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liable to taxation in manner provided by the rules and practice of the Supreme Court aforesaid, and upon the same scale or tariff, unless the said Court hereby constituted shall otherwise decide or determine by rules framed under the powers conferred upon it by section 10 hereof, and the Secretary of the said Court shall be the Taxing Officer.

28. The Governor may from time to time, by Government Notice in the British Bechuanaland Government Gazette, issue directions or instructions to the said Court as occasion may require, and every such direction or instruction shall, from the date of such publication, be of like force and effect as though here enacted, and may relate as well to claims then already filed or inquiries or matters then already proceeding as to claims filed or inquiries or matters proceeding subsequent to the date of such notice.

God save the Queen!

Given under my hand and seal, this 1st day of February, 1893. HENRY B. LOCH, Governor of British Bechuanaland. By command of his Excellency the Governor of British Bechuanaland.

GRAHAM BOWER, Imperial Secretary.

NOTIFICATION issued by the High Commissioner for South Africa, respecting the Commission to inquire into alleged Concessions in the Bechuanaland Protectorate.*—Vryburg, February 3, 1893.t

The Concession Commission for the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

WHEREAS his Excellency the High Commissioner has been pleased to appoint a Commission to inquire into and report upon certain alleged land grants and mineral and other concessions claimed in the Bechuanaland Protectorate:

Notice is hereby given that all claims to such alleged land grants and mineral and other concessions must be filed with the Secretary of the said Commission at his office at Vryburg, British Bechuanaland, on or before the 1st May, 1893.

Every claim must be set forth in a document, to which shall be annexed such other original documents (and one set of copies of the same) as the claimant relies upon in support of his claim, or notarial

See Proclamation of January 10, 1893, page 1191.
"London Gazette," March 14, 1893.

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copies of such original document, and one set of copies of such notarial copies. Provided that the filing of such notarial copies shall in no case be deemed to render unnecessary the due production at the inquiry into any claim of the original document or documents.

Vryburg, February 3, 1893.

J. A. ASHBURNHAM, Secretary.

NOTIFICATION issued by the High Commissioner for South Africa, respecting the Commission to inquire into alleged Concessions in the Bechuanaland Protectorate.-Vryburg, February 8, 1893.*

The Concession Commission for the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

Ir is hereby notified that the first public sitting of the above Commission will take place at Gaberone's, in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, on Wednesday, the 10th May, 1893, for the purpose of inquiring into claims to alleged land grants and mineral and other concessions in the Bechuanaland Protectorate which shall have been duly filed with the Secretary in terms of Notice No. 1 of the 3rd instant.

Vryburg, February 8, 1893.

J. A. ASHBURNHAM, Secretary.

NOTIFICATION issued by the High Commissioner for South Africa, respecting the Commission to inquire into alleged Concessions in the Bechuanaland Protectorate.—Vryburg. March 6, 1893.t

The Concession Commission for the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

WITH reference to previous notices, the following definition of the territories over which the above Commission has jurisdiction are published for the information of all concerned :

(a.) The territories lying between the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland, the 22nd parallel of south latitude, and the Machoutsie River.

* "London Gazette," March 24, 1893.
"London Gazette," May 5, 1893.

(b.) The territory known as the disputed territory lying between the Shashi and Macloutsie Rivers, excepting the area included in the Tuli district.

(c.) Such territories north of the 22nd parallel of south latitude as belong to the Chief Khaina, of the Bamangwato.

(d.) Such territories lying to the north and the west of the territories of the Chief Khama as do not belong to the Chief Lobengula.

Vryburg, March 6, 1893.

J. A. ASHBURNHAM, Secretary.

BRITISH NOTIFICATION, respecting the Niger Coast
Protectorate.-London, May 13, 1893.*

Foreign Office, May 13, 1893.

WITH reference to the notification in the "London Gazette" of the 18th October, 1887,† respecting the British Protectorate of the Niger districts, and to certain agreements entered into between the British and German Governments, it is hereby notified, for public information, that the portion of the Protectorate under the administration of Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-Generai will, from the date of this notification, form a separate Protectorate, under the name of the "Niger Coast Protectorate," and will cease to be known as the "Oil Rivers Protectorate."

The eastern limit of the line of coast of the Niger Coast Protectorate is defined in the Agreement between the British and German Governments of the 14th April, 1893.

