A.-2

1890. NEW ZEALAND.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. (Circular 2.) Sib, — Downing Street, 13th November, 1888. I have the honour to request that you will be good enough to furnish me with the information desired in the accompanying copy of a letter from the Statute Law Eevision Committee as to sections 15 and 17 of 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 62, having been repealed, altered, or amended by local legislation, and whether there is any objection to the repeal of those sections and of 22 and 23 Viet., c. 12. I have also to request to be informed whether your Government has any objection to the repeal of 54 Geo. 111., c. 62. I have, &c, KNUTSFOED. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Mr. Ghat to Colonial Office. Sib,— 7, Fig-tree Court, Temple, E.C., 6th November, 1888. I have the honour, on behalf of the Statute Law Eevision Committee, to request that the Secretary of State will favour me with information as to the exercise by the several colonies of the powers granted by 22 and 23 Viet., c. 12. The Act in question repealed 54 Geo. 111., c. 15, and 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 62, ss. 15, 17, so far as they applied to the Colony of Victoria, and further enabled every Colonial Legislature to repeal, alter, and amend any provision of the former Act, and either of the last-mentioned sections. This power has been exercised by the Colony of Victoria by the Act 28 Viet., No. 274, section 2, which repeals the whole of 54 Geo. 111., c. 15, as regards Victoria. The Act of Geo. 111. only extended to the then Colony of New South Wales, and, therefore, since the repeal in Victoria, extends only to New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand, unless repealed in those colonies. The two sections of 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 52, on the other hand, extend to all the colonies. The Committee will propose, with the approval of the Secretary of State, to repeal 54 Geo. 111., c. 15, wholly as regards Victoria, and, if it should appear that the powers of 22 and 23 Viet., c. 12, have been fully exercised, to repeal that Act, as well as 54 Geo. 111., c. 15, and the two sections of 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 62, generally. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. Albebt Gkay.

No. 2. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 21st January,-1889. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a letter from the Statute Law Eevision Committee relative to the repeal of certain enactments of the Imperial Parliament relating to the Constitutions of the Australasian Colonies, together with copies of an explanatory memorandum and of a schedule of suggested repeals. I—A. 2.