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Letters Patent - Annexation of Rotuma 1880

ANNEXATION OF ROTUMAH ISLAND

LETTERS PATENT passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, for Declaring the Island of Rotumah and its Dependencies part of the Queen's Dominions, and for the Annexation thereof to the Colony of Fiji,

VICTORIA by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith; Empress of India, of all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting.

WHEREAS the Chiefs of the Island of Rotumah, in the Western Pacific Ocean, have prayed Us that We would rule their island and receive them as Our subjects: And whereas We are minded to accede to the prayer of the said Chiefs, and to accept the said Island and its Dependencies as part of Our Dominions, and to provide for the good government of the inhabitants thereof, and for that purpose to provide that the said Island and its Dependencies shall be annexed to and form part of Our Colony of Fiji: Now therefore We do hereby authorise Our Governor for the time being of Our Colony of Fiji, by Proclamation under his hand and the Public Seal of Our said Colony, to declare that the Island of Rotumah and its Dependencies that is to say all islands, rocks, reefs, and fisheries lying between the 12° and 15° of south latitude and between the 175° and 180° of east longitude from the meridian of Greenwich shall thenceforth form part of Our Dominions.

II. And we do hereby further authorise Our Governor for the time being of Our said Colony of Fiji; by the same or any other Proclamation under his hand and the Public Seal of Our said Colony, to declare that, from and after a day to be therein named, the said Island of Rotumah and its Dependencies, as above described; shall be annexed to and form part of Our said Colony of Fiji; and we do hereby declare that, on and after the day so to be named, the said island of Rotumah and its said Dependencies shall form part of Our said Colony of Fiji, and shall be subject to the laws from time to time in force therein.

III. And the do hereby appoint and declare that, on and after such day, all such powers of government and legislation as are from time to time vested in Our Governor or other the person for the time being administering the government of Our Colony of Fiji, and in the Legislative Council thereof, shall apply and extend to the said Island of Rotumah and its said Dependencies had at all times formed part of Our said Colony.

IV. And We do hereby reserve to Ourselves, Our heirs and successors, full power and authority from time to time to revoke, alter, or amend these Our Letters Patent as to Us or them shall seem meet.

V. And we do direct and enjoin that these our Letters Patent shall be read and proclaimed in the said Island of Rotumah, and in such place or places within Our Colony of Fiji as Our said Governor shall think fit,

It witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent. Witness Ourself at Westminister, the Seventeenth day of December, in the Forty-fourth year of Our reign.

By Warrant under the Queen's Sign Manual.

PALMER

PROCLAMATION

VICTORIA, by the Grace of God, of the United -Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Queen. Defender of the Faith, to all and singular to whom these presents may come, Greeting;

ARTHUR GORDON WHEREAS the Chiefs and People of the Island of Rotumah in the South Pacific Ocean have ceded to Her Majesty the Queen, her heirs and successors the said island and the Dependencies thereof:

And whereas her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accept the same, and to direct that the said Island shall form and constitute a part of the Colony of Fiji:

Now know ye that I, the Honourable SIR ARTHUR HAMILTON GORDON, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the said Colony, do hereby proclaim that the said Island is and from this day henceforth shall be taken to be a part of the said Colony,

Whereof let all men take notice and govern themselves accordingly.

Given under the hand of the Governor and the Sea, of the Colony this fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty.

By Command,
JOHN B. THURSTON,
Colonial Secretary.