9861.
No. 858.
+
(NEW ZEALAND.)
MY LORD,
ATTORNEY-GENERAL to COLONIAL OFFICE.
Temple, September 19, 1873.
I AM honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Mr. Holland's letter of the 13th instant, stating that he had laid before your Lordship the report of myself and Sir G. Jessel, dated 28th August, in which I returned, with certain amendments, the draft of a Despatch which your Lordship proposed to address to the Governor of New Zealand respecting the case of G. Rennie, a pardoned felon.
Your Lordship understood the Despatch as amended to treat the case as governed by the New Zealand Convicts Forfeiture Act, 1871. But it might have escaped my observation that the date of Rennie's conviction, as recited in the pardon granted by Sir G. Bowen, was the 5th September 1870, and that the New Zealand Act, 1871, which was reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure and assented to by Order in Council of the 22nd April 1872, is not retrospective. In these circumstances, he (Mr. Holland) was to request that I would inform your Lordship whether the Despatch originally drafted for my consideration (copy forwarded) may be sent to the Governor, and that I would make in it such alterations as might occur to me.
In obedience to your Lordship's commands I have the honour to
Report
That the Despatch as originally drafted did not appear to me and to Sir George Jessel to be entirely accurate, inasmuch as it appeared to state the repealed law as if actually existing, and contained no references to the present law. however, by your Lordship's desire, I think it would be better that some reason should On re-perusal of the draft, be given applicable to the case of Rennie, and I have, therefore, suggested the insertion of a sentence at page 3, which I have initialled. In other respects I see
no reason, on reconsideration, for not leaving the draft as Sir George Jessel and I formerly settled it.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley,
&c.
&c.
&c.
• No. 848.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. D. COLERIDGE.
U 16278.--850.
25.-5/86.
TPN
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
C.O. 885
11 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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