• Preamble

  WHEREAS the Government of New Zealand undertook that in consideration of certain settlers performing military duties and services they should be entitled to claim certain land: And whereas divers of such settlers accepted military service upon such conditions, and became entitled to claim a grant to them of such land: And whereas, in fulfilment of such undertaking, in pursuance of the powers contained in The New Zealand Settlements Act 1863, [Repealed] and its amending Acts, a certain block of land situated at Ormond, in the Poverty Bay District, was set apart for the location of the said settlers, and the same land was duly awarded to the said settlers by the Agent of the said Government; and, upon such award being made, it was agreed that, upon consideration of each settler residing at Turanga for a period of two years, or providing a substitute to perform the same service, the said settler should be entitled to claim a Crown grant for the land so awarded to him; and, further, that if such settler, having duly performed all conditions, should, within such period of two years, sell and dispose of the land so awarded to him, that in such case the purchaser of such land should be entitled to claim a Crown grant for the land so purchased by him:

  And whereas it is expedient to appoint a Commissioner for the purpose of investigating the titles of the persons now claiming the said lands derivatively from the aforesaid settlers by purchase or otherwise, and ascertaining the rightful persons to whom Crown grants for the same should now be issued:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—