duties
imposed by the ImixMial Council, and to remit the same to the Imperial Treasury,
without any deduction whatever.

'jy. Ah HOI III iiH any one <i|' the p'niips of Colonies kiiuwii an tlic Dominion of Canaihi,
of AuHtniiia, of New Zealand, or of Sontli Africa, lias obtained repieHentation in the
llonne of Tjords, it sliall be iawfnl, after eaeii general election of nienilHTh to itn Houhc
of ('oniinons, for naid lloiise to appoint a delegation to the House of Lords, to hold neats
there as Imperial delegates dnring the existence of tlie Parliament appointing them.
The mnnbi'r of nuMnbers in eacli delegation shall be according to the taxation for
Imperial pnri>oses of the dominion thev represent, and shall bear the name proportion
to it aH t lie number of delegates from tlie House of CommoiiH of the I'nited Kmgilom
(eighty) Ix-arn to its taxation for ImjM'rial pin-poses.

;U). It shall be lawful for Her Majesty's Representative in India, and the (»overnor.s
in the various Crown dependencies, to apiioint from among the nienibers of the
CouncilH or T>'gislaturea in I'ach deiu'iidency such a number of Imperial delegates as
corresponds t<i its taxation for Imperial ])urposeH, in the name projjortion as mentionetl
in the jireceding claune. Such delegates shall hold their seats only during the term of
ollice of the (ioveriior ai)poiiiting them.

N.B. — The coniposition of the reorganised House of Lordn or (teneral Council of the
Kmpire. according to the foregoing Hill, would be about an follows : —

Life Memiikrs! :

Knglish Peers 220

Scotch Pet'rH .'U

Irish Peers 40

800

HOVAI. \.\l) Kx-OKKUlo C()tN(lI.I,01JS 10

I.MI'KKIAI, COUNCII.I.OIIS, fliilll—

India 2(5

Canada i:i

Australasia 7

British Africa 1

West Indies 3

LoUDS Sl'lUlTlAI 20

iMi'icniAi. Dei.koa'I'Ks, holding seats during the existence of the
Parliaments or authorities appointing them, from —

I'nited Kingdom 80

India 1'

Canada

-Vustralasia •>

West Indies 1

British Africa 1

100

Total 48<1

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