The Short Title of this Act is “The Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1891.”

The Governor may grant to the several persons mentioned in the Schedule A to this Act certificates in the form or to the effect of the certificate in Schedule B, entitling them respectively to the remission of money in the purchase of land, as provided in section eight of this Act, in any part of the colony, as shall not exceed the sums specified in the said Schedule A, and set opposite the names of the aforesaid persons respectively.

Every certificate of remission of money in purchase of land (herein referred to as “remission certificates”) which is issued under the authority of this section shall be barred unless exercised on or before the thirty-first day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four:

Provided that in the case of those persons whose names appear in Schedule A to this Act, and who have claimed under subsection two of section two of “The Naval and Military and Volunteers Land Act, 1889,” no certificate shall be issued until the claimants have proved to the satisfaction of the Defence Minister that they retired from Her Majesty’s Naval or Military Service for the special purpose of settling in New Zealand.

Notwithstanding anything contained in section three of “The Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1888,” every certificate of remission of money issued under that Act may be exercised within twelve months after the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one; and the said section shall be read as if the word “ninety-two” had been inserted therein in lieu of the word “ninety-one.”

The time for sending in claims for land under “The Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1889,” is hereby extended to the thirtieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, and that Act shall be read subject to the following amendment:—

In case of the death of any person found entitled to a remission certificate of money under this Act, or under any Act heretofore in force, the Governor may direct such certificate to be issued to such person or persons as he shall think most equitably entitled thereto, or in any manner he shall think best on behalf of any such person or persons.

Every certificate so issued shall be in full discharge to Her Majesty of all claims of the deceased person, and of all persons claiming through him for land or remission of money in the purchase of land in respect of any services referred to in any such Act, rendered by the deceased to Her Majesty.

Whereas many claims have heretofore been rejected by the several Commissioners respectively investigating the same, upon technical grounds, and also some claimants have felt themselves aggrieved by the rejection of their claims by one Commissioner when other claims of a similar nature have been allowed by another Commissioner, for the purpose of removing these grievances, and of finally settling all claims to land of naval and military settlers and Volunteers, it is hereby further enacted as follows:—

This section shall apply, subject as hereinafter mentioned, to—

Provided that every such claim shall be sent in to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the district wherein the claimant resides not later than the thirtieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two; and such Commissioner shall absolutely reject every claim sent in after that day.

Every Commissioner shall investigate and report upon every claim sent in to him by or on behalf of any of the aforesaid persons; and for the purpose of such inquiry every Commissioner shall have and may exercise all the powers and authorities conferred upon Commissioners by sections five to seven of “The Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1889.”

If any Commissioner as aforesaid shall be satisfied that any claim brought before him has been substantiated, he shall report accordingly to the Governor, stating in such report that the claimant has proved his claim to a certificate entitling him, according to his rank on retirement or discharge from service, as the case may be, to the remission of money in the purchase of land in any part of the colony.

But no Commissioner shall in any case, other than as mentioned in subsection four of section six, make any recommendation for a grant of land to any person in virtue of his services as a military or naval settler or Volunteer who has already received land in any part of the colony in virtue of services of a like nature.

All such reports shall be submitted by the Governor to Parliament at the earliest opportunity after the receipt thereof.

For the purposes of satisfying the claims approved under this Act or any Act heretofore in force, and any claims which may hereafter be approved, and at the same time to encourage settlement, the Governor shall set apart in each land district, where necessary, lands which shall be surveyed in sections of suitable size, to be grouped into allotments according to the area of claims, for selection by the various holders of remission certificates issued either under this Act or any other Act of a similar tenor at any time in force; and shall fix the price of such lands, which shall not exceed the price of cash ands under any Land Act for the time being in force for lands of the same class.

For the purpose of duly advertising this Act throughout the colony, the Defence Minister, as soon as may be after the passing thereof, shall cause printed placards to be affixed in conspicuous places in the various land offices, and at such post-offices and other public offices or places as he shall think fit, drawing the attention of all soldiers, seamen, and Volunteers who have heretofore had claims rejected, and of the widows and children of such men, to the provisions of section six; and shall in such notices indicate in a particular manner the latest date at which claims are to be sent in to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the district where the claimant resides for rehearing under the provisions of this Act.

The Governor in Council may, for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Act, and to insure uniform action by the several Commissioners in the determination of claims under section two of “The Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1889,” make such regulations as may seem necessary.