17.

by the Court of Admiralty, shall pay interest thereon at the rate of per centum per month for such time as the same shall so be in his custody or possession, and such interest shall be deemed to be part of such proceeds, and be paid and applied accordingly.

X. Whereas Her Majesty's Paymaster-General is required to make up, and transmit to the Commissioners for auditing the public accounts, accounts of the receipts and expenditure within his department and whereas numerous payments are made by Her Majesty's Paymaster-General by way of imprest and upon account, under the authority of orders drawn upon him by the heads of departments in favour of accountants and other persons, who subsequently account to such department for the detailed application of such respective advances: and whereas numerous other payments are made by Her Majesty's Paymaster-General upon orders in like manner issued, the vouchers for which are examined by the department from which such orders are severally issued, and many of which vouchers are necessarily retained by such department: and whereas it is expedient that the Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts should be empowered to allow and pass payments in the accounts of Her Majesty's Paymaster-General in manner hereafter provided: Be it enacted, that the Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts may allow and pass as final payments in the accounts of Her Majesty's Paymaster-General all such sums paid and charged by him in his accounts, on production to them of the warrants, bills, orders, or other usual authorities in respect of which such payments have been made, with the acquittances or endorsements of the parties to whom such orders are made payable, whether the same be stamped or not, without requiring the production of any subordinate or other voucher in support of any such warrant, bill, order, or other authority.

XI. And whereas certain other payments are made by Her Majesty's Paymaster-General upon orders signed by the heads of departments, and which are vouched by persons present and witnessing the same, but no receipts are given by the parties to whom such payments are respectively made: Be it enacted, that the Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts may allow and pass in the accounts of Her Majesty's Paymaster-General all such payments vouched or certified by persons present and witnessing such respective payments, without requiring the receipts of the several parties to be produced.

XII. And whereas there are certain other cases where it has not been found practicable to produce to the Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts any certificates from persons present and witnessing payments, or the receipts of the parties to whom such payments were respectively made, although such certificates or

receipts have been produced to the head of the department: Now be it enacted, that the said Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts may allow and pass in the accounts of Her Majesty's Paymaster-General, all payments not supported by such certificates or receipts, on the production to them of returns or statements signed by the head of the department.

XIII. The Lords of the Admiralty may from time to time make such rules, orders, and regulations as may to them appear expedient for facilitating the paying of the Navy, and for distributing the proceeds of any prize, or any bounty, salvage, or other moneys, as aforesaid, and for keeping the accounts and expenses in relation thereto, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in the Act of the 11th George IV, cap. 20, and 54th George III, cap. 93, or in any other Act whatsoever: Provided always, that such rules, orders, and regulations are not inconsistent with the aforesaid proclamations, or with any future proclamation which Her Majesty may see fit to issue in that behalf, and that the same shall not have any force or effect until they have been previously approved by Her Majesty in Council; and such Orders in Council shall be presented to Parliament within 14 days after the date thereof, or if Parliament be not then sitting, within 14 days next after the meeting of Parliament; and an account showing all the receipts and expenditure on account of naval prize to the 31st day of March in each year, signed by the Accountant-General of Her Majesty's Navy, shall be annually laid before Parliament.

XIV. Provided, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to any seizure of ships, vessels, goods, or merchandize made by any officer or officers of Customs, or of Inland Revenue or Excise, for any breach of the laws or regulations relating to the Customs, Inland Revenue, or Excise, or to trade and navigation.

ACT of the British Parliament, "for establishing the Validity of certain Proceedings in Her Majesty's Court of ViceAdmiralty in Mauritius.”

[17 & 18 Vict. cap. 37.]

[July 10, 1854.]

WHEREAS James Wilson, Esq., Chief Judge of the Supreme Court in Mauritius, has, since the month of October, 1835, acted as Judge in Her Majesty's Court of Vice-Admiralty in that Island: And whereas it has been discovered that on various occasions between the said month of October, 1835, and the 19th day of May, [1853-54.] 4 C

1852, he was not duly authorized so to act: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I. All acts, proceedings, and judgments heretofore done, taken, or given by the said James Wilson, in the capacity or assumed capacity of Judge of the said Vice-Admiralty Court, before the 19th day of May, 1852, aforesaid, inclusively, and not set aside by any competent authority before the passing of this Act, shall be deemed to be and to have been as valid and effectual for all purposes whatever as if the said James Wilson had at the time of such acts, proceedings, or judgments respectively, been legally and sufficiently authorized to officiate as such judge.

II. No action, prosecution, or other proceeding shall be brought or taken in any Court against the said James Wilson by reason of the illegality or invalidity of any act, proceeding, or judgment hereinbefore declared to be valid and effectual.

