V.  Australien.  1397  251.  Australia.

of  service;  and  afterwards  the  place  of  senators  shall  become  vacant  at  the  expiration
of  six  years  from  the  beginning  of  their  term  of  service.

The  election  to  fill  vacant  places  shall  be  made  in  the  year:  at  the  expiration
of  which  the  places  are  to  become  vacant.

For  the  purposes  of  this  section  the  term  of  service  of.  a  senator.  shall  be  taken.
to  begin  on  the  first  day  of  January  following  the  day  of  his  election;  except  in  the
cases  of  the  first  election  and  of  the  election  next  after  any  dissolution.of  the  Senate,
when  it  shall.  be  taken  to  begin  on  the  first  day:  of  January  preceding.  the  day  of
his  election.

14.  Whenever  the  number  of  senators  for  a  State  is  increased  or  diminished,
the  Parliament  of  the  Commonwealth  may  make  such  provision:  for:  the  vacating
of  the  places  of.  senators  for  the  State  as  it  deems  necessary  to  maintain  regularity
in  the  rotation.

15.  If  the  place  of  a  senator  becomes  vacant  before  the  expiration  of  his  term
of  service,  the  Houses  of  Parliament  of  the  State  for  which  he  was  chosen  shall,
sitting  and  voting  together,  choose  a  person  to  hold  the  place  until.  the  expiration
of  the  term,  or  until  the  election  of  a  successor  as  hereinafter  provided,  whichever
first  happens.  But  if  the  Houses  of  Parliament  of  the  State  are  not  in  session  at  the
time  when  the  vacancy  is  notified,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  with  the  advice  of  the
Executive  Council  thereof,  may  appoint  a  person  to  hold  the  place  until  the  expiration
of’  fourteen’  days  after  the  beginning  of  the  next;  session  of  the  Parliament  of  the
State,  or  until  the  election  of  a  successor,  whichever  first  happens.

At  the  next  general  election  of  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  or
at  the  next  election  of  senators  for  the  state,  whichever  first  happens,  a  successor
shall,  if  the  term  has  not  then  expired,  be  chosen  to  hold  the  place  from  the  date
of  his  election  until  the  expiration  of  the  term.

The  name  of  any  senator  so  chosen  or  appointed  shall  be  certified  by  the  Governor
  of  the  State  to  the  Governor-General.

16.  The  qualifications  of  a  senator  shall  be  the  same  as  those  of  a  member  of
the  House  of  Representatives.

17.  The  Senate  shall,  before  proceeding  to  the  despatch  of  any  other  business,
choose  a  senator  to  be  the  President  of  the  Senate;  and  as  often  as  the  Office  of
President  becomes  vacant  the  Senate  shall  again  choose  a  senator  to  be  the  President.

The  President  shall  cease  to  hold  his  office  if  he  ceases  to  be  a  senator.  He
may  be  removed  from  office  by  a  vote  of  the  Senate,  or  he  may  resign  his  office  or
his  seat  by  writing  addressed  to  the  Gorvernor-General.

18.  Before  or  during  any  absence  of  the  President,  the  Senate  may  choose
&amp;  senator  to  perform  his  duties  in  his  absence.

19.  A  senator  may,  by  writing  addressed  to  the  President,  or  to  the  Governor-General
  if  there  is  no  President  or  if  the  President  is  absent  from  the  Commonwealth,
resign  his  place,  which  thereupon  shall  become  vacant.