4Transitional provisions as to references in Acts, etc.
(1)Subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, subsection (2) of section three of the [11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 56.] British Nationality Act, 1948 (which relates to the effect of existing Acts of Parliament and other enactments and instruments) shall have effect in relation to Acts, enactments or instruments passed or made before the end of the year nineteen hundred and forty-nine as it has effect in relation to Acts, enactments or instruments in force at the date of the commencement of that Act.
(2)Subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, subsection (2) of the last preceding section shall have effect in relation to Acts, enactments or instruments passed or made before the end of the year nineteen hundred and forty-nine as it has effect in relation to Acts, enactments or instruments passed or made before the passing of this Act.
(3)Where, whether by virtue of the preceding provisions of this section or otherwise, subsection (2) of section three of the British Nationality Act, 1948, or subsection (2) of the last preceding section has effect in relation to any Act, enactment or instrument, it shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, have effect also in relation to any other Act, enactment or instrument which, whether expressly or by implication, is required to be construed in the same way as that Act, enactment or instrument.
(4)The preceding provisions of this section have effect in relation to any Act, enactment or instrument only in so far as a contrary intention does not appear in that Act, enactment or instrument:
Provided that the fact that an Act, enactment or instrument refers to a British subject, or to, or to any part of, His Majesty's dominions, or to a British or British-built ship or aircraft, without referring to a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, to the Republic of Ireland or to a ship or aircraft of or built in the Republic of Ireland shall not of itself be taken as indicating a contrary intention for the purposes of this subsection, and the same principle of construction shall be applied to other similar expressions.