CHAPTER XXXII.
Dominion of New Zealand.
The Dominion of New Zealand is a colony of Great Britain consisting of North, South and Stewart Islands, or New Zealand proper, and certain outlying islands, including Cook Island, in the Pacific Ocean.
Its present form of government was established by an act of the Imperial Parliament (15 and 16 Vict., cap. 27) passed in 1852.
The legislative power is vested in the governor and a bicamera General Assembly or Parliament, consisting of a Legislative Council and a House of Representatives. The constitution provides that the General Assembly or Parliament may make laws “not repugnant to the laws of England.”
The General Assembly, by an act passed in 1858, declared that: “Whereas, the laws of England, as existing on the fourteenth day of June, 1840, have been applied in New Zealand as far as applicable to the circumstances; but, Whereas, doubt has arisen in respect to such application—Be it declared and enacted, that the laws of England, as existing June 14, 1840, be deemed and taken to have been in force on and after that day and shall hereafter continue in force.”
Hence it is apparent that the body of the law of New Zealand is founded upon the jurisprudence of England.
The judicial system includes a Supreme Court of the Dominion, District Courts and courts presided over by stipendiary magistrates.