New Zealand Constitution Act 1852

New Zealand Constitution Act 1852[nb 1]
Long titleAn Act to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand.
Citation15 & 16 Vict. c. 72
Territorial extent New Zealand
Dates
Royal assent30 June 1852
Other legislation
Amended byNew Zealand Boundaries Act 1863
Repealed byConstitution Act 1986 (New Zealand)
Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 (United Kingdom)
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 (15 & 16 Vict. c. 72) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted self-government to the Colony of New Zealand. It was the second such Act, the previous 1846 Act not having been fully implemented.[1] The purpose of the Act was to have constitutional independence from Britain.[2] The definition of franchise or the ability to vote excluded all women, most Māori, all non-British people and those with convictions for serious offences.[3]

The Act remained in force as part of New Zealand's constitution until it was repealed by the Constitution Act 1986.

The long title of the Act was "An Act to Grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand". The Act received royal assent on 30 June 1852.[4]


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  1. ^ "Government and Nation - Page 3. The constitution". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. ^ Keenan, Danny (1 January 2012). Keenan, Danny (ed.). Huia histories of Māori.
  3. ^ Palmer, Matthew; Knight, Dean R. (2022). The Constitution of New Zealand: a contextual analysis. Constitutional systems of the world. Oxford: Hart publishing. ISBN 978-1-84946-903-6.
  4. ^ Constitution Act 1852, Preamble.