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Local and Personal Acts. No. 2. The Otago Harbour Board Loans Consolidation Act 1884 Amendment Act.—This Act authorises the Otago Harbour Board to apply a part of the moneys authorised to be borrowed under the principal Act, and which is not required to pay off previous loans, in or towards the general improvement of the Otago Harbour. No. 3. The Invercargill Public Offices Site Act 1875 Amendment Act.—This Act gives power to the Invercargill Athenseum to erect a building upon a certain block of land, which they were restricted from building upon by the principal Act. No. 4. The Lyttelton Harbour Loan Act.—This Act authorises the Lyttelton Harbour Board to borrow an additional sum of £60,000 for the purposes of dredging and deepening the harbour. No. 5. The Joseph Houston Land-grant Act.—This Act authorises the issue of a certificate of title to Joseph Houston, as the proprietor of an estate in fee-simple in certain portion of a block of land therein described, upon payment of the cost price thereof, and upon the surrender of his leasehold interests in certain other portions of the said block. No. 6. The Westport Harbour Board Loan Act.—This Act authorises the Westport Harbour Boards to borrow on the security of its endowments an additional £50,000 for the construction of harbour-works and for providing rolling-stock for the Westport-Mokihinui Eailway. No. 7. The Napier Municipal Corporation and Napier Harbour Board Exchange of Lands Empowering Act. —This Act authorises the Corporation and the Board to exchange the lands described in the schedules thereto, or any part of them. No. 8. The Invercargill Eacecourse Trustees Empowering Act.—This Act authorises the trustees of the Invercargill Eacecourse Eeserve to sell the same, and to purchase with the proceeds the lands described in the Second Schedule to the Act, to be held on the same trusts. No. 9. The Wellington Education Board Transfer of Eeserve Act.—This Act vests a portion of an education reserve in the Corporation of the Borough of Greytown, for the purpose of widening a street. No. 10. The Borough of Lyttelton Corporation Enabling Act.—This Act authorises the Corporation of the Borough of Lyttelton to take over and declare to be public streets certain roads which are less than the prescribed width. No. 11. The Kohukohu Foreshore Eeclamation Act.—This Act authorises the Corporation of the County of Hokianga to reclaim from the sea certain land in the Township of Kohukohu, for the purpose of widening a road. No. 12. The Wellington Boys' Institute Act.—This Act authorises the Corporation of the City of Wellington to lease certain land to the Boys' Institute at a nominal rental. No. 13. The Bluff Harbour Board Empowering Act.—This Act empowers the Bluff Harbour Board to sell certain land in the Town of Campbelltown, and to apply the proceeds in the purchase of other land, to be held in trust as an endowment. No. 14. The Wellington City Empowering Act.'—-This Act empowers the Corporation of the City of Wellington to raise special loans for the works and purposes specified therein. Private Act. No. 1. The Hawera Gasworks and Electric Lighting Act.—This Act provides for the establishment by the Hawera Gas Company (Limited) of gasworks in the Borough of Hawera, for the supply of gas to the said borough and its suburbs; gives power to break up streets, and do such other works as may be necessary in connection therewith; gives power to the Borough Council to purchase the gasworks and plant upon giving twelve months' notice; and also empowers the company to supply electricity. Synopsis of the Acts passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand in the First Session of the Thirteenth Parliament, held in the Year 1897. Public General Acts. No. 1. The Legislative Council Act Amendment Act.—This Act provides for the present Speaker of the said Council holding office until fourteen days after the commencement of the next session if his term of office expires when Parliament is not in session, and also provides for the appointment of an Acting Speaker if office of Speaker becomes vacant. No. 2. The Public Eevenues Acts Amendment Act.—This Act is to remain in force until the 14th day of October, 1897, and meantime amends the law relating to the public revenues so as to enable the public service of the colony to be carried on until the next ensuing session of Parliament, and also makes other temporary financial arrangements. Local Act. No. 1. The Wellington City Sanitation Loan Act.—This Act authorises the Council of the City of Wellington to raise by special loan a further sum or sums, not exceeding £33,000, in addition to the amount authorised by " The Wellington City Sanitation Loan Empowering Act, 1892," for drainage purposes.

No. 81. (No. 8.) Sic, — Government House, Wellington, 16th February, 1898. With reference to your despatch (New Zealand—General), dated 4th November, 1897, intimating that you approved of the regulations governing the

A.-2, 1898, No. 46.