Fitting anniversary

This week marks the 75th anniversary of one of the most important milestones in our nation’s constitutional history.

Passed on November 25, 1947, the

under-recognised Statute of Westminster Adoption Act ratified the UK legislation of 1931, thereafter disallowing the British Parliament to legislate for the Dominion.

As a realm, our king being resident in London, we still do not qualify for those flashy Independence Day celebrations routinely celebrated in almost every other country in the world.

But New Zealand could become internationally distinguished if it adopted November 25 as Semi-Independence Day, celebrating our exemplary record including:

Last to adopt the Statute of Westminster.

Safeguarded our people’s status as British subjects, until we adjusted to becoming New Zealand citizens in 1949.

Retained ‘‘God Save the King’’ as the National Anthem and, since the adoption of ‘‘God Defend New Zealand’’ in 1977, became utterly unique in having two national anthems of equal standing.

So let’s ditch the commemoration of an irrelevant incident involving some Guy at the English Parliament more than four centuries ago. Instead, it is high time to celebrate SID, a much more significant event in the history of New Zealand’s Parliament.

Semi-Independence Day – an updated commemoration fit for our times. Michael Chilton, Wellington