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of 1929 brought into the light the fact that in each British Commonwealth country the ordinary exercise of self-government was hampered by the existence of unnecessary and legal restrictions which led to the raising of doubts as to the legal validity of important Dominion legislation and regulations. The Conference therefore considered what legal machinery was necessary to remove from each Dominion restrictions upon the exercise of its full power of self-government. At that conference New Zealand was represented by Sir James Parr, High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Mr. S. G. Raymond, K.C., who were parties to the report of that conference. 4. The report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation was considered by the Imperial Conference of 1930, which recommended the passage of legislation by the United Kingdom Parliament to give effect to the recommendations of the Conference of 1929. (The .United Kingdom Parliament, unlike the Parliaments of the Dominions, can also be considered for certain wider purposes as an Imperial Parliament, and can—with the request and consent of each self-governing member —legislate for the whole Commonwealth. Without such request and consent the United Kingdom Parliament is constitutionally, though not legally, incapable of concerning itself with matters appertaining to New Zealand self-government. Nor would it desire to do so, any more than our Parliament would be concerned with matters within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom Parliament.} 5. After the 1930 Conference resolutions were adopted by the Parliaments of all the Dominions concerned which, in effect, concurred with the recommendations of the Imperial Conference and requested the passage of the Statute of Westminster by the United Kingdom Parliament. In New Zealand the resolution was moved in the House of Representatives by the then Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Mr. Forbes, on 23 July, 1931, and was carried without a division. On 22 July, 1931, the resolution was moved in the Legislative Council by the Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey. This motion was agreed to on 24 July, 1931. 6. The formal responsibility for the passage of the Statute of Westminster was ultimately one for the United Kingdom (Imperial) Parliament, which passed the Statute acting at the request—and, in effect, as the agent—of all the self-governing Dominions. There was no division in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons on the motion for the second reading. 7. The Statute of Westminster applied to Canada, South Africa, and Eire without adoption. In the case of Australia, New Zealand, and Newfoundland the Statute provided that sections 2 to 6 should not apply unless adopted. 8. It is clear from what has been said that adoption of the Statute of Westminster will make no changes in the political status of New Zealand. The relationship between the United Kingdom and the
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