COiXSTlTUTIOX OF THE SENATE. 2^i 



had been sanctioned 1)\" " the deliberate will and wish of the 

 nation." which in substance are Dr. Watkins' two main pro- 

 positions. 



The exact form that the Referendum should take if it is 

 adopted is a matter for discussion. It might be invoked by a 

 popular petition of 5 per cent, of the electors, or of 10 per cent, 

 of the Lower House, and emergency Bills passed by a two-thirds 

 vote might become law temporarilx until ratified or vetoed by a 

 Referendum \'ote. 



It will be remembered that a Referendum \'ote was taken in 

 Xatal as to whether that Province should join in the I'nion, 

 and that Referendum N'otes are constitutional in Australia, 

 Switzerland, and in many States of Amercia. The uni\ersal 

 ex|)erience i> that Referendum X'otes have a conservative 

 leaning. 



The bLarl of .Selbnrne, in his interesting work " The State 

 and the Citizen," refers to the Referendtnn as the simplest 

 device ever adopted b\' democracy, and says that 



the Referendnni. tlierefore, may claim some part of the blessiii.ti- ijnmnunced 

 hy DisraeH upon tliose who are wise enou.sjh to trust the instincts of a 

 people. 



Manganese in Wheat.— 'I"he Journal of Agricultural 

 Research'''' contains an article on the occurrence of manganese in 

 wheat by \\\ 1*. ITeadden, Chemist of the Colorado Agricul- 

 tural lix])erimeut Station. In examining the mineral con- 

 stituents of wheat, the author was struck h\ tin.' fact that there 

 -was uniformly enottgh manganese present to come down with 

 the calcium oxalate and to impart a decided brown colour to 

 the calcium oxide when ignited. Further investigations fr)llowed, 

 leading to the conclusion that manganese is present in wheat 

 wherever grown, irrespective of the conditions of soil and 

 climate. The author also found that the manganese is present 

 in the wheat kernel in about the same proportion as iron, not- 

 withstanding the predominance of iron in the soil, and that 

 fertilisers a])plied to the soil did not alTect the amount of 

 manganese stored in the kernels, nor was this amount 

 aitected by variation in the quantity of water ap])lied. The 

 author thinks that facts seem to support the vicAv that manganese 

 is an essential constituent of wheat, and possibly also of rye, 

 oats, and other cereals. 



* (TOT.;) 5 181 M9-3S5- 



