Privy Council May be Held During Royal Tour

Grey River Argus, 19 October 1948, Page 8

Privy Council May be Held During Royal Tour

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 meetinn which annear in the Gazette will carry his name and that wlil involve the use of the Royal coat ol arms instead of the New Zealand coat of arms. This was stated in Wellington to-day. 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 th? 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 of 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 naturallv, would not fie present, but that difficulty, it is stated, could be overcome by “briefing” one ow the King's staff before he leaves England

If the King opens Parliament —a is almost certain—the Governor-Gen-eral will not attend.