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Austenasian Times

Online news for the people of the Empire

Shineshore ceded to Canada

In an Act of Parliament passed earlier this morning, the town of Shineshore was ceded back to Canada after many months of no contact between its Representative and the imperial government. With Shineshore’s Representative, Alastair Cranston, not having voted on any parliamentary matters since January, and with the other members of government unable to contact him for several months, the decision was made that Shineshore would unfortunately have to be given up. Shineshore was originally annexed by Austenasia in April 2014 as a Crown Dependency, transitioning into a Town in September later that year. Situated next to Lake Ontario, the town had a population of five. A provision was included in the legislation which permits the Empire to re-annex Shineshore should its population contact the government with that request.

Incumbents stand for local elections

Yesterday saw the end of the week-long period during which those wishing to stand for election as Representative at the end of the month could announce that they would be doing so. In each of the ten Towns of Austenasia, the incumbent Representative or Acting Representative was the only person who announced that they would be standing. This scenario was not unexpected. On Twitter, Emperor Jonathan I wrote that the nation-wide lack of competition for the office of Representative showed “local elections every five years makes far more sense than every two years”, referring to one of the constitutional amendments that will also be voted on at the end of the month. As only a single candidate is standing in each Town, voters will have the option to cast an Abstain vote under the terms of an Imperial Edict passed in 2013. Should there be more votes to abstain than for the candidate in any Town, a new vote will be called for that Town in which more people will be encouraged to stand. The candidates for each Town are as follows: Wrythe: HIM Emperor Jonathan I Zephyria: Lord Marshal William K., Baron of Zephyria Thanasia: HIH Eritoshi, Countess of Memphis Palasia: Lord John Gordon, Baron of Zephyria Lichtenstein: Lord Charles Clarke, Duke of Grantabridge Porthbokon: Lady Evren Filgert, Duchess of Dumnonia New Richmond: HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, Count of Greater Richmond Shineshore: Lord Rear Admiral Alastair Cranston, Duke of New Virginia Terentia: Lord Vice Admiral Eren (formerly Jacob) Lewis, Baron of Terentia Harenfall: Lord Sivert MacLean, Duke of Redcaster

Local election results announced

Local elections were held yesterday, with the results as expected by many. All Towns have elected or re-elected the sole candidate standing for election. Shineshore is the only Town to have not yet announced their results, but it is assumed that as elsewhere the only candidate – in this case Lord Centurion Alastair – has been elected Representative. All elections had the option to abstain – if this got more votes than the candidate running for election, the respective Town Council would have had the authority to take over from the Representative. Several of the candidates had only been Acting Representatives, having been appointed as such by Parliament upon their Town joining Austenasia but not until now elected. As all members of the House of Representatives are now fully elected Representatives, it is expected for changes in the composition of Cabinet to be announced in the following days. UPDATE 17 OCTOBER 15:29: Lord Centurion Alastair was elected in Shineshore.

Local Election candidates confirmed

Those standing for Representative in next month’s local election have been confirmed. All incumbents are standing for election, with some at present only being Acting Representatives due to their Towns having joined the Empire after the most recent local elections in November last year. In no Town is there an opposing candidate standing for election, but this does not mean that there will be only one choice on the ballot paper. All subjects will have an option to abstain – should the option to abstain gain more votes than the candidate, the respective Town Council may take power for itself or appoint a new Acting Representative. Those standing for election to the office of Representative are: In Wrythe: HIM Emperor Jonathan I In Zephyria: Lord Marshal William, Baron of Zephyria In Thanasia: HIH Eritoshi, Countess of Memphis In Palasia: Lord John Gordon, Baron of Palasia In Lichtenstein: Lord Hengest Crannis, Duke of Grantabridge In Porthbokon: Lady Evren Filgert, Duchess of Dumnonia In New Richmond: HIH Joseph Nobilissimus Caesar In Shineshore: Lord Alastair Cranston, Duke of New Virginia

