A—No. 2

PAPERS RELATIVE TO ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. MEMORANDA OF MINISTERS UPON ACTS OF THE ASSEMBLY, 1861. LOCAL AND PERSONAL ACTS. "Keiv Zealand Bank Act."— This Act incorporates a Colonial Banking Company. The Company is well supported, and is likely to be of considerable service to the Colony, which at present has no Bank whose business is exclusively confined to this Colony. Ministers recommend it for confirmation by Her Majesty. ._-*,» r, i i,r i " The Bank of New South Wales Act.— This Act enables the Bank of New South Wales to extend its operations to the Colony. Ministers recommend it for confirmation. " The Dun Mountain Railway Act."— This Act gives formal powers to the Dun Mountain Company to make a Railway to their mines. The undertaking of this Company is one likely to be beneficial to the Colony, and in particular to develope the resources of the Province of Nelson. Ministers recommend it for confirmation. _ . _. '■ Picton Railway Act."—Th\i Act is reserved for Her Majesty s confirmation. The Superintendent and Provincial Council of Marlborough desired to construct a Railway between Picton and the Wairau, a work of considerable utility, but involving a heavy cost. They passed an Ordinance for »isin°- a Loan of £60,000, but which Ordinance His Excellency's present Advisers have felt themselves°oblieed to recommend the disallowance of, for reasons stated in the letter of which copy is herewith. The Loan Act having been disallowed, it might have seemed almost necessarily to follow that the Bill brought into the General Assembly for giving the requisite powers to make the Railway should have dropped with it. The Legislature, however, thought it right to pass the Act, with a view to the possible contingency of means being provided in some other form for carrying the work into execution. The powers of the Act are suspended by the Bth section till provision is made accordingly. Lnder these circmstances, the Government have advised His Excellency to reserve the Act for Her Majesty s express confirmation. They do not feel themselves warranted in recommending the confirmation of it. On the other hand, if a prudent and practicable scheme were proposed for raising the requisite funds, it may be possible to bring into operation the powers created by the reserved Act, so avoiding the necessity of a fresh application to the Legislature. As a general rule, they think that undertakings of this nature should not be commenced, and the Legislature should not sanction them, till the requisite funds are provided for. la the present case this remain? to be done. Upon the whole, they submit the matter for the decision of the Home Government, without offering an opinion upon it either way. PUBLIC ACTS. The Commissioner's Powers Act."— This Act explains itself. It merely enables Commissioners under certain specified commissions to examine witnesses on oath. It has practically been acted on. Recommended for confirmation. . " The Canterbury and Otago Boundary Act, 1861," and " The Canterbury and Otago Boundary Act, No. 2, 1861," have been passed for the purpose of settling a boundary dispute between the two Provinces of Canterbury and Otago. Recommended for confirmation. '■ Advances to Agents Act" is an adaptation of the English Act on the same subject. Recommended for confirmation. .__.,.. , i i «-..*• " Weights and Measures Ordinances Amendment Act"— This is intended to remedy a detect in the existing law, which does not provide for Troy-weights. Recommended for confirmation. " Resident Magistrates Ordinance Amendment Act" obviates a question which has arisen as to the construction of some Local Acts and Ordinances. Recommended for confirmation. "Naval and Military Settlers (Marlborough) Act."—"The Waste Lands Act, 1858, contain» provisions in favour of Naval and Military Settlers in the then existing Province of Nelson. Since then the Province of Marlborough has been separated from Nelson, under the "New Provinces Act. The Superintendent and Provincial Council of Marlbourough desire to extend those provisions to theit Province. The Act is intended for that purpose. Recommended for confirmation. " Naturalization Act."— This is the usual annual Act. Recommended for confirmation. "Imprisonmentfor Debt Ordinance Amendment Act" is intended to relieve Insolvent Debtors from a provision in the original Ordinance obliging them to lie in prison for two months before obtaining their discharge. Recommended for confirmation. _ " Jury Ordinance Amendment Act."— The publication of the names of Jurors in Newspapers is found to be attended with unnecessary expense. The lists are otherwise published sufficiently. Recommended for confirmation. •' New Zealand Land Claimants Ordinance Amendment Ad."— The practice has prevailed in the case of Land Orders of the New Zealand Company for parties to deal with their Land under the