A.—l

10

till the 31st December, 1923, empowers the Court to amend awards or industrial agreements with respect to rates of wages, having regard to any increase or decrease, in the cost of living since the 30th September, 1920, and certain other considerations. 1921-22, No. 64.- The Waikato and King-country Counties Act, 1921-22.—This Act gives effect to the report of a Commission appointed under section 91 of the Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1920. 1921-22, No. 65.—The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Act, 1921 -22— This Act amends section 4 of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Act, 1920, by providing that where, upon the hearing of a petition under that section, the respondent opposes the making of a decree of dissolution of marriage, and the Court is satisfied that the separation was due to the wrongful act or conduct of the petitioner, the Court shall not make, upon such petition, a decree of dissolution of the marriage. 1921-22, No. 66.—The Road Boards Amendment Act, 1921-22. — This amendment of the Road Boards Act, 1908, makes it no longer necessary for special orders of Road Boards, other than special orders altering boundaries or constituting districts, to be gazetted. 1921-22, No. 67,—The t Expiring Laws Continuance Act, 1921-22. — This Act extends to the 31st December, 1922, the duration of the enactments mentioned in the schedule thereto, and to the 31st March, 1922, thaduration of the. Shops and Offices Amendment Act, 1921. Section 3 revives and continues in force until the 31st December, 1922, section 2 of the Acts Interpretation Amendment Act, 1920. Section 4 limits the duration of awards under section 4of the Sale of Liquor Restriction Act, 1917, such awards having been extended, without agreement of parties, by reason of the extension of the duration of that Act. 1921-22, No. 68.—The New Zealand Institute of Architects Amendment Act, 1921-22.- This Act extends the time during which students of architecture may be registered without examination. 1921-22, No. 69.—The Public Reserves and Domains Amendment Act, 1921-22.—The objects of this amendment of the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908, are to enable charges for admission to public reserves to be made on an increased number of days ; to authorize the making of charges for admission to public domains ; to enable the building of halls on public domains; to enable trustees of racecourse reserves to make by-laws to exclude persons from such reserves ; and to authorize the removal from public reserves generally of persons acting thereon in contravention of the provisions of any law prohibiting betting and gaming. 1921 22, No. 70.- The Thomdon Reclamation Act, 1921-22.—This Act validates a certain agreement entered into between the Minister of Railways, acting on behalf of His Majesty, and the Wellington Harbour Board in respect of the work of reclaiming certain portions of Wellington Harbour, and repeals the Thorndon Esplanade Act, 1891. 1921-22, No. 71.—The Electric-power Boards Amendment Act, 1921-22.—This Act contains a number of amendments of the. Electric-power Boards Act, 1918, none of which is of outstanding importance. 1921-22, No. 72.—The Finance Act, 1921-22.—This Act is divided into Parts as follows: Part I, Public Revenues ; Part 11, as to Loans for Public Works and other Purposes ; Part 111, Superannuation Funds ; Part IV, Local Authorities and Public Bodies ; Part V, General. Part I (Public Revenues) : This Part contains, inter alia, a number of miscellaneous amendments of the Public Revenues Act, 1910, and other Acts dealing with public moneys. Section 9 authorizes the Governor-General to prescribe fees in respect of the issue of letters of naturalization and certified copies thereof. Section 10 provides exemption from gift duty in certain cases of voluntary discharge of mortgage debts. Section 11 corrects a clerical error in the Second Schedule to the Death Duties Act, 1921. Section 12 provides for the payment into a special account, for the purpose of the construction and maintenance of main highways, Customs duties received on motor-tires, &c. Section 13 constitutes an Advances to other Governments Account. Section 18 amends section 13 of the Customs Amendment Act, 1921, relating to special duty on goods from countries having depreciated currencies. Part, II (as to Loans for Public Works and other Purposes) : Section 19 increases to £4,000,000 the authority to borrow money on the security of Treasury bills. By section 20 interest on the £5,000,000 raised for certain public works during the current financial year is made payable as from the Ist August, 1921. Section 23 extends the authority to borrow conferred by the enactments mentioned in the schedule to this Act. Section 24 empowers the Minister of Finance to redeem debentures before maturity. Section 25 makes provision for utilizing annual payments into the War-loans Sinking Fund for reduction of the war debt. Section 26 empowers the Minister of Finance to borrow moneys for the purpose of making advances to the Samoan Treasury under clause 34 of the Samoa Constitution Order, or section 33 of the Samoa Act, 1921. Part 111 (Superannuation Funds) : Section 28 provides for the payment in certain cases of superannuation allowances to public servants compulsorily rr'ti red through no fault of their own. This section is to be deemed to have come into operation on the Ist July, 1921, and will expire on the 31st December, 1922, but such expiry is not to affect the continuance of any retiringallowance granted under this section. Section 29 makes special provisions with respect to the period of service for superannuation purposes of certain officers appointed to tin; High Commissioner's Office. Sections 31 and 32 contain special provisions with respect to contributors to the Teachers' Superannuation Fund. Part IV (Local Authorities and Public Bodies) : Section 34 increases the rating-powers of Town Boards. Section 39 empowers local authorities to borrow moneys to dischatge existing liabilities for the acquisition of land. Section 40 directs the appointment of a Commission to inquire as to the loss of revenue suffered by local authorities from the operation of the Forests Act.