THE GOVERNOR AND PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 10

THE GOVERNOR AND PARLIAMENT.

Sir, —I think public attention should bo called to tho inconvenience caused by the absence of the Governor from the place where Parliament is in session. By tho Constitution' Act, tho General Assembly consists of the Governor, a Legislative Council,, and a House of Representatives. The meetings of the Assembly aro to bo held at such place within New Zealand as' the .Governor from time to time appoints. For tho present session this placo is tho city of "Wellington. The Governor is nil essential constituent part of-the General Assembly, and as such" has important Constitutional duties to perform. Among tlioso are the signature of certain in'strumcnts occasioned by or requiring tho action of Parliament. For example, tho assent to Bills required to como into immediate operation, such as Imprest Supply measures, formal communications between t-lio Governor and Parliament by messages of various kinds, or other instruments necessitated by .tho ordinary courso of Parliamentary procedure. All these are, or ought to be, under the signmanual of the Governor; for it cannot bo presumed that a telegram, -or a message by telephone, assenting to a document, is accepted as a compliance with proper Constitutional practice. It is obvious, however, that if tho usual formalities arc observed, tho public convenience must suffer by tho delay in obtaining tho Governor's signature, and tho remedy is that during a session of Parliament, tho Governor should ho acccssiblo at tho city wliero Parliament is sitting, and not sonio hundreds of miles away from that city.—l am, etc., CONSERVATIVE. Wellington, November 12, 1910.