CONSTITUTION of the United States of Venezuela.-
Carácas, June 21, 1893.

(Translation.)

WE, the Representatives of the people of Venezuela, having met together by virtue of the convocation contained in the Decree of the 1st January last, in Constitutional Assembly, invcking the favour and inspiration of the Supreme Law-giver of the Universe, have decreed the following Constitution of the United States of Venezuela:

"London Gazette," May 16, 1893.

+ Vol. LXXVIII, page 42.

Page 38.

TITLE I. Of the Nation and its Territory.

ART. 1. The States of Los Andes, Bermudez, Bolivar, Carabobo, Falcon, Lara, Miranda, Zamora, and Zulia continue united and form the nation under the denomination of the United States of Venezuela.

2. The boundaries of these States will be determined in conformity with the limits fixed for the old provinces by the Law of the 28th April, 1856, which settled the last territorial division with the exception of the old Department of Nirgua, which forms part of the State of Carabobo.

3. The territory of the United States of Venezuela is the same as constituted in the year 1810 the Captaincy-General of Venezuela.

4. The States to which Article 1 of this Constitution refers retain the faculty of uniting themselves in groups of two or more, in order to form one single State, with the agreement always of their respective Legislative Assemblies: the States declared independent by the Constitution of the 28th March, 1864,* and converted into sections by that of the 27th April, 1881,t have the right to recover the character of States should there be a demand to that effect by the Representatives in the Legislative Assembly of twothirds of the districts of any one of such States, and should the population exceed 100,000 inhabitants. If such limit of population does not exist a demand may be made, in the same form, for the separation from one, and annexation to another, State, provided that that from which it separates itself remains on the basis required of 100,000 inhabitants. In either case it will take a share in the Congress, the National Executive, and the other States of the Federation. The procedure will be determined by law.

TITLE II. Of the Venezuelans.

5. Venezuelans are such either by birth or by naturalization. (a.) The following are Venezuelans by birth:

(1.) All persons who have been or may be born in the territory of Venezuela, whatever may be the nationality of their parents.

(2.) The children of a Venezuelan father or mother by birth, who may have been born abroad, if in the event of their being domiciled in the country they shall declare before the competent authority their wish to become so.

(3.) The legitimate children who may be born abroad or at sea of a Venezuelan father who may be residing or travelling in te discharge of a Diplomatic Mission, or who may be employed in a Legation of the Republic.

* Vol. LVII, page 471.

+ Vol. LXXII, page 977.

(b.) Venezuelans by naturalization are

(1.) The children of a naturalized Venezuelan father or mother, born without the territory of the Republic, if they take up their domicile in the country and declare their wish to become Venezuelans.

(2.) Persons born in the Spanish-American Republics or in the Spanish Antilles who may have fixed their residences in the territory of the Republic and have manifested their desire to be Venezuelans. (3.) Foreigners who may have obtained letters of naturalization or of citizenship, in conformity with the laws.

6. All Venezuelans of the male sex and over 21 years of age are eligible for public appointments, except in the cases excluded by this Constitution.

7. All Venezuelans are under the obligation to serve the nation in conformity with the dispositions of the law, sacrificing their property and their lives if necessary in its defence.

8. Venezuelans enjoy in all the States of the Republic and in the Federal district the same rights and have the same duties as the natives domiciled therein.

9. Foreigners enjoy all civil rights in common with the nationals, and may make use of them to the same extent, in the same form and manner of proceeding, and in the same cases, on absolutely the same terms as the nationals.

10. The nation shall not hold or recognize, as regards foreigners, any obligations or responsibilities other than those which in similar cases have been established as regards the nationals by the Constitution and the laws.

11. The Government of Venezuela shall not conclude with other nations any kind of Treaties unless they recognize the principles laid down in the two preceding Articles.

12. The law shall determine the rights and duties of foreigners not domiciled.

TITLE III.-Bases of the Union.

13. The States which form the Venezuelan Union are autonomous, and have equality as political entities. They agree

(1.) To organize themselves in accordance with the principles of a popular, elective, federal, representative, alternative, and responsible Government.

(2.) To recognize in their respective Constitutions the autonomy of the Municipality and the independence of the same of the political power of the State in all that concerns its economical and administrative regimen.

(3.) To defend themselves against violence threatening their independence or the integrity of the nation.

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