ACT of the British Parliament, "to render Valid certain
Marriages of British Subjects in Mexico."

[17 & 18 Vict. cap. 88.]

[August 10, 1851.]

WHEREAS certain marriages of British subjects have been solemnized at Mexico by Mr. Percy W. Doyle, formerly Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires, and afterwards Her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Mexico: And whereas doubts may be entertained whether such marriages are strictly legal: And whereas it is expedient to remove all doubts touching the validity of such marriages: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I. All marriages solemnized before the 1st day of January, 1854, in any place of the Republic of Mexico by or in the presence of the said Percy W. Doyle (both or one of the parties thereto being subjects or a subject of this realm) shall be deemed and held to be as valid in the law as if the same had been solemnized within Her Majesty's dominions with a due observance of all forms required by law.

II. It shall be lawful for one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State to transmit to the Registrar-General of Births,

1

Deaths, and Marriages in England all such certificates of the marriages solemnized as aforesaid as have been or shall be transmitted to the office of such Secretary of State by Her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary or Chargé d'Affaires in Mexico; and all certificates which shall be transmitted to such Registrar-General by such Secretary of State as certificates of the marriages confirmed by this Act shall be received by such Registrar-General, and shall be kept in the General Register Office in manner directed by the Act of the session holden in the 6th and 7th years of King William IV, cap. 86, "for registering Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England," concerning the certified copies of registers sent to the said RegistrarGeneral as therein mentioned; and a certified copy of any such certificate, such copy purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal of the General Register Office, shall be received as evidence of the marriage to which the same relates having been solemnized as aforesaid, without further or other proof.

III. All persons shall have the like right to search such certificates, and to have certified copies thereof, and upon the like payment as provided under the said Act with respect to searches in the indexes to be made and kept in the said register office under that Act, and certified copies of entries in the certified copies of registers therein mentioned; and section 43 of such Act, concerning the destroying, injuring, or falsifying of register books, or giving false certificates of entries, or certifying any false copy or extract, shall be applicable with respect to the certificates to be received by the said Registrar-General under this Act, in like manner as such Enactment applies with respect to such register books.

ACT of the British Parliament, "to empower the Legislature of Canada to alter the Constitution of the Legislative Council for that Province, and for other Purposes."

[17 & 18 Vict. cap. 118.]

[August 11, 1854.] WHEREAS an Act of the session of Parliament holden in the 3rd and 4th years of Her Majesty, chapter 35, "to Reunite the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and for the Government of Canada," provides, amongst other things, for the establishment of a Legislative Council in the Province of Canada, consisting of members summoned thereto by the Governor, under the authority of Her Majesty as therein specified: And whereas it is expedient that the Legislature of the said province should be empowered to alter

the Constitution of the said Legislative Council: And whereas the said Act requires amendment in other respect: be it enacted, by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I. It shall be lawful for the Legislature of Canada by any Act or Acts to be hereafter for that purpose passed, to alter the manner of composing the Legislative Council of the said province, and to make it consist of such number of members appointed or to be appointed or elected by such persons and in such manner as to the said Legislature may seem fit, and to fix the qualifications of the persons capable of being so appointed or elected, and by such Act or Acts to make provision, if they shall think fit, for the separate dissolution by the Governor of the said Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly respectively, and for the purposes aforesaid to vary and repeal in such manner as to them may seem fit all or any of the sections and provisions of the said recited Act, and of any other Act of Parliament now in force which relate to the Consti tution of the Legislative Council of Canada: Provided always, that any Bill or Bills which shall be passed by the present Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada, for all or any of the purposes aforesaid, shall be reserved by the said Governor, unless he think fit to withhold Her Majesty's assent thereto, for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, and shall be subject to the enactments of the said recited Act of the 3rd and 4th years of Her Majesty, cap. 35, sec. 39, which relate to Bills so reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure.

of

II. As soon as the Constitution of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada shall have been altered under such Act or Acts so assented to by Her Majesty as aforesaid, all provisions of the said recited Act of Parliament of the 3rd and 4th years Her Majesty, cap. 35, and of any other Act of Parliament now in force relating to the Legislative Council of Canada, shall be held to apply to the Legislative Council so altered, except so far as such provisions may have been varied or repealed by such Act or Acts of the Legislature of Canada so assented to as aforesaid.

III. It shall be lawful for the Legislature of Canada, from time to time, to vary and repeal all or any of the provisions of the Act or Acts altering the Constitution of the said Legislative Council: Provided always, that any Bill for any such purpose which shall vary the qualification of Councillors, or the duration of office of such Councillors, or the power of the Governor to dissolve the Council or Assembly, shall be reserved by the Governor for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure in manner aforesaid.