A.—4

4

Political offences. —When any crime has been committed within the possession, or for which the offender may be tried therein, the Administrator may, as he shall see occasion, in our name and on our behalf, grant a pardon to any accomplice in such crime who shall give such information as shall lead to the'eonviction of the principal offender, or of any one of such offenders if more than one ; and, further, may grant to any offender convicted in any Court or before any Judge or other Magistrate witiiin the possession a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions, or any remission of the sentence passed on such offender, or any respite of the execution of such sentence, for such period as the Administrator thinks fit, and may remit any fines, penalties, or forfeitures due or accrued to us : Provided always that the Administrator shall in no case, except where the offence has been of a political nature unaccompanied by any other grave crime, make it a condition of any pardon or remission of sentence that the offender shall be banished from or shall absent himself or be removed from the possession. XXII. Succession to Government. Senior member of Executive Council. Proviso : Oaths of office. —Whenever the office of Administrator is vacant, or if the Administrator become incapable or be absent from the possession, except as hereinafter provided, then such person or persons as we may appoint under our Sign-manual and Signet, and in default of any such appointment the senior member of the Executive Council shall during our pleasure administer the Government of the possession, first taking the oaths hereinbefore directed to be taken by the Administrator and in the manner herein prescribed ; which being done, we do hereby authorise, empower, and command every such person as aforesaid to do and execute during our pleasure all things that belong to the office of Administrator, according to the tenor of these our Letters Patent, and according to our Instructions as aforesaid and the laws of the possession. XXIII. Appointment of deputies to Administrator. —ln the event of the Administrator having occasion, in the interest of our service, at any time to visit any place beyond the limits of the possession, in pursuance of any Instructions from us, or through one of our principal Secretaries of State, or with the approval of the Governor of our Colony of Queensland, and at any time when the Administrator is within the possession, he may by an instrument under the Public Seal of the possession appoint any person or persons to be his deputy or deputies within any part of the possession, and in that capacity to exercise during his pleasure such of the powers hereby vested in the Administrator, except the powers of suspension and pardon, as the Administrator shall think fit to assign to him or them. The appointment of such deputy or deputies shall not affect the exercise by the Administrator himself of any of his powers or authorities. Every such deputy shall, in the discharge of his office, conform to and observe all such instructions as the Administrator shall address to him for his guidance. XXIV. Officers and others to obey Administrator. —And we do hereby require and command all our officers and ministers, civil and military, and all other the inhabitants of the possession, to be obedient, aiding and assisting unto the Administrator and to any person for the time being administering the Government of the possession. XXV. Term "Administrator" explained. —ln these our Letters Patent, the term "Administrator " shall mean the person for the time being administering the Government of the possession. XXVI. Powers reserved to revoke, alter, or amend the present Letters Patent. —And we do hereby reserve to ourselves, our heirs aud successors, full power and authority from time to time to revoke, alter, or amend these our Letters Patent as to us or them shall seem fit. XXVII. Proclamation of Letters Patent. —And we do direct and enjoin that these our Letters Patent shall be read and proclaimed at such place within the possession as the Administrator shall think fit, and that they shall thenceforth have full force and effect therein. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the eighth day of June, in the fifty-first year of our reign. By warrant under the Queen's Sign-manual, Muie Mackenzie.

Beitish New Guinea. —Instructions passed under the Boyal Sign - manual and Signet to the Administrator of British New Guinea. (Dated Bth June, 1888.) Victoria E. —Instructions to our Administrator in and over our Possession of British New Guinea, and to any other Officer for the time being administering the Government of our said Possession. Given at our Court at Balmoral, this Bth day of June, 1888, in the Fifty-first Year of our Reign. Preamble. Eecites Letters Patent of even date. —Whereas by certain Letters Patent under the Great Seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing even date herewith, we have provided, as and when the same shall become part of our dominions, for the erection into a separate possession and Government by the name of British New Guinea of certain territory and islands in and adjacent to New Guinea, and in our said Letters Patent more particularly described : And whereas by oiir said Letters Patent we have made provision for the office of Administrator (therein and hereinafter called " the Administrator ") in and over our said possession of British New Guinea (therein and hereinafter called "the possession"): And whereas by our said Letters Patent we have authorised and commanded the Administrator to do and execute all things that belong to his said office, according to the tenor of our said Letters Patent and of such Commission as may be issued to him under our Sign-manual and Signet, and according to such Instructions as .may from time to time be given to him under our Sign-manual and Signet, or by our Order in our Privy Council, or by us through one of our principal Secretaries of State, and to such laws as are or shall hereafter be in force in the possession: And whereas we are minded to issue these our Instructions under our Sign-manual and Signet for the guidance and direction of the Administrator or other officer for the time being administering the Government of the possession : Now, therefore, we do direct and enjoin, and declare our will and pleasure as follows: — I. Terms "Administrator " mid "Governor" explained. —ln these our Instructions the term