Page:Status of the Union Act 1934 and Royal Executive Functions and Seals Act 1934.djvu/5

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[Date of commencement―

To provide for the King’s Acts as Head of the Executive of the Union, the use of Royal Seals in connection therewith and the vesting of certain functions in Union officials and bodies.

(Assented to by His Majesty the King on the 22nd June, 1934.) (Signed by the Governor-General in English.)

E IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate and the House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa, as follows:―

1. (1) There shall be a Royal Great Seal of the Union hereinafter referred to as the Great Seal, which shall show on the obverse the effigy of the Sovereign, with his full titles as circumscription and on the reverse the coat of arms of the Union with supporters and the inscription “Unie van Suid-Afrika” and “Union of South Africa”.

(2) There shall be a Royal Signet (hereinafter referred to as the Signet) showing the reverse of the Great Seal with the Tudor Crown for crest and the King’s full title in Latin on the outer rim and the words “Unie van Suid-Afrika—Union of South Africa” on the inner rim.

(3) The Great Seal and Signet shall be of a design and size approved of by the King and the Great Seal shall show the effigy of the Sovereign in such manner and of such design as His Majesty may be pleased to approve.

2. In the case of a change in the person of the Sovereign the then existing Seals shall be used until such time as new Seals have been struck and put into use.

3. The Prime Minister of the Union or, in his absence, his deputy shall be the Keeper of the Great Seal and the Signet.

4. (1) The King’s will and pleasure as Head of the Executive Government of the Union shall be expressed in writing under his sign manual, and every such instrument shall be countersigned by one of the King’s Ministers for the Union.

(2) The King’s sign manual shall furthermore be confirmed by the Great Seal on all royal proclamations and he may, by proclamation, prescribe from time to time which other public instruments bearing his sign manual shall pass either the Great Seal or the Signet.

(3) The Keeper of the Seals shall affix either the Great Seal or the Signet, as the case may be, to any instrument bearing the King’s sign manual and the countersignature of one of His Majesty’s Ministers of State for the Union and required to pass either the Great Seal or the Signet.