A.—1

22

Sections 14 and 15 protect the interests of the Public Trustee as mortgagee in certain classes of mortgages of leasehold interests in Crown lands. The remaining sections make various amendments in the principal Act, and extend the powers of the Public Trustee in the administration of trust estates. 1913, No. 20. The Rangitaiki Laud Drainage Amendment Act, 1913 : This Act authorizes the Minister of Finance to raise, on the security of the public revenues of New Zealand, a sum, not exceeding £50,000, for the purpose of carrying out drainage operations in certain land in the Whakatane County (Auckland). Similar provisions were formerly contained in the New Zealand State-guaranteed Advances Act, 1909, and those provisions are repealed by the present Act. 1913, No. 21. The Local Authorities Indemnity Act, 1913: This Act validates expenditure by certain local authorities in connection with— (a) The visit to New Zealand of H.M.S. " New Zealand "; and (6) the industrial exhibition to be held at Auckland in the years 1913-14. 1913, No. 22. The Science and Art Act, 1913 : This Act provides for the establishment of a Dominion Museum, Dominion Art Gallery, and a Dominion Scientific, Art, and Historical Library; and for the constitution of a Board of Science and Art to be charged with the management and direction of the said institution. 1913, No. 23. The Beer Duty Amendment Act, 1913: This Act makes various amendments of the administrative provisions of the Beer Duty Act, 1908. 1913, No. 24. The Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913 : This Act makes several important amendments of and additions to the law relating to the administration of Crown lands in New Zealand. Part 1 deals principally with amendments of a general nature in the existing law. Sections 28 to 31 relate to the acquisition of the fee-simple by the lessees of certain Crown lands. The fee-simple so acquired does not confer on the owner any right to any metals, minerals, precious stones, coal, or oil that may be on or under the said land. Section 39 extends from ten to twenty years the time during which lessees of certain Crown and settlement lands may pay off the unpaid purchase-money in respect of the purchase, pursuant to the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912, of the lands comprised in their leases. Part II relates to the constitution of special districts for roading purposes. The Minister of Lands is empowered to constitute such special districts, comprising Crown lands held under lease or license, and on the constitution of any such district the moneys derived from the sale, letting, or other disposal of any of the lands comprised therein (for a period not exceeding fifteen years) are to be utilized (under the supervision and direction of a committee appointed by the settlers within the district) for the purpose of affording access to lands situated within the district. Part 111 relates exclusively to Crown lands held under pastoral licenses; inter alia, it provides for a right of renewal of pastoral runs, at a rent to be fixed by arbitration, in cases where the whole of the run is to be again let for pastoral purposes; and where a run is to be subdivided, the original licensee is given the right to. acquire one subdivision thereof without competition. Part IV confers on the owners of leases in perpetuity of settlement land the right to acquire the fee-simple of the lands comprised in their leases respectively at any time within five years after the date of the passing of the Act. The provisions as to the computation of price and the payment of the purchase-money are similar to the corresponding provisions in the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912 (relating to the purchase of the fee-simple by lessees in perpetuity of Crown land, and by lessees under renewable leases of settlement land). Part V repeals and re-enacts the provisions of Part VI of the New Zealand Stateguaranteed Advances Act, 1909 (relating to the raising of money for the purpose of providing funds for opening up lands for settlement). Part VI relates to the acquisition of private lands required for purposes of closer settlement. On the service on the owner of a notice that the said land is so required, he is required either — (a.) To himself subdivide and offer the land for sale in suitable allotments; or (b.) To agree with the Minister for the subdivision and disposal of the land pursuant to the provisions of Part 111 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912. In the event of the failure of the owner either to subdivide or to agree to the subdivision and disposal of the land affected as aforesaid, the land may be taken compulsorily under the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act, 1908. Part VII relates to the aggregation of land in the hands of private owners, and provides that when such aggregation is deemed to be contrary to the public interest, the Governor may by Proclamation take the land so acquired as for the purposes of a public work, compensation being assessed in manner provided by the Public Works Act. All land acquired by the Governor under these provisions is to be disposed of under the Land for Settlements Act. 1913, No. 25. The Public Revenues Amendment Act, 1913: Tin's Act makes various amendments of an administrative nature in the principal Act. Section 28 applies to Borough Councils the provisions of the principal Act relating to the audit of the accounts of local authorities.