PRIVY COUNCIL MIGHT MEET IN NEW ZEALAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 October 1948, Page 4

PRIVY COUNCIL MIGHT MEET IN NEW ZEALAND

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. If, as is probable, the King presides at a meeting of the Executive Council in the course of the Royal visit next year, any decisions of that, meeting which appear in the Gazette will carry his name, and that will involve the use of the Royal coal, of arms instead of the New Zealand coat of arms. This was stated in Wellington today. A meeting of the Privy Council might also be held. The Council does not exist as such in New Zealand, but there are four members of the Council here—Mr Fraser, Mr Nash, Sir Michael Myers (former Chief Justice), and Sir Humphrey O’Leary (Chief Justice). Sir Humphrey, although he has been appointed to the Privy Council, has not yet been sworn in and for that ceremony he would normally have to travel to England. Advantage might, therefore, be taken ol the King’s presence—with, of course, the Royal consent —to swear in the Chief Justice at an extraordinary meeting of the council. The Clerk of the Privy Council, naturally, would not be present, but that difficulty, it is stated, could be overcome by “briefing” one of the King’s staff before he leaves England. If the King opens Parliament —as is almost certain—the Governor-Gen-eral will not attend.