§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, under the 1130W Letters Patent for 21st February, 1879, the Governor of New Zealand is forbidden to give his sanction to any Bill interfering with the discipline or control of His Majesty's forces in that Dominion by land or sea without having first obtained the assent of the Crown; and whether in every instance previous to the Governor giving his sanction the assent of the Crown was given to all the Defence Acts recently enacted by the Commonwealth of New Zealand?
Mr. HARCOURTThe Royal Instructions to the Governor of New Zealand of 21st February, 1879, and those of 26th March, 1892 (which replaced those of 1879), contained a Clause to the effect referred to, but the Clause is omitted from the Royal Instructions of 18th November, 1907, which are now in force. In these circumstances it is not necessary to consider the bearing of the Clause on the recent New Zealand Defence Acts.