the right of speaking. Newspapers may print all the debates of the Assembly without altering their meaning, so that the public should be aware of all their proceedings. Everyone, subject to his paying due regard to the public good, may discuss them in the public press, so that no matter should be hidden from anyone. Therefore, all newspapers, so long as their publications are not contrary to any of the articles of the Constitution of the nation or State, are empowered to print matters of public utility, such as the debates of the Assembly and the observations of the people on those debates. Should any one publish an untrue report of the debates with personal motives, or make a libel, he will render himself liable to an inquiry, proceedings and punishment, according to law.

ART. 14. The National Assembly, in accordance with separate regulations entitled the internal regulations, shall regulate its own. personal affairs, such as the election of a president, a vice-pre ide it. secretaries, and other officers, as well as the debates, etc.

THE DUTIES OF THE ASSEMBLY AND ITS LIMITATIONS AND RIGHTS.

ART. 15. The National Assembly has the right to discuss truthfully and sincerely all matters it considers to be desirable in the interests of the State and nation to investigate; and, subject to the approval of a majority, to submit them in the enjoyment of the utmost safety and confidence, with the approval of the Senate, to His Imperial Majesty the Shah, through the Prime Minister of the State, for His Majesty's signature, and to be then put into execution.

ART. 16. In general, all laws necessary for the strengthening of the government and kingdom, and the regulation of State affairs, and for the establishment of ministries, must receive the sanction of the National Assembly.

ART. 17. The necessary bills for making new laws, or for the alteration, amplification, or cancellation of existing laws, shall, when desirable, be prepared by the National Assembly to be submitted to His Imperial Majesty the Shah for signature with the approval of the Senate, and to be then put into execution.

ART. 18. The regulation of financial matters, the modification of the budget, the alteration of the arrangement of taxation, the refusal or acceptance of impositions, as well as the inspections which will be undertaken by the government, shall be done with the approval of the Assembly.

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ART. 19. The Assembly will have the right for the purpose of reforming financial matters and facilitating the relations of the gove ernors and the apportioning of the provinces of Persia, and the ro appointment of governors, after the Senate has given its approval, do

demand from the government authorities that the decision arrived. at should be carried out.

ART. 20. The budget of each ministry must be finished for the succeeding year in the last half of each year, and must be ready fifteen days before the Festival of the Nawrúz.1

ART. 21. Should it be necessary with regard to the constitutional laws of the ministries to make a new law, or to alter or cancel existing laws, it will be done with the consent of the National Assembly, whether its necessity be first pointed out by the Assembly or by the responsible minister.

ART. 22. Whenever a part of the revenue or property of the government or State is to be sold, or a change of frontier or border becomes necessary, it will be done with the approval of the National Assembly.

ART. 23. Without the approval of the National Assembly no concession whatever for the formation of companies or associations shall be granted by the government.

ART. 24. Treaties, conventions, the granting of concessions, monopolies, either commercial, industrial, or agricultural, whether the other party be a native or a foreigner, can only be done with the approval of the National Assembly. Treaties which it may be in the interests of the government or nation to keep secret are excepted.

ART. 25. All government loans of any nature whatsoever, whether internal or foreign, will be made with the knowledge and approval of the National Assembly.

ART. 26. The construction of railways or roads, whether the cost be defrayed by the government, by associations or companies, whether native or foreign, can only be undertaken with the approval of the National Assembly.

ART. 27. Should the Assembly find in any place a fault in the laws or an irregularity in their fulfilment, it will draw the attention of the responsible minister to the same, and he will have to give the necessary explanations.

ART. 28. Should a minister, in contravention of one of the laws which have received the imperial sanction, by misrepresentations obtain the issue of a written or verbal order from His Imperial Majesty the Shah, and excuse himself thereby for his delay and negligence, he will by law be responsible to His Imperial Majesty the Shah.

ART. 29. Whichever minister who in a matter or matters should not be able to answer for his actions in accordance with the laws approved by His Imperial Majesty, and if it should be apparent that he has broken the law and transgressed the stipulated limitations, the

1 The Nawrúz, or Persian New Year's Day, falls about 21 March in each year.

Assembly will petition His Imperial Majesty for his dismissal, and when his fault has been determined by the courts of justice he will not again be allowed to serve the government.

ART. 30. The National Assembly has the right whenever it considers it desirable to make petitions direct to His Imperial Majesty by the means of a body composed of the president and six members elected by the six classes. The time for the audience must be arranged for through the Minister of Court.

ART. 31. Ministers have the right to be present at the sessions of the National Assembly, and to sit in the place set apart for them, and to hear the debates of the Assembly; and should they think it necessary, they may ask the president for permission to speak and give the necessary explanations for the discussion and investigation of affairs.

THE STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

ART. 32. Any individual member of the public may make a statement of his case, or complaints or criticisms, to the office of the Assembly, and, if the matter concerns the Assembly itself, a satisfying answer will be given to him; but should the matter concern one of the ministries, it will be sent to that ministry for investigation, and in order that a satisfying answer be given.

