MOORE, H., Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1902.

PROWSE, D. W., History of Newfoundland, second edition, 1896.

RUSDEN, G. N., History of New Zealand, 1883.

SELBORNE, WILLIAM WALDEGREAVE PALMER, SECOND EARL OF, Papers relating to the Federation of the South African Colonies, 1907.

TODD, A., Parliamentary Government in the British Colonies, second edition, 1894.

THE NEW YORK TIMES.

THE TIMES, LONDON.

ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 1

NEWFOUNDLAND

HISTORICAL RESUME

In

For a long time Newfoundland was treated as a mere place of temporary lodgement for fishermen from Great Britain or her colonies and was administered or policed by officials appointed under statutes passed for that purpose. the end, however, it was found impossible to prevent permanent settlements from growing up in the Island, and in 1832 the statutes were laid open to alteration by a local legislature should one be established, and the prerogative was used to set up an elementary form of representative government through a commission and instructions issued to the then Governor. A royal proclamation of even date announced the action which had been taken.

Changes were made in the constitution by statutes passed by the Imperial Parliament in 1842, 1846, and 1847, but the main outlines of the system remained the same until and even after the establishment of responsible government in 1854-55 by means of instructions to the Governor of the Colony and acts of the Legislature of Newfoundland.

AN ACT TO CONTINUE CERTAIN ACTS

RELATING TO THE ISLAND

OF NEWFOUNDLAND.

[2 & 3 William IV, cap. 78]

1832

An Act to continue certain Acts relating to the Island of Newfoundland, and to provide for the appropriation of all duties which may hereafter be raised within the said Island.

WHEREAS an Act was passed in the fifth year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Fourth, entitled "An Act for the better administration of justice in Newfoundland, and for other purposes"; And whereas a certain other Act was passed in the said fifth year of his said late Majesty's reign, entitled "An Act to repeal an Act passed in the fifty-seventh year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Third, entitled 'An Act to regulate the celebration of marriages in Newfoundland, and to make further provision for the celebration of marriages in the said Colony and its dependencies'": And whereas by an Act passed in the tenth year of his said late Majesty King George the Fourth the said Acts were continued in force until the thirty-first day of December one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two: And whereas it is expedient that the said Acts be further continued in force until the same shall be repealed, altered, or amended by any Act or Acts which may for that purpose be made by His Majesty, with the advice and consent of any house or houses of general assembly which His Majesty may at any time see fit to convoke within the said Colony of

3

Newfoundland; Be it therefore enacted by the King'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 and may be lawful for His Majesty, or for any Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or officer administering the government of Newfoundland, in pursuance of any commission or instructions to him for that purpose addressed by His Majesty, with the advice and consent of any house or houses of general assembly which His Majesty may hereafter be pleased to convoke from among the inhabitants of the said Colony, by any Act or Acts to be from time to time for that purpose passed, to repeal in whole or in part, or to amend, alter, or vary, the said recited Acts or any of them, or any part thereof; and that, until so repealed, amended, altered, or varied, the said recited Acts shall be and continue in full force and effect.

COMMISSION ESTABLISHING REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN NEWFOUNDLAND1

1832

WILLIAM the Fourth, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, to our trusty and well-beloved Sir Thomas John Cochrane, Knight, greeting: WHEREAS We did by Our letters patent, bearing date at Westminster, the 28th day of December, in the 1st year of Our reign, constitute and appoint you, the said Sir Thomas John Cochrane, to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and 1 Commons Papers, 1831-32, vol. 32, No. 515.