A.—No. 1.

16

DESPATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OE NEW

No. 22. The Marriage Act Amendment Act, 186S, amends provisions of " The Marriage Act, 1854," relative to the conditions required for insertion of names of ministers of religion on the list of " Officiating Ministers " before whom marriages may be solemnized. No. 23. The Registration of Electors Act Amendment Act, 1868, provides for appointment by Judges of the Supreme Court of revising officers for electoral districts not wholly included in one and the same judicial district. No. 24. The Escheat Act, 1868, is a declaratory Act on the subject of the law and mode of procedure in cases of escheat and contains regulations as to constitution and summoning of juries to inquire into cases of escheat and forfeiture, the holding of the inquisition and finding thereon, the power to grant escheated lands, and the appropriation of casual revenue arising within the Colony paid to the Treasurer under the Act of 15 and 16 Viet. No. 25. The Distress and Replevin Act, 1868, regulates the mode of procedure in distress for rent and in actions of replevin. No. 26. The Gold Fields Act, ISGB, authorizes reserves to be made of Crown Lands within the limits of Gold Fields. No. 27. The Companies Act, IS6B, adopts provisions of the Imperial Act 30 and 31 Viet., c. 131; relative to reduction of capital and shares in joint stock companies. No. 28. The Conveyancing Charges Act, 1868, repeals a provision of the Conveyancing Ordinance of 1842, whereby certain conveyancing charges on purchases and mortgages were fixed at a percentage on the consideration money, enables Judges of the Supreme Court to regulate such charges, and provides for taxation of bills of costs in conveyancing business. No. 29. The Provincial Appropriations Validation Act, 1868, gives the sanction of law to certain appropriations made by Provincial Legislatures, in excess of their legal powers, for the payment of overdrafts incurred by the Provinces. No. 30. The Weights and Measures Act, 1868, consolidates and amends the law as to weights and measures, and embodies provisions of 5 Geo. IV., c. 74, and 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 6-3. No. 31. The Provincial Lau-suils Act, 1868, repeals the Amendment Act of 1867 on this subject, and makes other provision for satisfaction of judgments against Superintendents of Provinces under " The Provincial Lawsuits Act, 1558." No. 32. The Ngaitahu Reference Validation Act, IS6B, validates a certain order of reference and the proceedings thereunder, whereby an agreement for the cession of lands of the Ngaitahu tribe was referred to the Native Lands Coui-t for its decision thereupon under an order signed by a Minister of the Crown by command of His Excellency the Governor, instead of being given under the hand of the Governor as then required by law. No. 33. The New Zealand Post Office Act Amendment Act, 1868, is an Act to allow the passage free of postage of newspapers between newspaper proprietors within the Colony under certain regulations. No. 34. The Customs Regulation Act Amendment Act, 1868, contains provisions relative to abatement of duty on damaged goods, disposal of goods not cleared, weighing measurement and gauging of goods, allowance of drawback on goods exported, and collection of Customs revenue. No. 85. The Tauranr/a District Lands Act, 1868, amends an erroneous description of land of the Ngaiterangi Tribe, as given in an Order in Council, and in " The Tauranga District Lands Act 1867." No. 36. The Colonial Forces Courts-Martial Act, 186S, was passed to bring under the provisions of the Mutiny Act, and Articles of War, members of the Armed Constabulary of New Zealand, engaged in the suppression of rebellion, and to provide for the constitution of Courts-Martial to try offenders belonging to the Colonial Forces on service in the field. No. 37. The Gold Alining Claims Drainage Act, 1868, provides for establishment of districts, and constitution of boards to regulate drainage, and to levy rates for that purpose on Gold Fields. No. 38. The Ilawke's Bay Land Regulations Act Amendment Act, 1868, restricts the operations of the land regulations of the Province, in order to enable effect to be given to certain contracts for the sale of lands, entered into under the authority of a Provincial Act, and affecting the lands specified in the Act under consideration. No. 39. The Russell Military Grant Act, IS6B, was passed to settle a claim to a grant of land under certain regulations for grants to military and naval settlers. No. 40. The Ifaw/ce's Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act, 1868, provides for establishment of districts, and constitution of boards therefor, with powers to construct protective works against the overflow of rivers, and to regulate streams in the Provinces named, and for the purposes of the Act to take lands and levy rates. No. 41. The Marlborough Reserve Leasing Act, 1868, prohibits the leasing of a certain reserve before the end of the next Session of the Assembly. No. 42. The Immigration Act, 1868, enables Provincial Legislatures to appropriate a certain proportion of land revenue for a limited term for immigration purposes. No. 43. The Otago Education Reserves Abandonment Act, 1868, releases certain lands reserved for educational purposes in the Province of Otago on certain conditions. No. 44. The Otago Road Boards Endowment Act, 1868, provides for endowment from land revenue of Boards of Road Districts in the Province of Otago. No. 45. The Williamson Compensation Act, 186S, Compensates a settler for injuries sustained by him in consequence of the exercise of certain rights of constructing weirs and dams reserved to aboriginal Natives. No. 46. The Resident Magistrates Act, 1868, amends the Resident Magistrates Act of 1867, as to imprisonment for debt on judgments under £10, and as to power of the Magistrate to arrest and hold to bail debtors about to leave the Colony. No. 47. The Bankruptcy Act, 1868, amends the Act of 1867, provides for transfer of business from District to Supreme Court, appointment of trustee and vesting of the bankrupt's estate, discharge of bankrupt, and duties and remuneration of trustee.