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Proclamation dividing the Colony into Provinces under Charter of 1846 1848 [1848] NZConLRes 2 (10 March 1848)

Last Updated: 21 August 2017

PROCLAMATION

DIVIDING THE COLONY INTO PROVINCES UNDER THE CHARTER OF 1846

VICTORIA, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c., &c.

WHEREAS, in pursuance of an Act made and enacted in the Parliament holden in the ninth and tenth years of our reign, intituled “An Act to make further provision for the Government of the New Zealand Islands,” We have been pleased to issue certain Letters Patent (being the New Zealand Charter), and certain “Instructions” accompanying the same.

And whereas, in pursuance of the said recited Act, and in exercise of the powers thereby in Us vested, We did by the said “Charter” grand, ordain, and appoint that the said islands of New Zealand should be divided into two separate provinces, to be called respectively the “Province of New Ulster” and the “Province of New Munster:” and We did by the said “Charter” declare, ordain, and appoint that the limits of the said Provinces respectively should be determined in manner and form prescribed and provided for in and by the said “Instructions” hereinbefore mentioned.

And whereas by Our said “Instructions” We did ordain and appoint that the “Province of New Ulster” should comprise the whole of the island hitherto called the Island of New Ulster, with the exception of those parts of the said island adjacent to Cook’s Straits which the Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand might by proclamation, to be issued in manner in the said “Instructions” provided, except and exclude from the “Province of New Ulster.” And We did further ordain and appoint that the parts of the island of “New Ulster”, which might be so excepted and excluded, with all the remaining parts of the New Zealand Islands, should constitute the “Province of New Munster”; and, further, that the dependencies of New Zealand should respectively constitute a part of, and be considered as attached and belonging to, the respective provinces to which they may severally be most contiguous.

Now, We do hereby proclaim and declare, that so much of the said island of New Ulster adjacent to Cook’s Straits, which lies to the south of a line commencing at the centre of the mouth of the river Patea, where it joins the sea, and running thence due east until it reaches the East Coast of the said island, shall be excepted and excluded from the Province of New Ulster,” and shall form part of the “Province of New Munster.”

And We do hereby further declare and appoint that this Our Proclamation shall take effect upon and from the date hereof.

In testimony whereof We have caused this Our Proclamation to be sealed with the Public Seal of the general Government of New Zealand.

Witness Our trusty and well-beloved George Grey, Esquire, our Governor-in-Chief in and over the islands of New Zealand, at Government House, at Auckland, in the Province of New Ulster, this 10^th day of March, in the eleventh year of Our reign, and in the year of our Lord, 1848.

(Signed) G. GREY

Governor and Commander-in-Chief

By Command,

ANDREW SINCLAIR,

Colonial Secretary.