Referendum for constitutional amendments to coincide with local elections
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor yesterday promulgated an Imperial Decree which ordered a referendum to take place on 31 August in which all Austenasian subjects will be able to vote on proposed amendments to the Constitution. Local elections will also take place on 31 August, in which each Town will choose who to serve as its Representative in Parliament. Several of the proposed amendments are little more than corrections to mistakes in the spelling and grammar of the Constitution, which was adopted in September 2011. The main amendments which have been proposed are: Local elections shall take place at least once every five years instead of at least once every two years. Local elections will be able to take place in Towns individually. At present, all Towns have their local election at the same time. The structure of the judicial system will be able to be reorganised by Parliament (it currently being entrenched by the Constitution). Parliament will be able to make provision for whom the Throne should pass to should the Line of Succession come to an end. The Monarch will be able to temporarily suspend the Constitution should there be an emergency so severe (an “existential threat to the state”) that normal government becomes completely impossible. Subjects will have the option to vote Yes, No, or Abstain to the proposed changes. Should over half of all Austenasian subjects vote Yes, then an Act of Parliament will be proposed to put the amendments into effect, which will require the support of over 80% of Representatives to pass.
Adjoining house joins Terentia
The Crown Dependency of Terentia has expanded to include the house the garden of which it had previously consisted of. Terentia, founded on 16 November 2013, is bordered by the U.S. state of Massachusetts, and is governed by its founder Legate Sir Jacob Lewis, KCA. Terentia had previously been comprised of Lewis’ garden, but by request of his family their house was yesterday annexed to the Crown Dependency by an Act of Parliament. This new expansion has added five people and roughly 16,300 square feet to Austenasia’s population and territory, as well as making Lewis himself – who since May has been a non-residential subject of the Empire – an Austenasian resident.
New Richmond and Shineshore become Towns as former expands
The Crown Dependencies of New Richmond and Shineshore have become Towns, a day after New Richmond was ceded land from Ashukovo. New Richmond and Shineshore are the first Towns of the Empire to be established outside of Great Britain, the former an enclave of the United States and the latter an enclave of Canada. The transition took place earlier today through an Act of Parliament. All Austenasian land outside of Great Britain has until now joined the Empire as Crown Dependencies, but requests were made by Shineshore and New Richmond to become Towns. This gives them representation in Parliament, but also places them under the authority of the central government. Lord Centurion Alastair and the now Lord Dux Joseph, the former Governing Commissioners of Shineshore and of New Richmond respectively, have become the Acting Representatives of the two new Towns. This comes only a day after New Richmond expanded after annexing Saint Josephsburg from the Ashukov Federation. Saint Josephsburg, which has eight residents including Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy and is estimated to span roughly 15400 square feet, was yesterday ceded with the consent of its population by Ashukovo to New Richmond. Separated by just over 14 miles, Saint Josephsburg and the original New Richmond – the latter now known as North New Richmond – now comprise the most populated territorial division in Austenasia, with ten residents. With the annexation of Saint Josephsburg, New Richmond now contains a shop which sells home appliances to the citizens of the neighbouring United States, whereas in Shineshore, plans for a space agency have recently been discussed. Arrangements for local government are currently being put into place in the two new Towns.
Contract and family law passed
Two Acts of Parliament were given Imperial Consent yesterday evening forming a basis for Austenasian contract law and family law. The first, the Contract Law and Magistrates Act 2014, defines a contract, who can enter into them, and how they can be breached or repudiated, generally following the same principles of British contract law. The second, the Parents, Guardians and Children Act 2014 codifies the responsibilities of parents and guardians to children, and also lists children’s rights (based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child). Provision has also been made for magistrates to be appointed, judges who will settle disputes in civil law including contractual and family matters, but also covering issues such as property ownership and inheritance. Furthermore, compromises – legally binding agreements made outside of court – have been established as an alternative means of conflict resolution. Speaking in Parliament, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor stated that he felt the Empire “really should expand our civil law”. Nearly all Austenasian legislation to date has been concerned with criminal law, administration, and titles.
