III.  Afrika.  953  151.  Or.-Riv.-Col.

No.  2.

Letters  Patent  Passed  under  the  Great  Seai  of  the  United  Kingdom,  constituting  the  Office  of
Governor  and  Comniander-in-Chief  of  the  Orange  River  Colony  (5öth  June  1907).

Edward  the  Seventh,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and
Ireland  and  of  the  British  Dominions  beyond  the  Seas  King,  Dofender  of  the  Faith,  Emperor
of  India:  To  all  to  whom  these  Presents  shall  come,  Greeting.

Whereasby  Our  Letters  Patent  under  the  Great  Seal  of  Our  United  Kingdom  of  Great
Britain  and  Ireland,  bearing  date  at  Westminster  the  2nd  day  of  August,  1901,  We  did  constitute
  the  Office  of  Govornor  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  Our  Orange  River  Colony,  and  did
provide  for  the  Government  of  Our  said  Colony:

And  whereas  We  are  minded  to  make  further  provision  for  the  Government  of  Our  said
Colony:

Now  know  ye  that  We  do  declare  Our  Will  and  Pleasure  to  be  as  follows:  —

I.  There  shall  be  a  Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  in  and  over  Our  Orange  River
Colony,  and  appointments  to  the  said  Office  shall  be  made  by  Commission  under  Our  Sign  Manual
and  Signet.

II.  Our  Orange  River  Colony  (hereinafter  called  the  Colony)  shall  comprise  all  places
settlements,  and  territories  which  formed  part  of  the  territories  of  the  Orange  Free  State  at  the
date  when  the  said  territories  were  annexed  to  and  became  part  of  Our  dominions.

III.  We  do  hereby  authorize,  empower,  and  command  Our  said  Governor  and  Commanderin-Chief
  (hereinafter  salled  the  Governor),  to  do  and  execute  all  things  that  belong  to  the  said
Office  of  Governor  according  to  the  tenour  of  these  and  any  other  Our  Letters  Patent,  having
effect  within  the  Colony,  and  of  such  Commission  as  may  be  issued  to  him  under  Our  Sign
Manual  and  Signet,  and  according  to  such  Instructions  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  given  to  him
under  Our  Sign  Manual  and  Signet  or  by  Our  Order  in  Our  Privy  Council,  or  by  Us  through
one  of  Our  Principal  Secretaries  of  State,  and  to  such  laws  as  are  now  or  shall  hereafter  be  in
force  in  the  Colony.

IV.  Every  person  appointed  to  fill  the  Office  of  Governor  shall,  with  all  due  solemnity,
before  entering  on  any  of  the  duties  of  his  Office,  cause  the  Commission  appointing  him  to  be
read  and  published  in  the  presence  of  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Colony  or  of  some  other  Judge
of  the  High  Court,  and  such  of  the  members  of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  Colony  who  can
conveniently  attend,  which  being  done,  he  shall  then  and  there  take  before  them  the  Oath  of
Allegiance  in  the  form  provided  by  an  Act  passed  in  the  Session  holden  in  the  Thirty  first  and
Thirty-second  years  of  the  Reign  of  Her  late  Majesty,  Queen  Victoria,  intituled  “An  Act  to
amend  the  Law  relating  to  Promissory  Oaths‘“;  and  likewise  the  usual  Oath  for  the  due
execution  of  his  Office,  and  for  the  due  and  impartial  administration  of  justice,  which  oaths  the
said  Chief  Justice  or  Judge  is  hereby  required  to  administer.

V.  The  Governor  shall  keep  and  use  the  Public  Seal  of  the  Colony  for  sealing  all  things
whatsoever  that  shall  pass  the  said  Seal.

VI.  There  shall  be  an  Executive  Council  in  and  for  the  Colony,  and  the  seid  Council
shall  consist  of  such  persons  being  Ministers  or  other  persons  as  the  Governor  shall,  from  time
to  time  in  Our  name  and  on  Our  behalf,  but  subject  to  any  law  of  the  Colony,  appoint  under  the
Public  Seal  of  the  Colony,  to  be  members  thereof.  Subject  to  any  such  law  the  members  of
the  Executive  Council  shall  hold  office  during  Our  pleasure:  Provided  that  the  members  of
the  Executive  Couneil  existing  at  the  commencement  of  these  Our  Letters  Patent  may  if  the
Governor  thinks  fit  continue  to  hold  office  until  the  appointment  of  Ministers.

VII.  The  Governor  may,  in.  Our  name  and  on  Our  behalf,  make  and  execute,  under  the
Public  Seel,  grants  and  dispositions  of  any  lands  within  the  Colony  which  may  be  lawfully  granted
or  disposed  of  by  Us.

VIII.  The  Governor  may  constitute  and  appoint  in  Our  name  and  on  Our  behalf  all  such
Officers  in  the  Colony  as  may  be  lawfully  constituted  or  appointed  by  Us.

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