ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 350, 26 December 1864, Page 5

ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Bate of Interest Act, 1864. No. 2. An Act to' authoriso the Governor to increase the rate of interest on monies to be hereafter raised under the "Now Zealand Loan Act, 1863." [13th December, 1861.] Wheot.as by tho " New Zealand Loan Act, 1863," the Governor is empowered to borrow a sum of money not exceeding £3,000,000, in such manner as is there set forth, at- a rate of interest not exceeding five per cent, per annum. And it is expedient to enable the Governor to raise the rate of interest on so much of the said loan as has not been raised:

Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. The Short Title of this Act shall be "The Rate of Interest Act, 1804."

2. Tho Governor may, by order in Council, raise the rate of interest on monies to be hereafter borrowed wilder authority of the " Now Zealand Loan Act., 1863," to a rate not exceeding six per cent, per annum, and interest at such iucreasecl rate on all sums so borrowed shall be paid in like manner as if tho same had been authorised to be raised under tho said Act, and the powers of the said Act shall apply to bonds or debentures to be issued, bearing interest at such increased rate as if they had been issued under the said Act.

3. No bond or other security issued at such increased rate under authority of the said Act and of this Act, shall be sold or disposed of at a lower rate than par.

Debeniur'S Act, 18G4. No. o. An Act for raising £1,0011,000 by debentures. [13th December, ISG4.] Whkiieas by the "New Zealand Loan Act, 18U3," the Governor was empowered to borrow the sum of £3,000,000, upon such terms, iu such manner, and at such a rate of interest as therein mentioned, and whereas it is expedient to enable the Governor to raise £1,000,000 in anticipation of such loan. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, as follows, that is to say : — 1. The short title of this Act shall be the " Debentures Act, 1864." 2. It shall bo lawful lor the Governor of New Zealand to borrow any sum or suras of money, not

exceeding in the wliolo the sum of .£1,000,000, -is anticipation of such, loan, and to tale up the eamo on debentures from time to time as he may deem expedient. 3. Every Buch debenture shall be in such form and for such sum and shall be signed and issued by such agent or agents as the Governor shall appoint, and be dated on the day on which the same Bhall be issued and shall bear interest from that day at a rata not exceeding the rate of 8 per cent, per annum, payable half-yearly on the Ist day of January and the Ist day of July in every year,' in such place in New Zealand or elsewhere as shall be therein named. Provided always that it shall be lawful for the Governor if he shall think lit to direct that coupons, in such form as he shall think tit, shall be appended to all or any of the said debentures. And such coupons shall be sufficient warrants or authority for tha payment of the interest therein specified, as the game shall from time to time have become due. 4. The principal and interest of such debentures are hereby made payable out of, and charged upon, the revenue arising in the colony of New Zealand from the duties of import and export, and from all taxes, duties, rates, and imposts levied, or to be levied, under any Act or Acta of the General Assembly. 5. Provided that all securities created hy virtue of this Act shall be without prejudice to any security or securities heretofore charged upon the said revenue. 6. The holder of any debenture issued under authority oi this Act shall not have any preference over any other Buch holder by reason of priority of date of such debenture or otherwise. " 7. The principal sum secured by any such debenture shall be payable at a place and on day to be named in such debenture, not sooner than the 31st day of December, 1865, nor later than the 31st day of December, 1867. 8. Interest shall cease to be payable on any debentures issued under this Act on the day next after the day fixed for payment thereof. 0. The Governor shall cause every such debenture to be sold either in New Zealand or elsewhere, by public competition or otherwise, for the best price that can be obtained for tlie same, not being at a lower rate thar. par. 10. All money raised under the authority of this Act shall bo • applied to the purposes mentioned in the said rccited Act. 11. All money hereafter to be raised under authority of the said recited Act shall be applied, in the first place, in reimbursement or satisfaction of the moneys to be raised under the authority of this Act. New Zealand Settlements Acr Amendstkitt ActJ 1864. No 4. An Act to alter and atnend "The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863." [13th December, 1864.] Whereas an Act was passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand, called " The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863 ;" and it is expedient to limit the duration thereof, and that the same should be altered and amended as hereafter provided. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by tha authority of the same, as follows: — 1. The short title of this Act shall be, " The New Zealand Settlements Amendment Act, 1864." 2. In any case in which, under the said Act, the Compensation Court shall have refused to award compensation, or shall have awarded less compensation than may have been claimed, or in any other cose, if the Governor in Council shall be of opinion that the circumstances of the case would render it expedient that compensation, or larger compensation, should ba awarded, it shall bo lawful for the Governor in Council to award and direct that compensation, or increased compensation, shall be paid to any person or persons who, jin the judgment of the Governor in Council, shall be reasonably entitled thereto. 3. The said Act, and this Act, shall respectively continue in operation until the third day of December, 1865."

