A NEW DUTY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 5

A NEW DUTY

THE ROSS DEPENDENCY

VESTED IN DOMINION

STATEMENT BY MR, MASSEY.

There was almost an Antarctic chill in the atmosphere of the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, when the Prime Minister made an announcement with regard to New Zealand's assumption of responsibility in connection with what is to be known as the Ross Dependency. The frigidity soon became less severe, however, when members made it apparent that they did not regard the new task as being of a very onerous nature.

Mr. Massey read the British Order-in-Council on the- subject, which was as follows :—

Whereas by the British Settlements Act, 1887, it, amongst other things, enacted Jnat it shall lie lawful for His Majesty-in-Council from time to time to establish all such laws and institutions, and constitute such Courts and officers as may appear to His Majesty's Council to be necessary for the peace, order, and good government of His Majesty's subjects and others within any British Settlement: And wheras the coasts of the Koss Sea, with the islands and territories adjacent thereto, between the 160 th 'degree of east longitude and the 150 th degree of west longitude, which are situated south of the 60th degree of south latitude, are a British settlement within the meaning of the said Act :

And whereas, it is expedient that provision should be made for the government thereof: Now, therfore, His Majesty, by virtue and in exercise of the powers by the said Act, or otherwise, in His Majesty vested, is •pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows :—

I. From and after the publication of this Order in the Government "Gazette" of the Dominion of New Zealand that part of His Majesty's Dominions in the Antarctic seas which comprises all the islands and territories between the 160 th degree of east longitude and the 150 th degree of west longitude, which are situated south of the 60th degree of south latitude, shall be named the Rcss Dependency : i 11. From and after the publication as aforesaid the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of New Zealand for the time being (hereinafter called the Governor) shall be the Governor of the Ross Dependency; and all the powers and authorities which, by this Order, are given and granted to the Governor for the time being of the Ross Dependency are hereby vested in him. lIL In the event of the death or incapacity of the said Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of_ New Zealand, or in the event of his absence from the said Do* minion, the officer for the time being administering the government of the Dominion shall be Governor for the time being- of _ the Ross Dependency. IV. The said Governor is further authorised and empowered to make all such rules and regulations as may lawfully be made by His Majesty's authority for the peace, order, and good government of the said dependency, subject, nevertheless, to any instructions which he may from time to time receive from His Majesty or through a Secretary of State. V. The Governor is authorised to make and execute, on His Majesty's behalf, grants and dispositions of any lands which may lawfully be granted or. disposed of by His Majesty within the said dependency, in conformity with such rules and regulations as may from time to time be in force in the dependency.

There is very little to be said in regard to the Order-in-Council which I have just read," remarked Mr. Massey .Even m New Zealand we do not know a great deal about the Ross Dependency although it has been visited on a great number of occasions by British ships in the last fifty years. It is very often visited by Norwegian whalers. I am informed that it is one of the most valuable whaling grounds in the world Ihere are also valuable seal'fisheries there. At the present time whaling and sea fishing are under no control Norwegian whalers and whalers "from other countries go there without let or hindrance. It is intended that the New /.ealand Government shall issue licenses t h ?i? a"d seal"fisl "ns purposes, and that the revenue shall come to the Government of New Zealand. Several ot the nrms interested in- whaling have glv.f n B« .to understand that they are quue willing to pay a reasonable license fee to the New Zealand Government. 1 am not able to say whether the territory ls ever to become valuable or not " "Wi! 8 f,' A" Hanan (Jiivercargill): m^ s o t r S^eCoStof^emment%d-

buW^-T-^fl^ "New Zeal«d. SloLe^etlopn^n't * "*» Sn^fM • ?'TJ, J' .Howar d, (Christchurch iwn Vherl?" 6 " M lndentured labour

Mr Massey: "No, but I think there (Lau a ghter,) hOrUS:''WhataW Isi«?" The Prime Minister added that there had been a good deal of correspondence in regard to the matter of the X have much difficulty in doing our duty " remarked Mr. Massey. "I hone tL th^b^aS,iSy nS)':'' WiU Ihe Prim» Minister : "If ' the hon S brr nt£ V?- l shall «?£ himself " 7r "/whameiitMy visit by nnnself. (Loud laughter.) J