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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

EXTRACT FROM A DESPATCH TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, Dated 25th September, 1855, RELATIVE TO THE POWERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MAKING ALTERATIONS IN CONSTITUTION ACT.

Laid on the table of the House Bth May, 1856, and ordered to be Printed.

The Governor submitted to the Secretary of State the following Memorandum from the Acting Attorney-General:— " That the power of alteration given by the 68th and 69th Sections of the Constitution, should be made general, and authority given to the General Assembly to make such alterations from time to time as they shall see fit, subject to the proviso that any Bill for any such purpose should be reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, with the additional restriction, in cases where it should be thought advisable, that the Bill should have been laid before both Houses of Parliament before such assent be given." * * * And commented on the above as follows " I beg to recommend these suggestions to your Lordship's favorable consideration, as it does not appear to me that the necessary check on hasty or ill-considered legislation, would be in any degree diminished by granting this power, and on the other hand, I have no doubt it would be convenient and acceptable both to the General Assembly and the Colonists generally." (Signed) Thomas Gobe Bbowne.

A.—No. 3,