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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