Six years of independence celebrated

The sixth anniversary of the Austenasian Declaration of Independence has been celebrated across the Empire, while local elections have been called for next month. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and his parents celebrated Independence Day with a meal out this evening at a local restaurant. Crown Princess Caroline was unable to accompany them due to schoolwork. The occasion was also marked across the Empire – a parade took place in New Richmond, a ceremony was held in Oregonia, and a museum has been opened in Lichtenstein. Furthermore, the customary Independence Day honours list was released by Emperor Jonathan I. Amongst those granted honours was Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy, who has been appointed Caesar. Now known as HIH Joseph Nobilissimus Caesar, the founder of New Richmond has been appointed the Emperor’s deputy over the two Crown Dependencies in North America, Shineshore and Oregonia. Furthermore, the Governing Commissioner of the latter of these two, King Adam I of Überstadt, has been granted subjectship of the Empire, raising Austenasia’s population to fifty people. In an Imperial Edict given yesterday, the Emperor also announced that local elections will take place on 11 October. The last local elections took place in November last year, but since then several new Towns have joined the Empire, meaning that a large proportion of those in the House of Representatives are serving as Acting Representatives, without a democratic mandate. Subjects have one week  in which to announce their intention to stand for Representative.

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.

Naval unit established after meeting of military leaders

Centuria II Ondiara, a naval unit of the Austenasian Army, has been established at the Crown Dependency of Shineshore after a meeting of military leaders on Skype yesterday evening. The meeting saw Emperor Jonathan I, defence minister Lord Marshal William, North American commander Dux Sir Joseph Kennedy, and air force head Sir Ash (formerly Micheal) Mitchell discuss several matters relating to the Austenasian Armed Forces. The first matter of discussion was the merger of the air forces as directed by the Armed Forces Act passed last year. The Imperial Air Force (IAF) was founded in October 2009 and disestablished five months later before being re-established in January 2012. In December 2010, though, Zephyria founded its own militia air force with permission from Parliament, which had remained independent from the IAF. It was decided that the Zephyrian Air Force would be disbanded and its members join the IAF, with Lord Marshal William keeping his rank of Marshal. The next topic on the agenda was a small fleet of four vessels offered to the Austenasian Armed Forces by Shineshore, a crown dependency of Austenasia that had joined the Empire earlier in the month. It was decided that instead of refounding the Imperial Navy (a short-lived branch of the armed forces which existed in name only between October 2009 and March 2010), the vessels would become a naval unit of the Austenasian Army, with their unit being officially founded earlier today as Centuria II Ondiara. Centuria II Ondiara is comprised of three soldiers, with two kayaks and two stand-up paddle-boards. It is the first proper naval force ever controlled by Austenasia, and gives the Empire a naval presence on Lake Ontario.

Four new annexations take place as the Empire further expands

Seven people and over 64,000 square feet of land have joined the Empire of Austenasia in four simultaneous annexations. In Canada, a new Crown Dependency known as Shineshore has been annexed. Situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, it is the first time that the Empire has had a coastline of any sort, and a prospective naval force is currently being discussed. Shineshore, with a population of five, is governed by Lord Alastair Cranston. Lord Alastair is also owner of a second addition to the Empire, the Territory of Beith Craobh Iostan on the Scottish isle of Coll. This land features a newly-built holiday house, uninhabited for most of the year. The third expansion made by the Empire has been to the already existing Territory of Emperorsland, which has annexed the adjacent house lived in by its governor, Lord Hengest Crannis (formerly known as Karanys Dómynus and Theledir the Wight). The annexation of this house has transitioned the Territory of Emperorsland into the Empire’s fifth Town, now known as Lichtenstein, of which Lord Hengest has been appointed Acting Representative. The fourth annexation made by Austenasia this evening – all of which were put into effect by an Act of Parliament – has been of the Territory of Glencoe, ten square feet of land also in Scotland and owned by Lord Hengest. Neither Glencoe or Beith Craobh Iostan have had governors appointed to them due to no known suitable candidates living near enough to them.