AN ACT TO GRANT A REPRESENTATIVE CONSTITUTION TO THE COLONY OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 694, 8 December 1852, Page 2

AN ACT TO GRANT A REPRESENTATIVE CONSTITUTION TO THE COLONY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Recites 3 and 4 Vie. c. 62— Lcllcrs Patent, 23rd December, 10 Vic— ll and 12 Vie. c. S. Section 1 Repeals the recited yets and letters patent. 2. Divides New Zealand into six provinces — namely, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Canlerhnry, and Otago. Limits of provinces to foe proclaimed by the Governor.

, . . PROVINCIAL COUNCILS. 7). Each Province lo have a Superintendent, and Council of not less than nine. \. Superintendent to he elected hy qualified voters prior to the issue of writs for election of

Council --to hold office (hiring continuance of Council, and until successor appointed. Election may be disallowed by Governor within i three months— may be removed by the Crown on petition of a majority of the Council. r>. Governor to proclaim — 1 . electoral distiicts within provinces ; 2, the nutnlicr of members for each distiict; 5, registration regulations, and returning officer appointed by Gcncrnor. Members for districts to be relative to number ol'xMtM'S. G. Superintendent and Members of Council to be chosen from qualified and registered electors. 7. Qualification of voters, males 21 years or upward — Freehold, unencumbered, value HOI. Leasehold, annual value 10/. Householder in town, annual value of 101. Without the town of the annual value of til. 8. Alien, conviction of felony, treason, or infamous offence, disqualified. 9. Members of Council may resign by notice in writing to superintendent. 10. Absence of member from two successive sessions, becoming bankrupt or insolvent, a public defaulter, attainted of treason, convicted of felony, or infamous offence, shall vacate seal. 11. Questions of vacancy in Council to be determined by Council on reference by the superintendent. 12. Superintendent to issue writs for new members in case of vacancy. 13. Provincial Council to continue i years — Governor may dissolve it by proclamation. i&. Writs to issue within 0 months of the proclamation of this act— New writs to issue immediately on expiration of dissolution. li». 4G. Conveningand prorogation of Council by the Superintendent. 47. Not more than 12 months to intervene between last sitting in one session and the first sitting in the next. 18. Superintendent and Council empowered to make laws, except as after mentioned. 19. Restricts the legislative powers of Provincial Councils. 20. Council to elect Speaker at first meeting — to be confirmed by Superintendent, and to reelect on vacancy occurring. 21. Speaker to preside, or if absent some other. 22. Not less then one-third of the avJiqlo number competent to the dispatch of business. 23. Questions determined by majority — Speaker to have casting vote when Council equally divided. 2i. Council to frame standing orders, Sc, al first meeting, and from lime to time. 25. Hills appropriating money to originate with Superintendent, and money only issued under his warrant. 26. Superintendent may transmit drafts of laws for consideration of Council. 27. Superintendent may assent to bills on behalf of the Governor, or reserve the same for the Governor's assent, or may suggest amendments in such bills. All bills altering electoral districts, number of members, or limits in any town must be reserved for Governor's assent. 28. Superintendents to transmit to the Governor copies of all bills assented to. 29. Governor may disallow and annul any such hill by proclamation within three months after receiving the same 30. No bill reserved by the Superintendent for the Governor's 'assent shall be of any force until the Governor's assent is declared by the Superintendent. Assent must be given within 5 months, or bill void. 31 . Governor may instruct Superintendent as to assenting or withholding assent &c.

General Assembly. 52. Establishes a General Assembly, to consist of the Governor, a Legislative Council , and House of Representatives.

Legislative Council. 53. Governor empowered (o form a Legislative Council of not less than 10. 34. Legislative Councillors to hold their seats for life. 35. Councillor may resign. 36. * 37. relate to the vacating of scats. 38. Council may appoint Speaker, and remove him and appoint another. 59. Not less than 5, including Speaker, shall constitute a meeting — Speaker to have the casting vote. 40. Governor empowered to summon members lo House of Representatives, to consist of not more than 42 nor less than 2<i members — to continue for five years, unless sooner dissolved. 41. Governor may appoint electoral districts also the number of members to be elected for each and also regulations relating to registering polling, v c 42. Qualification lo vote the same as to the Provincial Council. 43. The first writs to be issued within 6 calendar months after proclamation of the act. 44. Governor shall appoint lime and place of meeting of General Assembly, and at his pleasure prorogue or dissolve it. /jo. House of Representatives to bo judges, without appeal in election maltars. 46, Members Legislative Council and House of Represcnlativcs to take Oath of Allegiance. | 47. Affirmation or Declaration may be taken instead of oath. 48. House of Representative to elect Speaker —election lo be confirmed by (he Governor. 49. Members of House of Representatives may resign their seats, 50. Relates to certain acts which shall vacate seals in the House of Representatives. 51 . Vacancy by death or otherwise shall be filled up. 52. House lo form rules and orders for the transaction of business. 53. General Assembly to make laws— not to be repugnant to the law of England, Laws made by the General Assembly to suportede ordinances passed by tbc Provincial Council when repugnant thereto. JJ4. Measures appropriating the revenue to originate with {he Governor, and money only issued under the Governor's warrant lo Ihe public treasurer. 55. Governor may recommend measures for the consideration of Ihe House of Representatives. U(). Governor may assent, or refuse his assent to bills ; or reserve the same for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, or may suggest amendments. 57. Governor to conform lo the instruction of the Home Government in respect of such powers. 58. Hills may be disallowed within two years by (he Home Government. 59. Rills reserved for Her Majesty's assent not to be of force until assent received, nor unless assent given within two years. GO, Acts to be printed. Cl. Duties not to be levied on supplies for troops, v c, or at variance with treaties. 02 and 63. Relate lo the expenses of collecting revenue and audit of accounts. 64. Grant for civil and judicial services of the sums named in schedule, 65. Governor may vary the appropriation of the sums granted. 60. Directs appropriation of revenue. G7- General Assembly may alter electoral dis-

(fids and number of members of Houses of Reprcsenlalhes. 68 and GO. Grant further powers to (he General Assembly to alter the provision of this Act. Such alterations to be reserved for Her Majesty's sanclion. 70. Municipal corporations may be established l>y Her Majesty. 71. Her Majesty may cause certain laws of aboriginal native inhabitants to be maintained. 72." General Assembly to regulate sales of waste lands. 73. Land may not be acquired from Natives except by Her Majesty. Power (o qualify (his clause may be delegated by Her Majesty to the Governor or to Superintendents of Provinces. 74. The Company's Debt with interest at 5£ per cent, charged on (he land sales, and onefourth of all sums arising from land sales to be paid to (he New Zealand Company until the debt is discharged. 73 and 7C. Saving clause as lo the Canterbury Settlement lands, iVc. 77. Saving as to the Nelson Trust Fund. 78. Disposal of waste lands in Otago. 79. Her Majesty may delegate certain powers lo Governor herein reserved, respecting the removal of Superintendanls, &c. 80. Interpretation clause. 81. Act to be proclaimed within six weeks after received by the Governor. 82. Proclamation to be made in New Zealand Gazette. SCHEDULE. € Governor , 2500 Chief Justice 1000 Puisne Judge 800 Establishment of the General Government 4700 Native Purposes - .... 7000 16,000