THE MIDDLE ISLAND LAND FUND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2592, 27 April 1869, Page 2

THE MIDDLE ISLAND LAND FUND.

The following is the draft copy of a bill whieh the Government intend to bring in during next session of the Assembly. The bill is understood to have been drafted by Mr Fitzherbert while he was in England:— A Bill entitled an Act for Promoting Immigration and Colonization in New Zealand. Whereas it is expedient to promote Colonization in New 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 shall be styled “ The Colonization Act, 186 .” 2. It shall be lawful for the Governor of the Colony from time to time by Warrant under his" hand to appoint not more than nor less than persons, including the persons hereinafter 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 < ommissioners not being exofficio Commissioners. 3. The Colonial Secretary for the time being, and one other Member of the Executive Council of the Colony for the time being, and the respective Superintendents of Provinces, and Chairmen, Presidents and Heads of Counties within the Colony shall be ex-officio Commissioners for carrying this Act into effect. 4. Three of the Commissioners shall be a quorum. 5. The Governor shall by warrant under his hand notified iu the Government Gazette of the Colony appoint the first Meeting of The Commissioners. 6. The Commissioners shall have power, subject to the approval of the Governor in Council, to make Regulations as to their after-meetings, and for the conduct of their business, and from time to time subject to such approval as aforesaid to alter and repeal such Regulations or any of them. 7. The Commissioners may appoint Clerks, Servants, Immigration or General Agents, and other officers and persons as they may from time to time judge necessary for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act, and may from time remove them or any of them.

S Upon the application of the Commissioners the 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 Revenue of the Colony, not exceeding in the aggregate £1,000,000 nominal amount, provided that the nominal amount of Debentures so issued in any one year shall not exceed £IOO,OOO. 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 such debentures or any of them to be sold or hypothecated upon such terms as may be thought fit. 12. The proceeds of such 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 proportions in which the Immigration Fund shall be applied for the service of the respec-

tive Provinces and Counties in the Colony and the proportion assigned to each Province or County shall be applied for the service of such Province or County in defraying the charges and expenses incident to the introduction of Immigrants into such Province or County or in connection therewith.

14. The numbers, ages, sexes, occupations, and qualifications of immigrants to be introduced into each Province and County shall be fixed and agreed on between The Commissioners and the respective Superintendents of Provinces and Heads or Chief Officers of Counties.

15. Every Province or County shall be liable to repay to the Colonial Treasury all monies laid out for the Immigration service of such Province or County. And for the purpose of providing for such repayment such Province or County shall at such periods as shall be fixed I*7 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 chargeable primarily with the repayment of such last-mentioned interest and sinking fund. And in case of deficiency the same shall 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 shall 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-mentioned interest and sinking fund—so far as the same will extend. 17. Out of the Territorial Revenue in every year applicable for the service of any Province or County there shall be applied in every year not less than 30 per cent towards and in augmentation of the Immigration Fund of such Province or County. And such proportion of Territorial Revenue shall be paid to The Commissioners, and shall be held and applied by them for the service of such Province or County in manner herein directed as regards the Immigration Fund of such Province or County. Provided that in estimating such per centage, all moneys charged against the Territorial Revenue of any Province or County for interest and sinking fund on advances for Immigration, shall be taken into account.

18. If any Province or County shall appropriate any money for the service of Immigration, or shall levy or cause to be levied a rate or assessment for the purpose of Immigration, all moneys so appropriated or raised sha[l be paid to the Commissioners, and shall be applied by them for the service of such Province or County in augmentation of the Immigration Fund of such Province or County. 19. The Commissioners may agree with immigrants for repayment of the whole or part of their immigration expenses, and may take securities from such immigrants, and may enforce such securities. And such securities may be taken to and in the name of any agent or officer of The Commissioners, and may be enforced by such agent or officer, or by any other agent or officer appointed by The Commisssoners fox that purpose.

20. All monies recovered from such immigrants shall go to the credit of the Immigration Fund of the Province or County on whose account the Immigrants shall have been introduced.

21. The Commissioners may agree with any Board of Guardians or other persons 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. They may make agreements with the Superintendents of Provinces and with the Heads or Chief Officers of Counties for the occupation of any existing Barracks, Buildings, or other places for the accommodation of Immigrants. They may repair, alter, improve or extend any such Barracks or buildings. 23. The Commissioners may agree with the Superintendent of any Province or with the Head or Chief Officers of any County for providing for the reception, care, maintenance, and management of immigrants within such Province or county. 24. The Commissioners are hereby empowered out of all monies which may come to their hands under the Act to defray all costs and expenses incident to the execution of the powers hereby vested in them or in any way relating thereto. 25. The Commissioners may purchase, rent, and hold lands and buildings for the purpose of this Act.

And for encouraging persons 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 said 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 sav for—

Fencing, Embanking, Drainage, Breaking up, Irrigating, Reclaiming, Enclosing, or otherwise improving Sheep or Cattle Runs, Waste or other Lands in the said Colony, or

Improving the breed of Stock in the 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. 27. The Commissioners shall keep a Register for the purpose of Registering such Companies. 2S. Before registering any such Company, the Commissioners shall require such Company to establish to their satisfaction that it is able and willing to carry into effect its professed objects, and they shall also require to be deposited and left with them such particulars and documents as they shall in their judgment deem expedient respecting such Company, its constitution, or otherwise. 23. Upon the application of any Registered Land Improvement Company, the Governor iu Council may if he shall so 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.

3u. I’rovided that in the case of any such Guarantee the Company so guaranteed shall not stipulate for any higher rate of interest upon advances than £~ per cent, per annum. And whereas it may promote Colonization if the Commissioners were empowered to assist in the disposal of Waste or Crown Lan i 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 he 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 Begn-

lations may be in agree with the Commissioners forSr the sale and disposal of such lands” cor? ance with such Land Regulations W Commissioners may carrv simu „ “ tlle andagreement into effect accord®" 32. The Commissioners may in cai-Sf-any such arrangement or agreement; D . g effect, employ any person or Sous pany or companies, in Great Britain elsewhere, as agents, and W °* such person or persons, company or panics, a commission not exceeding ( cent, upon the amount of Land c *! er effected Land Sales 33. The Commissioners may out of which may come to their hands und“ anv such arrangement or agreement, defray a u costs and expenses incidental thereto Ana they shall pay and account for the residue f f such moneys after the payments and a IW ances herein authorized to be made as rlTi of the Territorial Revenue of the Province or place within which the Land sold mar he situate, in accordance with the Land Remlal tions under which such land shall be sold 34 The Commissioners shall in the month of May m every year make a full and accn rate Report to the Governor of all their ceedings, and the Governor shall cause ‘urh Report to be laid before the General Assem bly at its next Session. m

3o The Accounts of the Commissioner, shall be rendered by them to the Auditor General, with vouchers and explanation,' every year in the month of May, and th* same shall include all their receipts and nar. meats, assets and liabilities up to th<- s,sTnf April immediately preceding, and Accounts of the Commissioners shall Udeemed to be part of the public accounts of the Colony, and shall be audited and dealt with accordingly.