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Report on Legislation passed dy the General Assembly oe New Zealand during the Session ended on the Bth day op august, 1916. Eon the information of His Excellency the Governor, I beg to report as follows : — I. The synopsis attached hereto relates to the Acts passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand during the session which ended on the Bth day of August, 1916. 11. In my opinion none of the said Acts is repugnant to the law of England. Dated at Wellington, this 14th day of August, 1916. A. L. Herdman, Attorney-General. Synopsis op Aots passed by the General Assembly oe New Zealand during the Session ended on the Bth Day of August, 1916. Public Acts. 1916, No. 1. The War Pensions Amendment Act, 1916.—This Act extends in various respects the provisions of the War Pensions Act, 1915. Section 3 extends the provisions of the Act to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces and to their dependants, notwithstanding that such members may not have actually left New Zealand with the Expeditionary Forces. Similar provision was made by section 2 of the Defence Amendment Act, 1915, and that section is repealed by the present Act. Section 4 modifies the provisions as to the conduct of business by the War Pensions Board. Section 7 provides for the grant of a pension to the father or mother of a deceased or disabled member of the Forces, if in any case the father or mother has not adequate means of support, and notwithstanding that-he or she may not be " dependent " within the meaning of the principal Act. Section 8 extends the provisions of the principal Act as to the payment of pensions to persons resident out of New Zealand. Section 9 re-enacts, with amendments, the provisions of section Id of the principal Act. It provides that for the purpose of computing the amount of pension payable to a member of the Forces, or to the wife or child of any such member, no account shall he taken of the property or income of the applicant from an}' other source. Section 1 1 increases from ss. to 7s. 83, per week the maximum pension that may be paid to children of a deceased or disabled member of the Forces. Section 12 enables the Governor by Order in Council to extend the provisions of the principal Act — (a.) To the officers and men (not being members of the New Zealand Naval Forces) who may be serving on board any ship, vessel, or boat that has been acquired by the New Zealand Government under the Naval Defence Act, 1913, and that during the continuance of the war is under the control of the Imperial Government; (/>.) To the officers and men engaged or employed on any vessel used for the transport of New Zealand troops; and (c.) To the dependants of the officers and men above referred to. Section 13 provides for the grant of a, pension under the principal Act in certain cases to persons who, though not dependants within the meaning of that Act, prove to the satisfaction of the Board (1) that they have suffered material loss of income or property by reason of the death or disablement of a member of the Forces; and (2) that they have not adequate means of support. Section 14 limits the right of any person who may be in receipt of an Imperial war pension to receive a war pension under the principal Act. The section provides for the receipt of one pension only, whichever may be the greater. Section 15 empowers the War Pensions Board to refuse to grant a pension to any applicant if in the opinion of the Board such applicant is of notoriously bad character or has been guilty of gross misconduct dishonouring him in the public estimation. Auv person who may be aggrieved by the refusal of the Board to grant a pension on any of the above grounds may appeal from the decision of the Board to a Stipendiary Magistrate. . The other amendments of the principal Act are of minor importance. 191.6, No. 2. The Imprest Supply Act, 1916.—This Act applies the sum of £935,800 out of the Public Account, and the sum of £16,000 out of other specified accounts, for the service of the financial year ending 31st March, 1917. 1916, No. •'!. The Expiring Laws Continuance Act, 1916.—This Act continues in force the 31st day of August, 1917, the several Acts specified in the First Schedule thereto. The Acts so specified relate to matters having reference to the present war. If found to be necessary the Acts will probably be further extended during the next session of Parliament. 1916, No. i. The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act, 1916. — Section 3 of this Act extends the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement, Act, 1915, to persons who, being domiciled in New Zealand, have served during the present war with some portion of His Majesty's naval or military Forces other than the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. Section 4 empowers the Government to render financial assistance to discharged soldiers who are the lessees or licensees under ordinary tenures of Crown or settlement land, or of other land administered by a Crown Land Board.