ART. 33. New laws which are necessary will be prepared at the responsible ministries, and will be given to the National Assembly by the responsible minister or by the Prime Minister, and after receiv ing the approval of the Assembly will receive His Imperial Majesty's sign-manual and be put into execution.

ART. 34. The president of the Assembly can, if necessary, of his own initiative or by the desire of ten members of the Assembly or of a minister, form a secret committee, without the presence of newspaper reporters or spectators, composed of a number of persons chosen from among the members of the Assembly, at which the other members of the Assembly will not have the right to attend. The result of the deliberations of the secret committee can, however, only be put into execution when the secret committee in the presence of three quarters of the persons elected accept the point at issue by a majority of votes, and if the matter be not passed by the secret committee, it will not be stated in the Assembly and will remain secret.

ART. 35. Should the secret committee be instituted by the president of the Assembly, he has the right to inform the public of any part of it he thinks fit; but if the secret committee is instituted by a minister, the publication of the debate can only be subject to that minister's permission.

ART. 36. Any one of the ministers may withdraw at any stage of its progress any matter put before the Assembly by him, excepting when his statement is called forth by the initiative of the Assembly, in which case the withdrawal of the subject must be subject to the agreement of the Assembly.

ART. 37. Should the bill of any minister not be passed, it will be returned with the observations of the Assembly. The responsible minister can, after refusing or accepting the criticisms of the Assembly, send it to the Assembly a second time.

ART. 38. The members of the National Assembly must definitely and explicitly either refuse or accept the points at issue, and no one will have the right to influence them in giving their decisions. A refusal or acceptance on the part of the members of the Assembly must be made in such a manner that the newspaper reporters and spectators may be able to observe it, that is to say, their decision must be made by visible signs, such as blue and white cards, or the like.

THE STATEMENT OF MATTERS ON THE PART OF THE ASSEMBLY.

ART. 39. Whenever a case is brought up by a member of the Assembly, it will only be subject to debate when at least fifteen members of the Assembly approve of its discussion, in which case the matter in point will be submitted in writing to the president, who has the right to give it to the Committee of Investigation.

ART. 40. At the time of debate and inquiry into a matter, as stated above in Article 39, whether by the Assembly or by the Committee of Investigation, should the matter have reference to one of the responsible ministries, the Assembly must notify the responsible minister, so that if possible he should attend in person or send his representative in order that the discussion should take place in the presence of the minister or his representative. A copy of the statement and its appendices must be sent from ten days to a month beforehand, with the exception of urgent matters, to the responsible minister. The day on which the debate will take place must likewise be previously determined. After an investigation of the case in the presence of the responsible minister, in the event of the Assembly approving by a majority of votes, the statement will be formally written and delivered to the responsible minister in order that he should take the consequential steps.

ART. 41. In case a responsible minister, on grounds of expediency, is not in accord with the Assembly in a matter raised by it, he must adduce his proofs and convince the Assembly.

ART. 42. In any case concerning which the National Assembly desires explanations from a responsible minister, the latter is obliged

to supply an answer, and this answer must not, without an excuse, be delayed beyond a reasonable time, with the exception of secret matters, the secrecy of which for a stipulated period is desirable in the interests of the government and nation, but after the expiration of the stipulated time the responsible minister is obliged to state the circumstances of the case to the Assembly.

THE CONDITIONS OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE SENATE.

ART. 43. Another assembly, called the Senate, will be constituted, composed of sixty members, whose sessions will coincide, after its constitution, with those of the National Assembly.

ART. 44. The regulations of the Senate must receive the approval of the National Assembly.

ART. 45. The members of the assembly will be chosen from the enlightened, intelligent, orthodox and respectable persons of the State, thirty persons on behalf of His Imperial Majesty (fifteen from the inhabitants of Teheran and fifteen from the inhabitants of the provinces) and thirty persons on behalf of the nation (fifteen elected by the people of Teheran and fifteen elected by the people of the provinces).

ART. 46. After the constitution of the Senate all affairs must receive the approval of both assemblies. If those affairs are initiated by the Senate or by the body of ministers, they must first be determined in the Senate and passed by a majority, and then sent to the National Assembly for approval; but affairs initiated in the National Assembly will, on the contrary, pass from that Assembly to the Senate, with the exception of financial matters, which will be the prerogative of the National Assembly, and the Senate will be informed of the arrangements made by the Assembly regarding these affairs in order that the Senate may make its observations on the same to the National Assembly, which is, however, at liberty, after the necessary investigations, either to accept or to refuse the proposals of the Senate.

ART. 47. So long as the Senate is not constituted, affairs will require only the approval of the National Assembly and the signmanual of His Imperial Majesty to be put into execution.

ART. 48. Whenever a question initiated by a minister is, after having been passed by the Senate, referred to the National Assembly and not accepted, and in the event of the matter being an important one, a third assembly, composed of an equal number of members of both assemblies elected by each, will be constituted to inquire into the subject at issue. The result of the deliberations of this assembly will be read to the National Assembly. If an understanding is