NEW ZEALAND STATUTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1893, 2 March 1888, Page 21

NEW ZEALAND STATUTES.

8,, Oamaru, writes :— On 26th November and 10th December 1886 you published several tables of the New Zealand Statutes which I compiled. I now Bond you a similar one showing the number of acts passed in each session since 1840, and the number repealed and unrepealed at the end of 1887. There are a large number— about 100 statutes—obsolete, expired, or superseded, which I liave included in the unrepealed, as they cannot b» classed as repealed until absolutely repealed by the Legislature. Some also have been altered and amended until only two or three clauses of the whole act are in force. We are sadly in need of another Repealing Act like- No. 28 of 1878. Swtfo - Sot -d S -s ,*1 p I <ft 1.1 | H «J Pi £> !*OMC3 Tiio General Legislative Fourth Parliament— s Council — 12 sessions. sessions. 18H 6 6 — 18(3*3 85 69 16 1811-2 20 17 3 1867 95 67 28 lMt 23 20 3 1868 81 Cl 20 1814 2 2 — 1869 715 56 20 18-15 8 7 1 1870 102 86 16 1843 3 12 Fifth Parliament— s ses1816 22 21 1 sions. 18-17 16 15 1 1871 81 54 30 18J8 4 3 1 1872 77 49 28 1819 4 4 — 1873 84 63 21 1851 16 13 3 1874 87 50 37 1852 5 4 1 1875 101 57 47 — — — Sixth Parliament — 4 bcsTotal ... 129 113 16 sions. — — _ 1870 101 44 60 Nfiw Minister— l session. 1877 142 51 91 1819 11 11 — 1878 113 29 81 — — _ 1879 4—4 Total ... 140 121 16 Seventh Parliament— 3 — — , _ sessions. First Parlmment-3 ses- 1870 90 16 74 sions. 1880 83 20 63 1851 7 5 2 1881 77 14 (53 ISol 6 5 1 Eighth Parliament— 3 1855 4 2 2 sessions. Second Parliament— 3 1882 112 16 96 sessions. 1883 80 13 67 1856 m 27 9 1884 11 — 1 ]8.;8 80 B2 18 Ninth Parliament— 4 ses1860 50 39 11 sions. Third Parliamont— s ses- 1884 82 7 75 sions. 1885 87 5 82 1861 41 35 6 1886 76 3 73 1862 42 38 4 1887 18 — 18 1863 44 31 10 Tenth Parliament. 1861 23 17 6 1887 52 — 52 1805 78 63 15 Grand tl. 2517 1281 1266 The number of sessions during tbe 47 j'ears has been 50; the total number of acts passed 2547, being an average of nearly 51 for each session, of which rather more than half have been repealed. The ninth Parliament met in Wellington on 7th August 1884. The first session was piorogued on Monday, 10th November 1834. The second session was opened by bir V. F. D. Jervois on 11th June 1885, and prorogued by commission on 22nd September 1885. The third met on 13th May 1886, at !i p.m., and was prorogued on 18th August 188=5. The fourth was opened by the Governor on 26th April 1887, and was prorogued by commission at 5 o'clock p.m. on 10th June 1887. The Parliament was dissolved by proclamation on 15th July 1887. The first session of the tenth Parliament was opened at 2 p.m. on 6th October 1887 by commission, but it was not till the 12th October that Governor Jervois delivered his opening speech. Itwns prorogued on Friday, 23rd December 1887. During the session 52 acts became law— 3l being general acts, 18 local and personal, and 3 private. Only 6 acts were repealed, so that 46 new laws have been added to our already superabundant stn^.iifces. Twenty-three of them nrp amendments of former acts. One amendment will be of advantage to the colony by reducing the number of members to be elected for the next Parliament fiom 91, as at present, to 70 j the Maori members remaining at 4. The land laws aro also materially altered. The management of the railways is entirely taken out ot the hands of the Governor and his Ministers, and vested in three commissioners. The Ministers' salaries and allowances have been reduced as from the Bth October 1887 — the Prime Minister to receive £100' i instead of £1750, as fixed by statute No. 77 of 1873, and six Ministers nfcJBSOO each, instead of £1250. An act lias also been passed, subject to her Majesty's approval, to take away tho "travelling allowance" £lUOO, and " establishment allowance" £1500, from the next Governor, leaving his full salary at £5000 without any extras. The honorarium of legislative councillors is reduced to £100 a session, and o' mourners of the House- of Representatives to £150, as from Ist October 1887. The Kermadec Islands are made subject to the New Zealand laws. ftew Zealand has pledged herself to contribute to tlie maintenance of a naval force in Australasian waters, which it appears extend from the antarctic circle to 12deg of north latitude, and from 95deg east longitude to 160deg west longitude, excluding the islands of Borneo, Celebes, &c, but including New Guinea and the principal groups in Oceania — the northern boundary being from longitude flodeg east, nlong the parallel of lOdeg south latitude to 130deg east ; thence northward on that meridian to the parallel of 2deg north ; thence on that parallel to tho meridian of 136deg east ; thence north to 12deg north latitude, and along that parallel to 160deg west longitude. Banks, building societies, boroughs, counties, fisheries, infants, mines, post office, sheep, &c, come hi for a share of legislation.