THE COLONIZATION ACT, 186

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1882, 27 April 1869, Page 3

THE COLONIZATION ACT, 186

A BUI, entitled "An Act for promoting Immigration and Colonization in New Zealand," has been drafted by the Hon. Mr Fitzherbert, and it is intended to bring it forward during the next eeesion of the General Assembly. The most important of its clauses run thus:—

Whereas it is expedient to promote colonization in ISew Zealand by the introduction of immigrants, and by encouraging the investment of capital in the improvement of land and otherwise: —

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled as follows:

1. This Act ehall be styled " The Colonization Act, 186 ."

2. It shall be lawful for the Governor from time to time by warrant under his hand to appoint not more than nor lees than

• persons, including the persons hereafter named, to be Commissioners for carrying this Act into effect .who are herein referred to as The Commissioners, and may from time to time remove any Commissioners not being ex qfficio Commissioners.

3. The Colonial Secretary for the time being, and the respective Superintendents of Provinces, and Chairmen, Presidents, and Heads of Counties within the colony ehall be ex ojficto Commissioners for carrying this Act into : effeet.

5. The Governor shall by warrant under bis hand notified in the "Government Gazette" of the colony appoint the first meeting of The Commissioners.

7. The Commissioners may appoint clerks, servants, immigration or general agents, and other officers and persons as they may from time to time judge neceesary for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act, and may from time remove them or any of them.

8. Upon the application of The Commissioners (he Governor in Council is hereby empowered at any time, or from time to time, to issue or cause to be issued, debentures chargeable upon the Consolidated Kβvenue ef the colony, not exceeding. £1,000,000 nominal amount, provided that the nominal amount of debentures so issued in any one year shall not exceed £100,000.

9. The interest and sinking fund charged upon such debentures shall not exceed 6 per cent per annum.

10. The sinking fund shall be applied year by year towards paying off the said debentures, and the debentures to be paid off shall year by year be determined by drawing of numbers or otherwise in such order and manner as shall be fixed by or under authority of the Governor in Council.

11. The Governor in Council may cause each debentures or any of them to be sold or hypothecated upon such terms as may be thought fit.

12. The proceeds of euch debentures and all money raised by sale or hypothecation thereof shall be paid by the Colonial Treasurer; to The Commissioners, and shall be applied by them in manner hereinafter mentioned respecting the Immigration Fund. 13. The Commissioners shall fix the proW?*? 18 "* which th « Immigration Fund eciau be applied for the serTice of the respecwe provinces and counties in the colony, and the proportion assigned to each province or county ehall be applied for the service of such province or county in defraying the charges j " expenses incidental to the introduction of immigrants into such province or county or in connection therewith. v!? c n . umbeirß » ages, sexes, occupations, T Uona ° f imTni g«Hrt ß to be introduced into eachprovince and county shall be SSL i*!*** 1 on The Oommiefiionera and the respective Superintendents of Pwvmeee and Heads or Chief bfficere of eoun-

15. Every province or count,r shall be H.ib!e to repay to the Coloni-.ti TrtMsury all money laid out for the immigration service of such province or county. An;! for the purpose of providing for such repayment such proviiu-e ov county shall n> such period a- shaU bo i]xf\ by the Governor in Council, be charged with and shall duly pay or account to the Colonial Treasury for such a sum as shall cover the interest and sinking fund chargeable in respect of the debentures so issued for the service of such'province or county. 16. The Territorial Revenue applicable to the service of each province and county shall be charged primarily with the repayment of such last-mentioned interest and sinking fund. And in case of deficiency the game ehall be chargeable upon any other monies payable to or for the service of such province or county out of the ordinary revenue of the colony. Provided, that in case in any province or county there be levied an immigration rate or assessment, the proceeds of such rate or assessment shall year by year be applied in the first instance towards payment of such last-men-tioned interest and sinking fund — bo far as the same will extend.

17. This clause provides that 30 per cent of the Territorial revenue shall be applied to the Immigration Fund, and paid to The Commissioners. Provided that in estimating such per centage, all monies chargeable against the Territorial Revenue of any province or county for interest and sinking fund on advances for immigration shall be taken into account. 18. This clause provides that special appropriations by any province or county for immigration and money raised by immigration rates are to be paid to The Commissioners, and applied by them in augmentation of the Immigration Fund of such province or county. 21. The Commissioners may agree with any Board of Guardians or other pereons in the United Kingdom for receiving contributions in aid of immigration, and all monies so received shall be applied as part of the General Immigration Fund of the colony. 22. The Commissioners shall manage the business of immigration for the colony. They may contract with shipowners and other persons for conveying immigrants to the colony, and may execute contracts and charter-parties for providing ships for such purpose and for provisioning the same. They may establish and maintain in the colony and elsewhere barracks for the reception of immigrants and other buildings in connection therewith. They may make provision for the due care and maintenance of immigrants for a reasonable time before sailing and after their arrival in the colony, &c. And for encouraging pereons with limited capital to settle in the colony and generally to encourage persons to invest capital in the colony in the improvement of land. Be it enacted by the General Assembly as follows :—

26. If any company or corporation shall be or shall have been formed for any of the objects hereinafter enumerated, that is to say, for fencing, embanking, draining, breaking up, irrigating, reclaiming, enclosing, or otherwise improving sheep or cattle runs, waste or other lands in the said colony, either by enabling the owners of such runs or lands to charge the expenses of such -works and undertakings upon such runs or lands as a first charge, or by making advances of capital for such purposes or any of them, any such company or corporation may apply to The Commissioners to be registered under this Act—and may be registered accordingly, and every company or corporation so registered shall be designated a New Zealand Registered Land Improvement Company. 29. Upon the application of any Begistered Land Improvement Company, the Governor in Council may, if he shall co think fit, but not otherwise, on behalf of the colony, guarantee to the shareholders of such company a minimum rate of interest not exceeding 5 per cent, per annum, and all monies payable by virtue of such guarantee shall be charged upon the Consolidated Revenue of the colony, and shall be paid by the Colonial Treasurer out of such revenue.

30. Provided that in the case of any such guarantee the Company so guaranteed shall not stipulate for any higher rate of interest upon advances than 7 per cent, per annum.

And whereas it may promote colonization if the Commissioners were empowered to assist in the disposal of waste or Crown land out of the colony.

Be it further enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand as follows:— 31. If under the Land Regulations for the time being in force within any province or place in the colony provision shall be made for setting apart land for settlement, or if under any such Land Regulations it shall be provided that land may be sold out of the colony, the Superintendent of any province and the Head or Chief Officer of any county within which such Land Regulations may be in force may arrange and agree with The Commissioners for assisting in the sale and disposal of such land?, in accordance with such Land Regulations. And The Commissioners may carry such arrangement and agreement into force accordingly.

33. This clause provides that The Commiesionere may, in carrying any such arrangement or agreement into effect, employ agents, and allow them a commission not exceeding 6 per cent upon the amount of the land sales effected.

34. The Commissioners shall, in the montn of May in every year, make a full and accurate report to the Governor of all their proceedings and the Governor shall cause such report to be laid before the General Assembly at its next session.

35. The accounts of The Commissioners shall be rendered by them to the AuditorGeneral, both vouchers and explanations, every year in the month of May, and the same shall include all their receipts and payments, assets and liabilities, up to the sth of April immediately preceding, and the accounts of the Commissioners shall be deemed to be part of the public accounts of the colony, and shall be audited and dealt with accordingly.