Dear Ministry of Justice,
Within New Zealand legislation there are a number of differing, and seeming conflicting, definitions for the word "Person." I have presented two such definitions below;
Interpretation Act 1999
PERSON includes a corporation sole, a body corporate, and an unincorporated body.
And,
Succession (Homicide) Act 2007
PERSON means a human being.

My first question is this;
What is the NEED for the word "Person" to have quite different meanings throughout NZ legislation?
or in another way- Why have Person meaning a "human being" in one piece of legislation and yet have an entirely different meaning in another?

Maxim;
Inclusio unius est exclusio alterius. The inclusion of one is the exclusion of another.
Person INCLUDES a corporation sole, a body corporate, and an unincorporated body.

If we are to apply the maxim; "The inclusion of one is the exclusion of another," to the above interpretation, a "corporation sole," a "body corporate," and an "unincorporated body," are the ONLY terms included in the definition, leaving all other terms- such as "Human Being" or "crown" or anything else what-so-ever, expressly excluded.

My second question is this;
What is the meaning of the word "includes" as used in the following interpretation;
"Person INCLUDES a corporation sole, a body corporate, and an unincorporated body."
Is "includes" used in the restrictive sense, as in the quoted maxim, or is it used in the expansive sense?

My third question;
If "includes" is used in the expansive sense, where in New Zealand legislation will I find all those terms that are included in the definition "Person" as defined in the Interpretation Act 1999, though which are not expressly listed in the written definition? In other words, how am I to know, without ambiguity, what terms the definition includes if they are not expressly included?

If the Ministry of Justice cannot provide answers to these questions, would you please direct me to the govt dept which can provide the answers? Thank you.

Kind Regards,
Ronald van der Horst.

Dear Gina,
Thank you for the general advice- I found it very helpful.

Kind Regards,
Ronald van der Horst