It shall be lawful for the Superintendent of any Province, with the advice and consent of the Provincial Council thereof, by any Law or Ordinance to be made or ordained for that purpose, to authorise and empower the Superintendent to divert, or stop up any Public Street, Road, Highway, or Thoroughfare in any such Province, and also to divert or stop up any River, Stream, or Creek in such Province, and to build Bridges, Dams, Wharves, and other erections on the Banks or in the Beds of any such River, Stream, or Creek, and also to sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, the Land over which any such Public Street, Road, Highway, or Thoroughfare, was laid out or passed, or the bed of any River, Stream, or Creek, so diverted or stopped up.

All provisions of any Acts or Ordinances passed by any Superintendent and Provincial Council for any of the said purposes, and not disallowed by the Governor, which would have been legal and valid if this Act had been in force at the time of the passing of such Acts or Ordinances, shall be and be deemed to have been valid, as from the time of the passing thereof, and all acts done under the authority of any such provision shall be effectual accordingly.

It shall be lawful for the Governor, in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty, to make and execute Crown Grants, in the usual form, of any Land which shall be sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of in pursuance of any Law or Ordinance so to be made or ordained as aforesaid.

The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Highways and Watercourses Diversion Act, 1858.”