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111. The Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act, 1911 (JN T o. 37), has been reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon, in accordance with the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 (Imperial). Dated at Wellington, this Bth day of November, 1911. John W. Salmond, Solicitor-General. Synopsis of Acts passed by the Genebal Assembly of New Zealand during the Session ENDING ON THE 29TH DaY OF OCTOBER, 1911 Public General Acts. No. 1. The Imprest Supply Act, 1911 : Applying the sum of £708,000 from the Public Account, and £13,400 from other specified accounts, to the service of the year ending the 31st March, 1912. No. 2. The Imprest Supply Act, 1911 (No. 2) : Applying the sum of £695,000 from the Public Account, and £13,400 from other specified accounts, to the service of the year ending the 31st March, 1912. No. 3. The Imprest Supply Act, 1911 (No. 3) : Applying the sum of £695,000 from the Public Account, and £146,220 from other specified accounts, to the service of the year ending the 31st March, 1912. No. 4. The Stone-quarries Amendment Act, 1911 : Amends the Stone-quarries Act, 1908. No. 5. The Friendly Societies Amendment Act, 1911 : Amends the Friendly Societies Act, 1909, as follows :— (1.) Section 2 prohibits the registration of a friendly society or branch after the Ist January, 1912, until an actuarial certificate has been given that the benefits promised are sufficiently secured by the rates of contribution provided for in the rules. (2.) Section 3 (relating to the investment of friendly society funds by way of mortgage of lands) permits of advances being made up to but not exceeding two-thirds of the value of the security offered. No. 6. The Mental Defectives Act, 1911 : This Act repeals the Lunatics Act, 1908 (which was merely a consolidation of prior enactments, dating back to the year 1882), and gives effect in large measure to the recommendations of the recent Imperial Royal Commission on the Care and Control of the Feeble-minded. The following matters are worthy of special reference : — (1.) The definition of " mentally defective person," in section 2, classifies those persons into six divisions, dependent upon the nature and severity of the complaint to which the patient is subject. These divisions are : Class I, persons of unsound mind; Class 11, persons mentally infirm; Class 111, idiots; Class IV, imbeciles; Class V, feeble-minded; Class VI, epileptics. This classification is that recommended by the Royal Commission above referred to. Persons coming within any of the above classes are not necessarily to be confined in institutions under the Act, but only in cases where their detention is required for their own welfare and in the public interest. (2.) Much more efficient provision is made in the machinery provisions of the Act for the committal of mentally defective persons to institutions, and special provisions are made for the ready admission of such persons in cases of sudden attack or other cases demanding speedy attention. (3.) Part II deals with " single patients " —that is to say, persons who are, on the authority of a Magistrate and after examination, permitted to remain in the custody and under the control of a private person. (4.) Part 111 relates exclusively to the special procedure to be adopted in the case of the committal to an institution of minors. Such persons may be received on the application of a parent or guardian, supported by medical certificates to the effect that detention is necessary, and may be discharged on a similar application unless further detention is deemed necessary. (5.) Part V relates to "voluntary boarders," and is an important departure from the earlier law. It permits of the detention of a person in an institution on his personal application to be placed under control and treatment. Such a patient may be again discharged on his own application in that behalf, the only restriction being that he may be detained for seven days after the receipt of such an application. This provision is extremely valuable in cases where a person is aware of an impending attack of insanity and wishes to effectively place himself beyond the risk of inflicting harm on himself or others. (6.) The remaining provisions of the Act deal principally with the effective administration of public and licensed institutions for mentally defective persons, and for the treatment and control of the persons detained therein. No. 7. The Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Act, 1911 : Amends the Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Act, 1903. That Act provided that the cost of the new Hutt Road should be apportioned between the various local authorities to receive benefits from it. Since the passing of the original Act several new local authorities have been constituted within the district affected, and this Act provides for a proportion of the cost being paid by them. No. 8. The Administration Amendment Act, 1911 : Amends the Administration Act, 1908, as follows : — . (1.) Section 2 exempts the English Public Trustee from liability to give security on the resealing in New Zealand of letters of administration.