The Council shall have the legal capacities of a body corporate.

Except in so far as in any particular case it has expressly waived its immunity, the Council shall have immunity from suit and legal process. No waiver of immunity shall be deemed to extend to any measure of execution.

The Council shall have the like inviolability of official premises and official archives as is accorded in respect of the official premises and official archives of a foreign envoy.

The Council shall have immunity in relation to its property and assets, wherever located and by whomsoever held, from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation, or any other form of interference.

The Council shall have the like exemption from taxes and rates, other than taxes on the importation of goods, as is accorded to the Government of any foreign country.

The Council shall have exemption from taxes on the importation of goods directly imported by the Council for its official use in New Zealand or for exportation, or on the importation of any publications of the Council directly imported by it, subject to compliance with such conditions as the Minister of Customs may prescribe for the protection of the revenue.

The Council shall have exemption from prohibitions and restrictions on importation or exportation in the case of goods directly imported or exported by the Council for its official use and, in the case of any publications of the Council directly imported or exported by it, subject to compliance with such conditions as the Minister of Customs may prescribe for the protection of the public health, the prevention of diseases in plants and animals, and otherwise in the public interest.

The Council shall have the right to avail itself, for telegraphic communications sent by it and containing only matter intended for publication by the press or for broadcasting (including communications addressed to or dispatched from places outside New Zealand), of any reduced rates applicable for the corresponding service in the case of press telegrams.

Except in so far as in any particular case any immunity or privilege is waived by the Secretary-General of the Council, all officials of the Council (other than those referred to in clause 12 hereof) shall enjoy

• (a) Immunity from suit and legal process in respect of words spoken or written and all things done or omitted to be done by them in the course of the performance of their official duties:

• (b) Exemption from ordinary income tax and social security income tax in respect of emoluments received by them as officers or servants of the Council:

• (c) Exemption from taxes on the importation of furniture and effects imported at the time of first taking up post in New Zealand, that exemption to be subject to compliance with such conditions as the Minister of Customs may prescribe for the protection of the revenue.

Except in so far as in any particular case any immunity or privilege is waived by the Secretary-General of the Council, persons serving on any committee of the agency or of any organ thereof or employed on missions on behalf of the organisation shall enjoy

• (a) While performing their missions and during time spent on journeys in connection therewith, immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage and inviolability for all papers and documents relating to the work of the Council:

• (b) Immunity from legal process of every kind in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them in the exercise of their functions.

This order shall be in force in the Cook Islands and the Tokelau Islands.

This order is hereby declared to be a reserved enactment for the purposes of sections 39 and 70 of the Cook Islands Amendment Act 1957.