A.—No. 1

10

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

]STo. 13. The Resident Magistrates Act, repeals previous Acts and Ordinances relating to Resident Magistrates' Courts and Courts of Bequest; declares to be no longer operative in New Zealand certain Imperial Acts, and consolidates and amends the laws relating to Resident Magistrates and the jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace in civil matters. This Act will, together with " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1866," and "Appeals from Justices Act" of the present Session, greatly facilitate the performance of the duties of Eesident Magistrates and Justices of the Peace. . No. 14. The Neglected and Criminal Children Act, adapts to the circumstances of the Colony the provisions of a Statute passed in the Colony of Victoria. It enables Superintendents of Provinces to establish industrial and reformatory schools ; defines the cases in which children, under order of a Judge of the Supreme Court or District Court, or of two Justices of the Peace, may be placed and detained in them ; enables Superintendents of two or more Provinces, by agreement, to render available for such Provinces a school in one of them; enables the collection of rents belonging to inmates, and, with the sanction of a Judge of the Supreme Court, the assignment of an infant convict; and contains provisions for the access of ministers of religion, and for visitation; and imposes penalties on permitting escape of inmates, or their absconding or withdrawing them, and gives certain forms of orders for their custody, and for .the payment of contributions towards their support. No. 15. The Introduction of Convicts Prevention Act. —A practice having arisen in neighbouring Colonies of granting pardons to convicts upon condition of their leaving the Colony in which they were serving their sentences, during the terms of their sentences, to the increase of the criminal population of this Colony, the present Act subjects such convicts, if found in New Zealand, their abettors and harbourers, to heavy penalties. No. 16. The Coroners Act, determines, so far as applicable to Now Zealand, sections 4, 5, and 6, of 7 George IV., c. 64, and the previous Acts of the General Assembly relating to Coroners, and consolidates and amends the law relating to Coroners. It extends the remedy for contempts; enables Coroner to accept bail in certain cases, to put in writing depositions, and bind witnesses to appear; and gives to verdict of jury the effect of an indictment found by Grand Jury, and to the depositions in case of death of witness the effect of depositions taken before Justices of the Peace. No. 17. The Private Estates Bills Act, gives to the Judges of the Supreme Court jurisdiction upon a copy of the petition for a proposed Private Bill, and a copy of the Bill, being filed in the Sirprcme Court, to examine into and ascertain the truth of the statements contained in the preambles to Private Estate Bills and to report thereon, and as to the reasonableness of such Bills, and their fitness for the attainment of their proposed objects. No. 18. The Bankruptcy Act, repeals all former Acts of the General Assembly with a saving of matters concluded and in progress thereunder, and adopts, with such modifications as were necessary to adapt them to the Colony, the provisions of a Bill on this subject introduced into the Imperial Parliament in the Session of 1867. No. 19. The Law Practitioners Act Amendment Act, enables the admission as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of persons who have served under contract in writing five years as clerk to a solicitor, &c, in Great Britain or Ireland, Australia, or Tasmania, and three years as solicitor's clerk in New Zealand; and subject to the discretion of the Judges as to the libraries, the application of the fees applicable to the purchase and maintenance of law libraries under " The Law Practitioners Act, 1861." No. 20. The Execution of Judgments against Meal Estates Act, provides a remedy against real estate of a debtor for enforcing the recovery of judgment debts, and takes away the power of charging estates by means of registering judgments, or any, short of a writ of execution lodged with the Sheriff. No. 21. The Deeds Registration Ordinance Amendment Act. —Some attempts having been made to obtain property, the subject of prior contracts, by means of deeds registered under the provisions of "An Ordinance to provide for the Registration of Deeds and Instruments affecting Real Property," this Act was passed to make purchasers claiming under registered deeds liable to the equities of persons claiming under unregistered deeds, or contract, of which such purchasers or their solicitors had express notice. No. 22. The Provincial Lawsuits Act Amendment Act, supplies an efficient remedy to a creditor upon judgment obtained against the Superintendent of a Province, who, under the Act of 1858, could be satisfied only out of money to be voted for that purpose by the Provincial Council. No. 23. The Bills of Sale Act, repeals "The Bills of Sale Registration Act, 1856," and "The Bills of Sale Registration Amendment Act, 1862," and consolidates and amends the law relating to the registration of Bills of Sale of personal chattels. No. 25. The County of Westland Act, separates from the Province of Canterbury the portion described in the Schedule to be called the County of Westland. Vests in the Governor, with power of delegation, all the powers at the passing of the Act vested in the Superintendent within the County, and enables the Governor to appoint a person or persons to do any act then by law required to be done within the said County; enables the Governor to define road districts and boards ; makes provision for the levying of rates, the keeping of a separate account for the County of Westland, the payment of revenues into the same, and the apportionment of the public debt of the Province of Canterbury. It further provides a Council for the County, and deprives the Westland members of seats in the Provincial Council of Canterbury. It further vests in the Governor all the public reserves and lands with the powers given by " The Public Reserves Act, 1854," and enables the Governor in Council to make regulations for the sale, letting, disposal, occupation, &c, of the waste lands in the County. A doubt having been expressed as to whether it was competent to the New Zealand Legislature to pass such an Act; and it being obvious that there should be no doubt as to its power to do so, it is requested that if this doubt is shared by the law advisers of the Crown in England it may be set at rest by Imperial legislation. Any Act