8
9
558
contention is this he
says that under the Letters Patent
of the 9th of April, 1877, the Government was, in certain
circumstances, to devolve on such person or persons as may be appointed to
administer?
That in
pursuance of this the Commission dated the 7th of March, 1884, was issued providing that "the Colonial Secretary for the time being" should, in the first place,
administer and in case
of
such office being vacant or of the Colonial Secretary's death, incapacity
or absence,
then that the Administration
was to devolve
upon
the
Senior Military Officer Commanding.
The Major-General admits that the Letters Patent of the 9th of April, 1877, were repealed
by those
of the 19th of January, 1888, but he considers that
the words "but without
prejudice