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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 2

Letters Patent

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Letters Patent.

Our will and pleasure is, that you prepare a Bill for Our Royal Signature, to pass Our Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great. Britain and Ireland, in the words or to the effect following; that is to say,

Victoria, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith: to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Whereas, in pursuance of certain powers and authorities in Us vested, in and by a certain Act of Parliament made and passed in the fourth year of Our reign, intituled, "An Act to continue until the 31st day of December, 1841, and to the end of the then next Session of Parliament, and to extend the provisions of an Act to provide for the Administration of Justice in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, and for the more effectual government thereof, and for other purposes relating thereto," We did, by our Charter or Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the 16th day of November 1840, in the fourth year of Our reign, erect the islands of New Zealand, and all other islands adjacent thereto, into a separate colony, and the same were thereby erected into a separate colony accordingly; and We did further declare our pleasure to be, that the said islands should from thenceforth be deemed and designated as the Colony of New Zealand: And whereas, in the said recited Charter or Letters Patent, the said Islands are described as "lying between the 34th degree 30 minutes north to the 47th degree 10 minutes south latitude, page 2 and the 166th degree 5 minutes to the 179th degree of east longitude, reckoning from the meridian at Greenwich :

And whereas, by the said description of the limits of the said colony of New Zealand is incorrect, and we have deemed it right that the same should be corrected:

And whereas, by the said recited Charter or Letters Patent, we did reserve to Us, Our heirs and successors, full power and authority to revoke, alter, or amend the said Charter or Letters Patent, as to Us or them should seem meet:

Now, therefore, in further exercise of the powers and authorities in Us vested, in and by the said recited Act of Parliament, and in pursuance of the power of revocation and amendment so reserved to Us as aforesaid, We do by these presents revoke so much of the said Charter or Letters Patent as describes in manner aforesaid the limits of the said colony, and do hereby declare that the said colony shall include and comprise all those territories, islands, and countries lying between 33 degrees of south latitude and 53 degrees of south latitude, and between 162 degrees of east longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich, and 173 degrees of west longitude, reckoning from the same meridian.

In witness, &c. Witness, &c. And for so doing this shall be your warrant.

Given at our Court at this day of March, 1842, in the Fifth year of Our reign.

By Her Majesty's commands, (Signed)

Stanley.