others, from time to time, as he shall find convenient for Our service to impart to them.

IV. The Executive Council shall not proceed to the despatch of business unless duly summoned by authority of the Governor, nor unless two Members at least (exclusive of himself or of the Member presiding) be present and assisting throughout the whole of the meetings at which any such business shall be despatched.

V. The Governor shall attend and preside at the meetings of the Executive Council, unless prevented by some necessary or reasonable cause, and in his absence such Member as may be appointed by him in that behalf, or in the absence of such Member the senior Member of the Executive Council actually present shall preside; the seniority of the Members of the said Council being regulated according to the order of their respective appointments as Members thereof.

VI. Before exercising the powers of Supreme Chief, other than those by Law vested in the Governor in Council, the Governor shall acquaint his Ministers with the action which he proposes to take, and so far as may be possible shall arrange with them as to the course of action to be taken. The ultimate decision must, however, in every case rest with the Governor.

VII. In the execution of all other powers and authorities vested in him the Governor shall be guided by the advice of the Executive Council, but if in any case he shall see sufficient cause to dissent from the opinion of the said Council, he may act in the exercise of his said powers and authorities in opposition to the opinion of the Council, reporting the matter to Us without delay, with the reasons for his so acting.

In any such case it shall be competent to any Member of the said Council to require that there be recorded upon the Minutes of the Council the grounds of any advice or opinion that he may give upon the question.

VIII. The Governor shall not, except in the cases hereunder mentioned, assent in Our name to any Bill of any of the following classes:

1. Any Bill for the divorce of persons joined together in holy matrimony.

2. Any Bill whereby any grant of land or money, or other donation or gratuity, may be made to himself.

3. Any Bill affecting the currency of the Colony.

4. Any Bill imposing differential duties.

5. Any Bill the provisions of which shall appear inconsistent with obligations imposed upon Us by Treaty.

6. Any Bill interfering with the discipline or control of Our forces in the Colony by land or sea.

7. Any Bill of an extraordinary nature and importance,

whereby Our prerogative, or the rights and property of Our subjects not residing in the Colony, or the trade and shipping of the United Kingdom and its dependencies may be prejudiced.

8. Any Bill whereby persons not of European birth or descent may be subjected or made liable to any disabilities or restrictions to which persons of European birth or descent are not also subjected or made liable.

9. Any Bill containing provisions to which Our assent has been once refused, or which have been disallowed by Us;

Unless he shall have previously obtained Our Instructions upon such Bill through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, or unless such Bill shall contain a clause suspending the operation of such Bill until the signification in the Colony of Our pleasure thereupon, or unless the Governor shall have satisfied himself that an urgent necessity exists requiring that such Bill be brought into immediate operation, in which case he is authorised to assent in Our name to such Bill, unless the same shall be repugnant to the law of England, or inconsistent with any obligations imposed upon Us by Treaty. But he is to transmit to Us by the earliest opportunity the Bill so assented to, together with his reasons for assenting thereto.

IX. Whenever any offender shall have been condemned to suffer death by the sentence of any Court, the Governor shall consult the Executive Council upon the case of such offender, submitting to the Council any report that may have been made by the Judge who tried the case; and, whenever it appears advisable to do so, taking measures to invite the attendance of such Judge at the Council. The Governor shall not pardon or reprieve any such offender unless it shall appear to him expedient so to do, upon receiving the advice of the Executive Council thereon; but in all such cases he is to decide either to extend or to withhold a pardon or reprieve, according to his own deliberate judgment, whether the Members of the Executive Council concur therein or otherwise; entering nevertheless on the Minutes of the Executive Council, a Minute of his reasons at length in case he should decide any such question in opposition to the judgment of the majority of the Members thereof.

X. All commissions granted by the Governor to any persons to be Judges, Justices of the Peace, or other officers shall, unless otherwise provided by Law, be granted during pleasure only.

XI. The Governor, except in the execution of any Letters Patent or of any Commission under Our Sign Manual and Signet, shall not upon any pretence whatever quit the Colony without having first obtained leave from Us for so doing under

Our Sign Manual and Signet, or through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, unless for the purpose of visiting the Governor of Our Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, or of visiting some neighbouring State for periods not exceeding one month at any one time, nor exceeding in the aggregate one month for every year's service in the Colony.

Statutes of Natal, " Parliament," p. 36.

FRANCHISE AMENDMENT ACT, 1896. [23 May 1896.] No. 8, 1896.

No. 129. Act. To amend the Law relating to the Franchise.

WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the Law relating to the Franchise :

Be It Therefore Enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Natal, as follows:

1. Act No. 25, 1894, shall be and the same is hereby repealed.

2. Save those who come under the operation of Section 3 of this Act, no persons shall be qualified to have their names inserted in any List of Electors, or in any Voters' Roll, or to vote as Electors within the meaning of Section 22 of the Constitution Act of 1893, or of any Law relating to the election of members of the Legislative Assembly, who (not being of European origin) are Natives or descendants in the male line of Natives of countries which have not hitherto possessed elective representative institutions founded on the Parliamentary Franchise, unless they shall first obtain an order from the Governor in Council exempting them from the operation of this Act.

3. The provisions of Section 2 of this Act shall not apply to persons of the class mentioned in that section whose names are rightly contained in any Voters' Roll in force at the date of the promulgation of this Act, and who are otherwise competent and qualified as electors.

Statutes of Natal, " Parliament," p. 43.

No. 130. ANNEXATION OF ZULULAND. [29 Dec. 1897.]

[Cetewayo, King of the Zulus, who succeeded Panda in 1872, kept a powerful army which was regarded as threatening to the safety of Natal. The Governor's demands for redress for certain acts of provocation were not complied with, and war broke out in 1879. Soon the greater part of Zululand became British territory, and by an arrangement made in 1887 it was administered by the Governor of Natal with

the assistance of six magistrates in various districts supported by strong bodies of police. This statute provided for its incorporation with the Colony.]

ACT No. 37, 1897.

"To provide for the Annexation to the Colony of Natal of the Territory of Zululand."

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Natal, as follows:

1. This Act may be known as "The Zululand Annexation Act, 1897."

2. This Act shall not take effect unless and until the Governor shall notify by Proclamation that it is Her Majesty's pleasure not to disallow the same, and thereafter it shall come into operation upon such day as the Governor shall notify by the same or any other Proclamation.

3. From and after the taking effect of this Act, the Territory of Zululand shall become annexed to and shall thenceforth be a portion of the Colony of Natal, and shall be known as the Province of Zululand.

4. Laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Province of Zululand may be made by Her Majesty with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Natal, as provided in the Constitution Act of 1893 of the Colony of Natal: Provided that save so far as is otherwise provided by this Act, and until other and further provision shall have been made by Parliament, the laws in force in the Territory of Zululand immediately before the taking effect of this Act shall apply to and be in force in the Province of Zululand.

5. All persons living in Zululand who, if in the Colony of Natal, would enjoy franchise rights, are hereby declared to be entitled thereto, but the exercise of such rights shall be postponed until the necessary provision shall have been made in that behalf by Parliament: Provided that a Bill for such purpose shall be submitted by the Governor to Parliament at its next ordinary Session.

6. The Governor in Council shall have full power and authority by Proclamation to apply to the Province of Zululand any of the laws of Natal relative to:

Police,
Gaols,

Customs and Excise,

Audit,

The Post and Telegraph Service,

The Registry of Deeds,

and to repeal any existing law of Zululand relative thereto. 7. The Governor in Council may from time to time, until

the 30th June 1898, by Proclamation, make any alteration in or addition to the Laws of Zululand, not being inconsistent with the tenor of this Act.

8. [The Governor in Council may reconstitute the public departments of Zululand. Pensions and rights of officers of Zululand Government secured.]

9. [How public officers may be referred to.]

10. The powers and authority of the Crown Prosecutor of Zululand shall be exercised subject to the authority of the Attorney-General of Natal.

II. The Supreme Court of Natal shall not exercise jurisdiction within the Province of Zululand, or over the Courts thereof, otherwise than in accordance with any Act or Acts that may hereafter be passed.1

12. [Compensation for loss of office in Zululand.]

13. All obligations, undertakings, and liabilities of the Government of Zululand subsisting at the date when this Act shall come into force, shall thenceforth be transferred to, become binding upon, and be discharged by, the Government of Natal.

14. [Engagements with Native Chiefs to be observed.] 15. [Restrictions on the sale of intoxicating liquors.] 16. [Salaries of officials in Zululand and other expenses to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Natal.] 17. [Income and revenue to be payable to Natal Government.] 18. [Restrictions on alienation of Crown Lands.]

19. [Rights of certain persons practising in Natal secured.] 20. [No charge to be made for passes of natives moving from Zululand to Natal, and vice versa.]

21. [Lands set apart for missionary, religious, or educational purposes.]

22. [Governor's salary raised from £4000 to £5000.] 23. [Pension to Sir Marshall Clarke in respect of services in Zululand.] Statutes of Natal," Zululand," p. 2.

No. 131. Act.-To amend the Law relating to the Franchise. [12 July 1906.]

No. 14, 1906.

[By Act No. 1, 1903, certain territories forming part of the Transvaal were annexed to Natal, viz.: The District of Vrijheid, the District of Utrecht, and a portion of the District of Wakkerstroom. These were called the "Northern Districts " of Natal.]

BE IT ENACTED by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Natal, as follows:

1

1 Act No. 46 of 1898 extended the Supreme Court's jurisdiction to Zululand,