The New Zealand Constitution
A British Act
I’ve seen the material around by many on Sovereign Individuals and the various offers about to spend several hundred dollars for a course on Natural Law which supposedly will make you a free individual. I’ve only though taken a cursory look at this in the past. But yesterday when I decided to find the sometimes mentioned New Zealand constitution I was presented with somewhat of a quandary on the difference between ‘Regina’ and ‘Sovereign’.
The New Zealand constitution is a British law (An Act to grant a Representative Consitution to the Colony of New Zealand June 30th 1852) and mentions both Sovereign and Regent. At the very beginning of this Act it mentions the Queen of the time as ‘Victoriæ Reginæ’ and defines the Regent as a representative of the Sovereign. I don't see how the current Queen can be both of those so I'm going to go with the idea that she is my Regent and I, and all 5 million other New Zealand residents (who are all also British Citizens), are the Sovereign.
If you have another meaning for the word ‘Sovereign’ please provide it in the comments. Until then I’ll assume that Philip Somerville is acting as a traitor and that, Philip, has consequences.
The Act.
Some of the many meanings for "Sovereign" given by the Oxford english Dictionary are:
1a. One who has supremacy or rank above, or authority over, others; a superior; a ruler, governor, lord, or master (of persons, etc.). Frequently applied to the Deity in relation to created things. In later use suggestive of sense A. 2a.
†d. A free citizen or voter of America. U.S. Obsolete.
2a. The recognized supreme ruler of a people or country under monarchical government; a monarch; a king or queen.
4b. A British gold coin of the (nominal) value of one pound.
†5. A variety of pear.
I really like number 5. (Though JFK's claim to be a jam doughnut was more inspiring)
Not sure if it helps, but the “Anno decimo quinto et decimo sexto Victoriæ Reginæ”
Translates simply as “In the fifteenth and sixteenth year of Queen Victoria”.
Latin cases: "anno" is the ablative of "annus", so "in the year" and "Victoriæ Reginæ" the genitive of "Victoria Regina", so "of Queen Victoria".