New Zealand Gazette – 1898 – No. 29

Page 681

Page 682 →

✨ Neutrality Proclamation

Num. 29.

681

THE

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

EXTRAORDINARY.

Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1898.

Notification of British Neutrality on Occasion of War between Spain and United States of America, also Rules to be observed during such War.

IN pursuance of instructions received by me from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, I, Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, hereby notify for the information of all subjects of Her Majesty the Queen, and of all other persons residing or being in the said colony, that Her said Majesty, with the advice of Her Privy Council, has made a Proclamation enjoining all her loving subjects to observe a strict neutrality in and during the war which now exists between the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of the United States of America, and the purport of the said Proclamation is set forth in the First Schedule hereto:

And further, and by the like instructions as aforesaid, I, the said Governor, do hereby notify all persons residing or being within the Colony of New Zealand that Her said Majesty has made the rules set out in the Second Schedule hereto, and has directed, among other things, that the said rules shall be in force in New Zealand forthwith when I shall have notified and published the same, stating in such notification that the said rules are to be obeyed by all persons within New Zealand: And in accordance with such directions I do hereby publish the said rules, and notify that they are to be obeyed by all persons within New Zealand.

As witness my hand, at Government House, Wellington, this twenty-fifth day of April, 1898.

RANFURLY, Governor.

By his Deputy,

JAMES PRENDERGAST.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

PROCLAMATION OF BRITISH NEUTRALITY.

The Proclamation recites, among other things, that a state of war exists between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, and between their respective subjects and others inhabiting within their countries, territories, or dominions; that Her Majesty is on terms of friendship with these countries, and is determined to maintain a strict and impartial neutrality in the said war; and then, after certain other recitals, enjoins neutrality upon all British subjects, and calls attention to certain provisions of “The Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870,” as follows:—

And we do hereby strictly charge and command all our loving subjects to govern themselves accordingly, and to observe a strict neutrality in and during the aforesaid war, and to abstain from violating or contravening either the laws and statutes of the realm in this behalf, or the law of nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their peril: And whereas in and by a certain statute made and passed in a session of Parliament held in the 33rd and 34th year of our reign, intituled “An Act to regulate the Conduct of Her Majesty’s Subjects during the Existence of Hostilities between Foreign States with which Her Majesty is at Peace,” it is, among other things, declared and enacted as follows:—

“This Act shall extend to all the dominions of Her Majesty, including the adjacent territorial waters.

“Illegal Enlistment.

“If any person, without the license of Her Majesty, being a British subject, within or without Her Majesty’s dominions, accepts or agrees to accept any commission or engagement in the military or naval service of any foreign State at war with any foreign State at peace with Her Majesty, and in this Act referred to as a friendly State, or, whether a British subject or not, within Her Majesty’s dominions, induces any other person to accept or agree to accept any commission or engagement in the military or naval service of any such foreign State as aforesaid—

“He shall be guilty of an offence against this Act, and shall be punishable by fine and imprisonment, or either of such punishments, at the discretion of the Court before which the offender is convicted; and imprisonment, if awarded, may be either with or without hard labour.

“If any person, without the license of Her Majesty, being a British subject, quits or goes on board any ship with a view of quitting Her Majesty’s dominions, with intent to accept any commission or engagement in the military or naval service of any foreign State at war with a friendly State, or, whether a British subject or not, within Her Majesty’s dominions, induces any other person to quit or to go on board any ship with a view of quitting Her Majesty’s dominions with the like intent—

“If any person induces any other person to quit Her Majesty’s dominions, or to embark on any ship within Her Majesty’s dominions under a misrepresentation or false representation of the service in which such person is to be engaged, with the intent or in order that such person may

VUW Te Waharoa — NZ Gazette 1898, No 29

The Old Government Buildings (depicted) were completed in 1876 and initially housed the entire Wellington-based civil service as well as the entire New Zealand Cabinet. The Executive Council met there until 1948.

✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🌏 Notification of British Neutrality during Spanish-American War and Associated Rules

Domain🌏 External Affairs & Territories
Dated25 April 1898
KeywordsNeutrality, Spanish-American War, Proclamation, Foreign Enlistment Act, Governor, British Subjects
👩‍💼 Officials

Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, Governor
James Prendergast, Deputy

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