THE GOVERNOR'S ASSENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 223, 20 September 1893, Page 5

THE GOVERNOR'S ASSENT.

HOW IT WAS OBTAINED. SIGNING- OF TflE ELECTORAL BILL. Ib may be worth mentioning that the measure conferring tho franchise on the women of New Zealand was presented to the Governor along with a batch of other Bills, and was immediately signed aa a matter of cour3e, and without tho slightest demur. A statement of the procedure followed in obtaining the Governor's assent to Bills will interest tho public at this juncture. When a Bill 13 pasped by both Houses of Parliament, the Cierk of Parliament reads it to discover any literal errors. A copy of tho Bill is then sent to the Governor, who forwards it to the Attorney General, in order that the latter may see that tho measure contains nothing contrary to the law of England, or nothing which would entitle it to be reserved for the Queen's assent. If the Attorney General is satisfied on these points, he signs tho following eortificato :— "I hereby certify that in my opinion tho Bill, of which tho short title hereof is above sot forth, contains nothing which is repugnant to the law of England, or requires that His Excellency tho Governor should withhold his assent therefrom in virtue of > Royal instruction of the twenty-sixth day °f March, 1592." The Premier then signs a form respectfully advising Ilia Excellency to assent to tho Bill, and the Clerk of Parliament presents to the Governor three copies of the Bill printed on parchment. Each of these Bis Excellency signs, thus Riving the Vice-Kegal assent, by which tho Measure becomes the law of tho land, and •? placed on the Statute Book. His fj^ellency informs both Houses by message Jhat ho has assented. The course nere described was followed in regard to the Wectoral Bill. After a measure has been Ci>tried in both Houses it passes oub of the j

charge of Ministera entirely, and is in cußtody of the Clerk of Parliament). Of the three parchment copies, one is kept by that officer, another is lodged in the Supreme Court of Now Zealand, and the third is sent to England to the Imperial authorities. MrStowe has under his charge a copy of every Act passed in New Zealand since the colony obtained responsible Government.