The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Public Domains Act, 1860.”

In the Interpretation of this Act, the words “lands” shall mean lands, tenements, and hereditaments, of any tenure or nature.

The Lands specified in the Schedule to this Act, and lands which may hereafter with lawful authority be set apart by Her Majesty or by the Governor in the name of Her Majesty, for the purposes of this Act, are hereby declared to be Crown Lands subject to the provisions of this Act, and to be managed, administered, and dealt with by the (governor in manner herein-after set forth.

All land derelict on the borders of or within the boundaries of the said lands or any of them shall from time to time be and shall remain Crown Lands subject to the provisions of this Act, as fully and effectually as if the same had been mentioned in the Schedule to this Act.

The Governor may manage and administer all such lands, and may exercise all or any of the powers following:—

Lay out, enclose, and plant the same or any of them, and build any lodge, museum or other ornamental building therein, and in such manner as he may think fit:

By Order in Council from time to time make and enforce any such bye-laws, orders, and regulations, for the management, preservation, disposition, and care of the said lands or any of them, and the government of all persons using or frequenting the same, and the depasturing of cattle therein, as shall be in accordance with the conditions of the grant (if any) and the provisions of this Act, and impose a penalty not exceeding Five Pounds for each breach of every such bye-law, order, or regulation:

From time to time set apart and dedicate any part of the said lands for any specific purpose of public amusement or recreation, and annul any such setting apart and dedication:

Treat and agree for the purchase or for the lease of any tenements and hereditaments which he may deem necessary for the purposes of this Act, or for the improvement of the said lands, and enter into any contract which he may think fit; and all tenements and hereditaments so agreed to be purchased shall be conveyed to Her Majesty, to be subject to the provisions of this Act:

When and as he shall think fit, in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty, by deed, demise, and lease any of the said lands for such consideration in money or otherwise to such persons for such period not exceeding twenty-one years, subject to such rents or conditions, and in such manner and form as he shall from time to time think fit:

Accept any surrender of any lease granted:

Appropriate any part of the said lands for squares, gardens, or, open places, and leave any part thereof for yards or courts to be attached to any houses agreed to be leased as he may think fit:

Cause such parts of the said lands to be laid out for carriage ways and such parts thereof for footways as he may think proper:

From time to time make, step up, divert, widen, or alter any bridges, ways, or water-courses in, upon, through, across, or over any part of the said lands:

In the name and on behalf of Her Majesty, execute all deeds and assurances that may be necessary for effectually executing the powers by this Act Conferred upon him or any of them, and such deeds and assurances shall be valid and effectual against Her Majesty and all persons claiming under her:

Do any other thing which may be requisite for the proper and beneficial management and administration of the said Lands, or any part thereof:

All sums of money which shall be received under or by virtue of this Act or by vote of the General Assembly or of any Provincial Government or in any other manner howsoever, in respect of the lands from time to time subject to the provisions of this Act, may be applied after the payment or costs and expenses of the transaction from whence any money may have arisen, in managing, administering, and improving the lands in respect of which the money may have been received, and generally towards carrying into execution the purposes and objects of this Act.

In the month of January in every year there shall be rendered and given an account to the Auditor of public accounts, of the amount of all monies which shall have been received during the year ending on the 31st of December preceding, under or by virtue of the authority of this Act, or by vote of the General Assembly or of any Provincial Council or otherwise howsoever, and of the application of all such monies for the purposes of this Act with the vouchers thereof respectively.

The Auditor of public accounts shall examine every such account, in like manner as the receipt and expenditure of public money are examined under “The Audit Act, 1858,” and the same, when so examined, shall be published in the Government Gazette.

Whoever shall do or attempt to do any of the following things upon or within the boundaries of the said lands or any of them, without the license of the Governor, shall be liable to a penalty over and above the damage done not exceeding twenty pounds:—

All penalties, and forfeitures under this Act may be recovered in a summary way, and shall be applied as other monies under this Act are directed to be applied.

The Governor, by Order in Council, may from time to time delegate all or any of the powers hereby conferred to any person for any period and subject to such stipulations as may be specified in such Order; and every such delegation may from time to time in like manner be altered or revoked: Provided that such alteration or revocation shall not destroy or affect the validity of instruments executed or acts done during the subsistence of such delegation.