Ebook The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia

The writer of a book on the Commonwealth of Australia has no need to arouse interest in his subject; but his anxiety must be the greater, lest his exposition should be unworthy of the matter dealt with, and should fail to satisfy the expectations of those who, from many very different points of view, desire to study the new Constitution.

I have departed somewhat from the arrangement adopted in the Constitution itself, for reasons which I think will be apparent to those who may use the book. I hope, however, that the index to the Constitution will enable readers to use the book as an annotated text.

I append a list of principal works referred to. I have not in every case made use of the latest editions, partly because in Australia it is not always easy to obtain them or even to ascertain what is the latest edition of a work, partly because the greater number are works of which libraries and students are as likely to have earlier as later editions.