A^—l

14

No. 36. The Tairua Land Act provides for the surrender of timber leases of Crown land in the Thames County for the purposes of settlement. No. 37. The Cheviot Estate Payment Act authorises the Colonial Treasurer to borrow from the Post Office Account, or other public funds, or from any bank or person, a sum not exceeding £250,000, in payment of the Cheviot Estate, lately purchased for the Crown. No. 38. The Native Land (Validation of Titles) Act, repealing the Act of 1892, which is found non-effective, constitutes a special Court for inquiry into incomplete transactions in Native lands, with full powers to make orders and decrees as it thinks fit, subject to an appeal in law only. No. 39. The Native Land Court Certificates Confirmation Act confirms certificates issued under the Act of 1892, which required that such certificates should be validated by Act. No. 40. The Maori Real Estate Management Act 1888 Amendment Act amends the principal Act in various details. No. 41. The Native Land Purchase and Acquisition Act provides further means of acquiring land from the Natives, with the consent of the majority of the owners thereof, for purposes of settlement, and secures to all dissentients full protection of or value for their interests. No. 42. The Land Act Amendment Act amends the principal Act in certain details, and corrects misquotations therein. No. 43. The Eating Acts Amendment Act amends the rating Acts generally, provides for all local authorities making their own assessments, and makes all Native lands in the colony rateable; but, if in the occupation of Natives exclusively, to only one-half rates. No. 44. The Government Life Insurance Acts Amendment Act makes provision as to division of profits if Parliament not in session. No. 45. The Public Trust Office Acts Amendment Act grants further powers to the Public Trustee in respect of the administration of his office. No. 46. The Land-drainage Act provides for the constitution of districts and boards with the necessary powers for the drainage of agricultural and pastoral lands and for irrigation, and defines the rights of private owners in respect of drainage of their lands, and for the prevention of flooding. The Act contains all the necessary provisions for giving effect to it. No. 47. The Public Works Acts Amendment Act amends the principal Act in relation to railways constructed upon or across roads upon the same level. No. 48. The Colliery Railways Vesting Act authorises the vesting of certain railways heretofore worked by the Railway Commissioners in the company owning the same respectively. No. 49. The Mining Act Amendment Act (No. 2) further amends the principal Act, and authorises advances out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the development of the mining industry. No. 50. The Coal-mines Act Amendment Act provides that shale be deemed to be coal within the meaning of the principal Act. No. 51. The Stock Act consolidates and amends the law regulating the importation, removal, and branding of animals classed as stock, and provides against the introduction and spread of diseases affecting stock. No. 52. The Workmen's Wages Act repeals the Act of 1884 on the same subject, substituting new provisions in consolidation and amendment of the law relating to workmen's wages, and to make better provision for securing the payment thereof. No. 53. The Companies Acts Amendment Act authorises joint-stock companies to increase their capital by the issue of preferential shares; also to reinstate out of their profits any part of their capital which has been lost, and more accurately defines the powers and status of liquidators of British companies in winding up also what are to be deemed preferential claims. No. 54. The Electoral Law Amendment Act amends the electoral law passed in the present session in various matters, and repeals the Representation Act Amendment Act of the present session, as being no longer necessary. No. 55. The Magistrates' Courts Act consolidates and amends the law relating to the jurisdiction of Magistrates and Justices of the Peace in civil matters; abolishes the name of Resident Magistrates, substituting Magistrates or Stipendiary Magistrates ; classifies and extends their respective jurisdictions, maintaining the jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace, as before existing; and abolishes the special jurisdiction as to Natives. No. 56. The Criminal Code Act codifies the criminal law of the colony on the model of the Bill submitted to the Imperial House of Commons in 1879, as amended by a subsequent Bill of 1880. It abolishes the distinction between felony and misdemeanour; also does away with the punishment of penal servitude as not being applicable to the circumstances of the colony. A Court of Criminal Appeal is also established, and power conferred to the Governor in Council to order a new trial, if he shall think fit, in any case where the royal prerogative is invoked for the remission or commutation of a sentence. No. 57. The Land-tax and Income-tax Act fixes the amount of the land-tax and of the in-come-tax to be levied, and the mode of collecting the same, in respect of the financial year commencing on the Ist April, 1893. No. 58. The Public Works Appropriation Act appropriates out of the unexpended balance of loan and from other sources a total sum of £710,460 for the construction of public works for the year ending the 31st March, 1894. No. 59. The Appropriation Act—the annual Appropriation Act. Amounts appropriated total £2,213,973. The Local and Personal Acts. No. 1. The Wellington City Empowering Act authorises a transfer of land to the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company in satisfaction of a judgment for ancient lights, and a further exchange of other lands with the said company.