Annexations continue amidst warnings of over-expansion
Parliament yesterday evening passed an Act annexing a new Crown Dependency in North America and authorising the annexation of another in the Canary Islands in two weeks. Oregonia, an area of wooded parkland measuring roughly 650 square feet which borders the Kingdom of Überstadt, has joined the Empire as a new Crown Dependency, with King Adam I of Überstadt appointed its Governing Commissioner. The growth of various plants in the area, some of which can be used for dyeing textiles, has opened up an opportunity for Austenasian-Überstadti trade. The Act of Parliament also authorised Lord Hengest Crannis to annex a holiday home owned by his family in the Canary Islands when he visits there later in the month. This will make Africa the fifth continent to have an Austenasian presence, and the new Crown Dependency there – which will be known as Heischierland – will be somewhat of a tourism hub, with friends and family of Lord Hengest frequently staying there. However, concerns were raised in Parliament as to the rate at which the Empire is expanding. Lord John Gordon voiced his opinion that the Empire needs “to slow down”. Emperor Jonathan I replied agreeing that “some consolidation is indeed necessary”, and that Austenasia does not “need a new piece of land every month”. It is therefore thought that the Empire’s rate of expansion will significantly slow down, if not stop, for the next several months.
James von Puchow made Austenasian subject at summit in London
James von Puchow, founder of Landashir and long-time friend of the Empire, became an Austenasian national earlier today at a summit held in central London. Emperor Jonathan I met at Mile End with von Puchow and with Richard Cunningham (a former holder of the offices of GUM Chair and Pope of the Proto-Cults), to be joined later by Sebastian Linden of Francisville. Pierre d’Égtavie of Renasia had intended to attend the meeting, as had Evren Filgert of the recently founded Austenasian town of Porthbokon, but both had to cancel. The Emperor, von Puchow and Cunningham visited the Tower of London and the British Museum before going back to Mile End to meet Sebastian Linden and his significant other. After refreshments, the group went to Mile End Park, where von Puchow was made an Austenasian national by the Emperor under the provisions of an Act of Parliament last week. Von Puchow now holds the status of a non-residential subject, and will soon be appointed Deputy Chief Ambassador to share the workload of the current Chief Ambassador, the Prime Minister Countess Eritoshi.
Subjectship granted to foreign members of the government
The status of Austenasian subjects has been bestowed upon some members of the Austenasian government who did not already hold it, increasing the population to 36. Subjectship was given to Dux Sir Joseph Kennedy, Governing Commissioner of New Richmond; Tribune Jacob Lewis, Governing Commissioner of Terentia; and Prince Andrew I, Governor of Corinium Terentium. These three individuals have governed Austenasian land for several months now, but remained citizens of foreign countries (the USA and Ashukovo, the USA and Juclandia, and the UK and Sabovia respectively). Having been given the option to become Austenasian nationals, these officials accepted and were granted the status by Parliament earlier today. Austenasia has laws forbidding dual citizenship with any country other than the UK in most cases, but Parliament has the power to make exceptions to these rules. The other three Governing Commissioners of the Empire have been given until 1 July to accept the offer of Austenasian subjectship, until which they can be granted the status by a mere public declaration of the Monarch. Members of the population can be either subjects or residents, or hold both statuses simultaneously. Residents are those who live in the Empire (currently 30 people) whereas subjects are those who have the right to vote in a general election. While most subjects also live in the Empire, not all do – as well as the three people granted subjectship today, the status is also held by former emperor Esmond III and by two military veterans, all non-residents.
Winter starts in Austenasia as new laws are passed
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced the start of winter in the Austenasian calendar, and given Imperial Consent to two new Acts of Parliament. Austenasia has been battered by heavy winds and large amounts of rain over the past week, although thankfully there have been no floods as in the surrounding United Kingdom. This morning finally saw an end to the rain, although the temperature was several degrees colder than yesterday. This change in weather conditions has been used to mark the turning point from autumn to winter this year. The Emperor has also given Imperial Consent to two Acts of Parliament, passing them into law. The first has revised the law on homicide, defining the required acts and intentions for murder and manslaughter in greater detail and creating a separate offence of second-degree murder for killings in which, while harm was intended, it was not realised death was a possibility. The second act has codified Austenasian law on the subject of how international treaties are to be ratified.
