NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

35

A.—No. 1

No. 15. The Otago Settlements Act. The Superintendent of the Province of Otago, with the advice of his Executive Council, is enabled, by this Act, to proclaim settlements of 100,000 acres of land within the boundaries of Catlin's Eiver and "Waikawa, and of a like quantity in Stewart's Island, in the Province of Otago, as eligible sites for settlements for colonization. The lands in these settlements are to be held and disposed of under the provisions of " The Otago Settlements Act, 1869 " No. 16. The Payments to Provinces Act. This Act repeals an Act of similar title passed in the Session of the Assembly held in 1870, and makes other provision in lieu thereof. The duration of this Act is limited to Ist July, 1872. , No 17. The Bay of Islands Settlement Act repeals an Act of the General Assembly passed in 1858 (" The Bay of Islands Settlement Act, 1858 "), making provision for the establishment of a settlement at the Bay of Islands, in the Province of Auckland. By the present Act, all the lands within the settlement" on 12th September, 1870, and then remaining subject to the provisions of the above-mentioned Act, are to be deemed from the above date to be waste lands of the Crown in the Province of Auckland, and to dealt with as such. Existing contracts are to be fulfilled, and the rights of persons named are preserved. Express power is given to the Superintendent to grant a lease of a coal mine known as the " Kawa Kawa Coal Mine" to " The Bay of Islands Coal Company (Limited)." No. 18. The Wellington Waste Lands Regulation Amendment Act. A Provincial Act of the Province of Wellington ("The Highways Act, 1871 "), having authorized the Superintendent to pay rates to be made under the Act in respect of waste lands of the Crown within Highway Districts, it is conceived that purchasers of such Crown lands will derive benefits from the expenditure of the sums so paid, and the Superintendent is authorized to increase the price to be paid by purchasers of these lands. In the cases mentioned, other provisions are made for giving effect to the Act. No. 19. The Gisborne Land Act 1870 Amendment Act. " The Gisborne Land Act, 1870," had provided ' that a certain notice should be given within thirty days after the passing of the Act, and the time elapsed without the notice having been given. This Act enables the Governor to give the notice referred to at any time ; validates grants and contracts made under the first-mentioned Act, notwithstanding any non-compliance with its provisions. No. 20. The Otago Education Reserves Abandonment Act. Certain lands in the Province of Otago have been reserved from sale and set apart for the establishment and maintenance of a University in the City of Dunedin, and of public schools in different parts of the Province, and the general advancement of education. The Provincial Council having passed a resolution to the effect that the lands referred to in the Act were no longer required for the purposes for which they were reserved, this Act has been passed to release these lands and to give effect to the resolution of the Provincial Council. No. 21. The Taranaki Education Reserves Act. This Act empowers the Governor to grant to the Board of Education in the Province of Taranaki, one or more blocks of land not exceeding 10,000 acres taken under the provisions of " The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863," and " The New Zealand Settlements Act Amendment and Continuance Act, 1865." Provision is also made for the grant of other lands to the Board. The trusts upon which the lands are to be held are declared, and the application of the rents and profits is provided for. No. 22. The Wellington Education Reserves Act. By this Act the Governor is empowered to grant to the Board of Education, established under a Provincial Ordinance (called " The Wellington Education Act, 1871"), one or more block or blocks of waste lands of the Crown in the Province of Wellington, not exceeding in the whole 20,000 acres. Certain reserves granted to the Superintendent are vested in the Board. The trusts upon which the land is to be held, and the application of the rents, are respectively declared. No. 23. The Wellington City Reserves Act. This Act, after repealing a Provincial Ordinance which had provided for the management of certain reserves of land in and adjoining the Town of Wellington provides for the management thereof, certain parts of them to be conveyed to the Superintendent, who may convey to the Governors of the Botanic Garden ; and other portions of the lands dealt with are to be conveyed by the Superintendent to the Municipal Corporation of Wellington for purposes of public utility. No 24 The Wellington Reclaimed Land Act, passed to effect the conveyance ot certain lands in the City of Wellington, known as the Eeclaimed Land, and of the Wharf and Store, the property of the Superintendent of the Province, to the Municipal Corporation. Provision is made by the Act for raising the necessary purchase money, and for the payment of certain principal and interest now charged on the land by way of mortgage. _ No 25 The Masterton and Greytown Land Management Act. This Act repeals certain Ordinances passed by the Provincial Legislature of the Province of Wellington relating to certain lands therein mentioned, and provides for the management of lands in the Townships of Masterton and Greytown, in the said Province. No 26 The Oamaru Town Reserves Management Act. This Act partially repeals a former Act on the same subject, and transfers certain lands in the Township of Oamaru, in the Province of Otago, to the Superintendent of that Province, to be held by him and his successors in trust for purposes of public utility. „ ... No. 27. The Auckland Burial- Ground Act provides for the establishment and regulation ot public burial-grounds near the City of Auckland. _ _ No 28 The Auckland Military Reserves Act disposes of certain land m the City and Suburbs ot ' Auckland The land described in the First Schedule to the Act is declared to be subject to the several Acts regulating Public Domains. The land described in the Second Schedule is vested in the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland for the purposes in the Act mentioned ; and the land in the Third Schedule is vested in the Auckland Harbour Board. Certain powers are conferred upon the Governor and upon the Harbour Board. ■ ' No. 29. The Auckland Harbour Bocks Act enables the Auckland Harbour Board to construct