Island and its dependencies, and the people and inhabitants thereof, and such others as should resort thereto, and for the benefit of his late Majesty, his heirs and successors:

And whereas by the before-mentioned instructions so referred to as aforesaid in the said commission the said Governor was authorized to issue a proclamation dividing the said Island into districts or counties, towns or townships, and appointing the limits thereof, and declaring and appointing the number of representatives to be chosen by each of such districts or counties, towns or townships respectively:

And whereas the proclamation referred to in the said lastmentioned instructions was accordingly issued by the said Governor in the name and on the behalf of his said late Majesty, whereby the said Island was divided into nine districts for the purpose of the election of the Members of the said Assembly; and it was by the said proclamation, amongst other things, declared that every man being of the full age of twenty-one years and upwards, and being of sound understanding, and being a natural born subject of his said late Majesty, or having been lawfully naturalized, and never having been convicted in due course of law of any infamous crime, and having for two years next immediately preceding the day of election occupied a dwelling-house within the said Island, as owner or tenant thereof, should be eligible to be a Member of the said House of Assembly; and it was by said Proclamation further declared, that every man who for one year next immediately preceding the day of election had occupied a dwelling-house within the said Island, as owner or tenant thereof, and who in other respect might be eligible, according to the regulations aforesaid, to be a Member of the said House of Assembly, should be competent and entitled to

vote for the election of Members of the said Assembly in and for the district within which the dwelling-house so occupied as aforesaid by him might be situated.

And whereas, in pursuance of the said commission, instruction, and proclamation, general assemblies have since been elected and holden in and for the said Island of Newfoundland in the manner therein prescribed; and the said commission and instructions have from time to time been renewed on the appointment of the successive Governors of the said Island, and divers laws have been made in pursuance thereof by the said Governor, Council, and Assembly:

And whereas it is expedient that the changes hereinafter mentioned should be made in the Constitution of the Government of the said Island: be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty in or by any commission or commissions under the great seal of the United Kingdom, to be hereafter issued for the government of Newfoundland, and in and by any instructions under Her Majesty's signet and sign manual accompanying and referred to in any such commission or commissions, to establish a qualification in respect of income or property, in right of which any person may be hereafter elected to serve as a member of the said Assembly; provided that no such qualification shall be fixed at more than a net annual income, arising from any source whatsoever, of 100 pounds or the possession of property, clear of all incumbrances, exceeding 500 pounds in amount or value.

II. And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for Her

Majesty, in manner aforesaid, to fix and determine the length of the period of residence within any electoral district in the said Island which shall be required in addition to any other qualification for voting at elections within such district, or for being elected to serve as a member of the Assembly; provided that such period shall not extend beyond the period of two years next preceding any

such election.

VIII. Provided always, and be it enacted, that no change which shall be made in the Constitution of the said Island under this Act shall continue for a longer time than the first day of September, 1846, unless Parliament shall otherwise order; but this enactment shall not be construed to annul or affect any laws, statutes, or ordinances made by the Legislature of the said Island as constituted under the authority of this Act.

ACT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEWFOUNDLAND

[9 & 10 Victoria, cap. 45]

1846

An Act to continue until the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, certain of the provisions of an Act of the fifth and sixth years of Her present Majesty for amending the Constitution of the Government of Newfoundland.

WHEREAS by an Act passed in the fifth and sixth years of the reign of Her Majesty [cap. 120], for amending the Constitution of the Government of Newfoundland, divers powers and authorities were for that purpose vested in Her

Majesty, and it was thereby provided that no change which should be made in the constitution of the said Island under the said Act should continue for a longer time than the 1st day of September, 1846, unless Parliament should otherwise order: and whereas by virtue of the provision last aforesaid the changes made in the constitution of the said Island under the said Act will cease to be in force upon and from and after the 1st day of September now next ensuing, unless further provision in that behalf be made by Parliament; and it is expedient that the changes Imade in the constitution of the said Island under the said Act should continue to be in force until the 1st day of September which will be in the year 1847: be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the changes made in the constitution of the said Island under the said recited Act shall continue in force until the 1st day of September which will be in the year 1847.

II. And be it enacted, that this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed during this session of Parliament.

ACT TO RENDER PERMANENT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEWFOUNDLAND

[10 & 11 Victoria, cap. 44]

1847

An Act to render permanent certain parts of the Act for amending the Constitution of the Government of Newfoundland.

WHEREAS by an Act passed in the session of Parliament holden in the fifth and sixth years of the reign of her present Majesty [cap. 120], entitled, “An Act for amending the Constitution of the Government of Newfoundland," it was amongst other things enacted, that it should be lawful for Her Majesty, in or by any commission or commissions under the great seal of the United Kingdom, to be thereafter issued for the Government of Newfoundland, and in and by any instructions under Her Majesty's signet and sign manual accompanying and referred to in any such commission or commissions, to establish a qualification in respect of income or property, in right of which any person might be thereafter elected to serve as a Member of the Assembly of Newfoundland; provided that no such qualification should be fixed at more than a net annual income, arising from any source whatsoever, of 100 pounds, or the possession of property, clear of all incumbrances, exceeding 500 pounds in amount or value; and that it should be lawful for Her Majesty, in manner aforesaid, to fix and determine the length of the period of residence within any electoral district in the said Island which should be required, in addition to any other qualification, for voting at