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No. 15. The Water-supply Act Amendment Act. —This Act declares that every Water-supply Board shall be deemed to be a local authority for the purposes of certain Acts relating to loans to local bodies and public works, and also amends the principal Act and the amending Acts of 1892 and 1895 in various particulars. No. 16. The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act Amendment Act.—This Act authorises the raising of an additional £250,000 to be applied to the works and purposes specified in the Schedule to the Act, applies the provisions of the principal Act thereto, and repeals the provision in the principal Act limiting the currency of the debentures to twenty-five years. No. 17. The Government Emergency Loans to Local Bodies Act. —This Act empowers the Colonial Treasurer, in cases of fire, flood, or other casualty or special emergency, to lend to a local authority such sum beyond the maximum amount he is empowered to lend under the principal Act as the Governor in Council may authorise, and declares that the proposal to raise such a loan shall be carried if a majority of all the votes recorded are in favour thereof. Power is also given to aid certain boroughs to rebuild bridges destroyed by fire or flood. This Act expires on the 31st March, 1899. No. 18. The Mining Companies Acts Amendment Act. —This Act makes extended provision as to the registration of transfers of shares of foreign mining companies registered in or incorporated elsewhere than in New Zealand by requiring them to keep a colonial register, appoint an attorney, and comply with certain other particulars. Amended provision is also made as to the sale of forfeited shares in other than no-liability companies, and as to the forfeiture and sale of shares in no-liability companies. Provision is made for the issue of scrip certificates to every shareholder, and the principal Act is amended in various minor particulars. No. 19. The Land and Income Assessment Acts Amendment Act.—This Act repeals the provision iij the Amendment Act of 1895 which required every agent who did not permanently reside in the colony to obtain a license from the Commissioner of Taxes to carry on business therein, and also provided a fee therefor. No. 20. The Harbours Act Amendment Act.—This Act empowers the Wellington Harbour Board to contribute the sum of £800 out of its general funds towards the expense of improving the Somes Island Light, in Wellington Harbour. No. 21. The Land for Settlements Act Amendment Act.—This Act extends the principal Act until the 31st March, 1900; gives power after the 31st March, 1898, to borrow the sum of £500,000 in any one financial year for the purposes of the principal Act; makes fuller provision with respect to proceedings for the compulsory taking of land; and amends the principal Act in various other particulars. No. 22. The Cheviot Estate Disposition Act Amendment Act.—This Act vests the slip, boats, and other appliances used in connection with the landing - service at Port Eobinson in the Corporation of the Cheviot County, subject to the conditions specified in the Act, and also authorises the payment to the Council of certain moneys collected under the principal Act for the construction of roads and other public works. No. 23. The Cyanide Process Gold-extraction Act.—This Act authorises the purchase on behalf of Her Majesty of the patent rights in New Zealand of certain inventions for the extraction of gold and silver from ores and other compounds (commonly known as the " MacArthur-Forrest process "), keeps such patent rights alive, and authorises the issue of licenses to use such patent rights upon payment of a royalty, such royalty to cease as soon as all moneys expended under the Act are recouped. No. 24. The Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Act 1865 Amendment Act. —This Act authorises the Supreme Court to grant power to trustees of settled estates to insert in building leases thereof provisions for valuation and renewal. No. 25. The Native Land Laws Amendment Act. —This Act authorises Natives to convey their land to the Surveyor-General, or other authorised trustee, upon trust, for the purpose of selling, leasing, managing, or improving the same, the trustee to have power, on the request of the Native owners, to borrow money thereon, in order to discharge encumbrance or improve the same. Power is also given to any lending department of the Government to lend money to any Native upon the security of his land, and irrespective of the restrictions contained in " The Native Land Court Act, 1894." No. 26. The Government Railways Department Classification Act Amendment Act.—This Act amends the classification of members of the department provided for in the schedule to the principal Act in various particulars, and also preserves the rights of officers transferred to the department from the Civil Service. No. 27. The Victoria College Act. —This Act provides for the establishment and maintenance of a college in or near the City of Wellington, institutes Queen's scholarships to be provided for out of its funds, and makes an annual appropriation for providing a fund for the maintenance of the college. No. 28. The Kapiti Island Public Eeserve Act.—This Act restricts all dealings in the Island of Kapiti other than on behalf of the Crown pending the acquisition thereof by Her Majesty as a public reserve, and requires all deeds or instruments of title to any part of the said island to be registered within three months. No. 29. The Westport-Ngakawau Eailway Extension Act Amendment Act.—This Act authorises the Governor, at the request of the Westport Harbour Board, to grant relief to certain holders of coal-mining leases in respect of the liability imposed on them under the principal Act. No. 30. The Appropriation Act. —This Act appropriates to the services of the year ending the 31st March, 1898, the following sums of money : Out of the Consolidated Fund, for the services and purposes specified in the First Schedule, the sum of £2,538,280; out of the Public Works Fund, for the works and services specified in the Second Schedule, the sum of £992,777 and out of the respective accounts specified in the Third Schedule the sum of £167,677.