Public Wobks Laitds Act, 1864, No. 5.

An Act enabling land to be taken for roads and other public purposes, through, native and other districts of the colony.

[13th December, 1861.] Whebeas it is necessary for the civilization of certain parts of the colony, that roads and other means of communication should be constructed and maintained throughout the colony and that power should be invested in the Executive Government of the colony, to take land for such purposes.

15e it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of Kew Zealand, in Parliament assembled, and by the authority thereof as follows :—

X. 'l'lie short title of this Act shall be "The Public Works lands Act."

2. The term "public -works" in this Act shall mean and include roads, bridges, and ferries, the word " lands " shall mean and include lands, tenements and hereditaments whether held by natiTe op other owners and by whatsoever tenure and for whatsoever estate or interest and all claims thereto.

3. It shall be lawful for the Governor by order in Council to order that any public work to be defined in such order shall be made.

4. After the publication of such order in Council in the Government Gazette, the Governor may compulsorily take and permanently hold all such lands as may be neccssary for the construction of such public work, and may occupy any lands that may be be required for temporary use during the construction of such public work, and may enter upon any lands, for tho purpose of taking surveys or levels, without giving any notice or making application to any person owning such lands. 5. Provided always, that compensation shall bo made to persons owning or occupying lands so taken, and incidental thereto, to be ascertained in manner following, that is to say, with respect to persons holding land under title derived from the Crown, in the manner prescribed by " The Lands' Clauses Consolidation Act, 1863." And with respect to persons holding lands wherein the native title has not been extinguished, to be ascertained in the manner, and with the exceptions, and subject to, the conditions and provisoes contained in " The New Zealand Settlements' Act, 1863. And for the purposes of this Act the said last-mentioned Act shall continue and bo deemed to bo in operation, notwithstanding the period prescribed by law for the termination thereof shall have arrived.

6. Every such public work, and the land and soil thereof shall, from the date of such Order in Council, be deemed to be vested in Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, as part of the demesne lands of the Crown.

Horrible Muedeb in- Bohemia.—One of these strange cases in which a criminal has added unne. »j----sary horrors to his crime, as if mere atrocity titillated him pleasantly, has occurred in Bohemia. A man of Eidiitz named Antony, and nicknamed " the Russian," had been jilted by a girl, and he resolved to te revenged on the firßt woman he met. Thi3 was an old widow named Conrad, whom he took into tho forest, violated, and killed. Then cutting off her arms, legs, and breasts, he cooked and ate them with, potatoes. When arrested he confessed the crime and its motive with the greatest coolness—a coolness which almost destroys the charitable hope that he ia mad.—Spectator, Oct. 1. A Tender Epistle.—The following letter was the cause of much amusement, on being read during the trial of a recent breach of promise of marriage case: —" My dear sweetest Ducky,—l am so happy to hear from you so often—it affords me such grate plesher. You always was so deer to me I hope you will sune be deerer. You know I never hinted nothing about marriage and I never mean to—take your own time for that. X shall always remember the old sayin, procastination is the theef of time, but mother sez nothing should be in a huiry but ketehin ileaa. The fondest wish ol' my heart is that we may Boon become one. Do you ever read Franklin's Extracts —his remarks concerning marriage is deliteful. Our hearts, he sez, ought to assemble one another in every expect; they ought to be hetergenious bo that our union may be mixed as well as uniting—not like oil and water but tee and shugnr. Truly I can feel for tho mortal Watts when he says : —

•' The rows is red the vilota blew bhugura sweet and so are you. Mother srfz matrimony is better to think upon tlian the reality. I remain till death or marriage, your own sweet candy, Mary Ann. N. B.—l had a kussin married last month, who sez there aint no true enjoyment but in the married Btate. Your swets dove, Alury Ann. ~P.S. —I hope you will let me know what you mean to do there is four or five other fellows after me liot foot, and I shall be quite oneasy till I here. Your lover swete, Mary Ann."

Where does a similarity between malt and beer ?—ln the taxing of the one and the lining of the other.