The Short Title of this Act is “The Appropriation Act, 1891.”

The Colonial Treasurer may issue out of the Consolidated Fund, and apply towards making good the supplies granted to Her Majesty for the services of the year ending on the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, the sum of one million one hundred and forty thousand four hundred and six pounds, together with the amount of the fees hereinafter mentioned.

All sums granted by this Act and the other Acts mentioned in Schedule A annexed hereto out of the Consolidated Fund, amounting, as appears by the said Schedule A, to two millions one hundred and eleven thousand three hundred and seventy pounds, together with the fees collected by such public officers as are authorised to retain the same in lieu of salary, are appropriated for the purposes and services expressed in the several votes in the Schedule B annexed hereto.

And whereas by the eleventh section of “The Public Trust Office Act, 1872,” it is enacted that the salary of the Public Trustee and of the other officers and servants in the Public Trust Office shall be such as shall be fixed by the General Assembly: Be it enacted that the said salaries, and contingencies, for the year ending the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, shall be for the amounts set forth in Schedule C annexed hereto, not exceeding in the whole the sum of nine thousand eight hundred and forty-seven pounds.

And whereas by the thirty-ninth section of “The Government Insurance and Annuities Act, 1874,” and the fourth section of “The Government Life Insurance Act, 1886,” re-enacting the same, it is provided that the salary of the Commissioner and other officers and other contingent expenses shall be paid out of moneys from time to time appropriated from the Government Insurance Account for the purpose by the General Assembly: Be it enacted, the said salaries and expenses for the period ending the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, shall be for the amounts set forth in the Schedule D annexed hereto, not exceeding in the whole the sum of fifty-four thousand two hundred and forty-four pounds.

Whenever it becomes necessary that money should be expended on account of the Government Insurance Department or of the Public Trust Office in excess of or without the appropriation of Parliament, the Government Insurance Commissioner or the Public Trustee, or either of them, may, with the sanction of the Colonial Treasurer, but not otherwise, pay such money in excess of or without the appropriation of Parliament; and such expenditure shall be charged to the Unauthorised Expenditure Account, and a statement thereof, certified by the Controller and Auditor-General, shall be laid before Parliament within ton days after the then next meeting thereof.

The Colonial Treasurer is hereby authorised to issue and pay out of the Consolidated Fund all moneys lawfully payable to any Natives under and by virtue of the agreements validated by “The Auckland Gold Fields Proclamations Validation Act, 1869,” or to any persons lawfully entitled to the lands from which the revenues accrue in virtue of any such agreement.

There shall be issued and paid by the Colonial Treasurer out of the Consolidated Fund to the Council or Board of each county, road district, town district, and borough, in respect of the general rates described in the Schedule to “The Local Bodies’ Finance and Powers Act, 1885” (in this section referred to as “the said Act”), levied for the year ending the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, and actually collected on or before the thirtieth day of June ensuing next after the said thirty-first day of March, one-fourth of the amounts to which they would be entitled under the plan of distribution described in the Schedule to the said Act:

Provided that seventy-five per centum, and no more, of the amount which it is estimated by the Property-tax Commissioner may become payable to any local body maybe advanced to such local body within the year ending the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two:

Provided also that on receipt by the Property-tax Commissioner of returns, duly verified by the declaration of the Chairman or Treasurer of a local body, showing the amount of the rates aforesaid actually collected to the thirtieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, the amount of subsidy found to be payable in respect of such rates, less the amount (if any) advanced as aforesaid, shall be paid to such local body; and any sum advanced in excess of the amount so found to be payable shall be repaid by the local body to the Public Account or be recovered by the Colonial Treasurer out of any moneys payable to such local body.

In case any doubt arises as to the several payments to be made under this section and the Schedule to the said Act, or as to payments to be made in respect of newly-formed districts wherein the Board has not had sufficient time to levy and collect rates, the Governor in Council may authoritatively decide the amounts of such payments.

And whereas the Colonial Treasurer has, under the authority of section forty-five of “The Public Revenues Act, 1878,” issued during the twelve months ended the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one, in excess of or without the appropriation of Parliament, the sum of ninety thousand eight hundred and sixty pounds fifteen shillings and twopence from the Consolidated Fund, and a further sum of eight hundred and sixty-four pounds two shillings and one penny from the Government Insurance Account, and a further sum of one thousand one hundred and twenty-three pounds eight shillings and sevenpence from the Public Trust Office Expenses Account, and has caused the said sums to be applied to the several purposes and services mentioned in the Schedule E hereto annexed: Be it enacted that the application and discharge of the said sums are hereby sanctioned.

Whereas certain moneys, amounting in the whole to the sum of one hundred and sixty-two pounds, have been issued and paid out of the Public Account, during the present financial year, to the Greymouth Harbour Board, by way of advances, to be repaid to the Consolidated Fund: Be it therefore enacted that the issue of the said moneys is hereby sanctioned, and the same shall be recovered out of the first moneys accruing or payable to such local governing body, and may be deducted or recovered by the Colonial Treasurer accordingly.

The moneys payable under this Act for roads or other public works may be paid over to such local governing bodies as the Minister for Public Works or other Minister may determine, upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed upon between the said Public Works or other Minister and any such local governing body; and the Colonial Treasurer shall make all such payments in accordance with any such agreement.

The Colonial Treasurer is hereby authorised to issue and pay out of the Consolidated Fund, by way of temporary advance, any sum or sums, not exceeding one thousand pounds in the whole, for the purpose of defraying any charges or expenses incurred by or on behalf of any local governing body.

The Colonial Treasurer may transfer the sum of thirty thousand pounds from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund, and may issue and apply the same to the purposes and services provided for by the vote for roads to open up lands before sale.

Notwithstanding anything contained in “The Counties Act, 1886,” every county shall be deemed to be a local body within the meaning of section nine of “The Public Revenues Act, 1886,” as amended by section three of “The Public Revenues Acts Amendment Act, 1890.”