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1

No. 66.

(GENERAL.)

LAW OFFICERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

[Draft Bill to facilitate the admission in evidence of Statutes passed by the Legislatures of British Pussessiona, dje." Question as to its desirability and sufficiency.]

MY LORD,

Royal Courts of Justice,

March 14, 1907. WE were honoured by your Lordship's commands signified to us by Mr. Lucas in his letter of the 11th instant, stating that he was directed by your Lordship to lay before us a copy of a Bill which it was proposed to introduce into Parliament at the earliest possible date "to facilitate the admission in evidence of statutes passed by the Legislatures of British possessions, &c.," and a copy of a memorandum on the Bill.

That he was to enclose a copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia which gave rise to the consideration of the question of the desirability of such a measure, and a copy of an opinion* by the late Law Officers of the Crown on the suggestion contained in that despatch, together with a copy of correspondence between your Lordship's Department and the late Lord Chancellor, and to request that we would take these papers into our consideration and to report, for your Lordship's information, whether in our opinion:-

(1) it was desirable to legislate on the lines indicated in the draft Bill; (2) the Bill as drafted should prove sufficient for the purpose in view?

We have taken the matter into our consideration and, in obedience to your Lordship's commands, have the honour to

Report—

That (1) we see no objection to legislation on the lines indicated in the draft Bill. (2) Subject to the following remarks, we think that the draft Bill should prove sufficient for the purpose in view.

We may call attention to the provisions of 8 and 9 Viet., c. 113, Section 4, and 31 and 32 Vict., c. 37, Section 4, which make it a felony to print any copy of a private Act of Parliament falsely purporting to have been printed by the printer to the Crown or knowingly to tender a false copy in evidence or to print any copy of any Proclamation, Order, or Regulation falsely purporting to be printed under the authority of the Legislature of any British Colony or possession or to tender a false copy in evidence.

The mischief aimed at by the above provisions may arise with reference to the proof of statutes of Colonial Legislatures and, unless there is some reason to the contrary of which we are not informed, we think that the Bill should contain pro- visions similar to those in the statutes referred to. This might conveniently be done by reference.

We have, &c.,

JOHN L. WALTON. W. S. ROBSON.

The Right Honourable

The Earl of Elgin, K.G.,

&c., &c.,

&c.

* No. 10.

† See No. 11A.

93 Wt

4/07 D&S

G 27811

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TC.O.8

.885

16 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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