A.—No. 1a

24

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

No. 37. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (No. 29.) Sir, — Downing Street, 19th March, 1868. I have the honor to transmit to you the accompanying Order in Council confirming the reserved Act of the Legislature of New Zealand, No. 93, of the 31st Victoria, entitled " An Act to constitute in New Zealand a Court of Divorce and Matrimonial Causes," a transcript of which was enclosed in Sir George Grey's Despatch No. 125, of the Bth November, 1867. The Law Officers of the Crown, to whom the subject was referred, arc of opinion that the law as regards the status in this country of British subjects who have been married here and divorced out of England, on their return to this country, is in many respects in an unsatisfactory state, ■ but they consider that a sentence of divorce under the Act now confirmed, upon grounds identically the same as those recognized in this country, would be held to be valid here. I have, &c, BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure in No. 37. AT THE COURT AT OSBORNE HOUSE, ISLE OF WIGHT, THE 29th DAY OF FEISRUARY, 18G8. Present: Tub Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. Loed Chancellor, Sir J. Pakington, Bart., Lord President, Mr.' Disraeli, Lobd Steward, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer. Whekeas by an Act passed in the session held in the fifteenth and sixteenth years of Her Majesty's reign, entitled "An Act to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand," it is, amongst other things, declared that no Bill, which shall be reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon, shall have any force or authority within the Colony of New Zealand until the Governor of the said Colony shall signify, either by speech or message, to the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said Colony, or by proclamation, that such Bill has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and that Her Majesty has been pleased to assent to the same. And whereas a certain Bill passed by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said Colony, entitled " An Act to constitute in New Zealand a Court of Divorce and Matrimonial Causes," was presented to the Officer Administering the Government of the said Colony for Her Majesty's assent. And whereas the said Bill was reserved by the said Officer for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon. And whereas the said Bill, so reserved as aforesaid, has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and it is expedient that the said Bill should be assented to by Her Majesty: Now therefore Her Majesty, in pursuance of the said Act, and in exercise of the power thereby reserved to Her Majesty as aforesaid, doth, by this present Order, by and with the advice of Her Majesty's Privy Council, declare her assent to the said Bill; and the Most Noble Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, is to give the necessary directions herein accordingly. Arthur Helps.

No. 38. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (No. 31.) Sir,— • Downing Street, 20th March, 1868. I have the honor to inform you that Her Majesty will not be advised to exercise her power of disallowance with respect to the following Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand a transcript of which accompanied Sir G. Grey's Despatch No. 128, of the 16th of November last, viz.: •No. 32, of the 10th of October, 1867.—Entitled "An Act to provide for the general control and management of Ports, Pilots, Lighthouses, and other matters relating to Navigation, and the regulation of Port Charges and other Hates." The attention of the Governor of New Zealand has already been called in previous Despatches to the expediency of extending to all vessels whether regis-