In this Act, if not inconsistent with the context,—

A notice required by this Act to be sent to any person may be sent to the last known place of abode or business of such person by messenger or by post.

If such person is absent from the colony, the notice may be sent to his agent.

If such person is not known, or has no known agent in the colony, the notice shall be publicly notified.

A notice required to be sent to the Minister must be sent to the Public Works Office at Wellington, or to the office of such person, either at Wellington or elsewhere in the colony, as the Minister authorises by public notice to receive notices on his behalf.

A notice required to be sent to a local authority must be sent to the office of such authority.

Where a notice is sent by post it must be sent so as to arrive in the due course of post on or before the last day on which such notice is required to be served.

The Governor in Council may from time to time make regulations for the conduct of all persons employed by the Government under this Act, or in or about any works which may be constructed by the Government under the authority thereof.

A copy of all regulations made under the authority of this Act shall be laid before Parliament within ten days after the issue thereof if Parliament be sitting, but, if not, then within ten days after the commencement of the next sitting thereof.

The Governor shall appoint some member of the Executive Council to be the Minister for Public Works, who shall be charged with the administration of this Act, and with the execution of all Government works, except as provided in Part VI. hereof.

The Minister for Public Works holding office at the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to be appointed under this Act.

Where the Minister is authorised to enter into any contract or agreement, or make any lease, under this or any other Act, all the rights and liabilities in respect thereof, and all benefit and advantage thereunder, or interest therein, shall vest in his successor or successors in office, without the necessity of any transfer or assignment whatsoever.

The Governor may from time to time create such offices, and appoint such engineers, managers, clerks, and other officers and persons, as may be necessary for the administration of this Act, and for the execution of all Government works; and may from time to time assign such functions as he shall think fit to such persons respectively, all of whom shall hold office at the Governor’s pleasure, and shall receive such salaries as the General Assembly determines.

The Minister shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the opening of each session, lay before Parliament full and detailed estimates of the expenditure proposed to be made upon all Government works during the financial year; and no such works shall be under-taken unless Parliament appropriates money for the execution thereof.

When moneys are proposed to be voted in any session for the construction of railways, the Minister shall insert in the Public Works Appropriation Bill of such session a schedule in the form of the First Schedule hereto.

The Minister shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the opening of each session, lay before Parliament a full report of the works carried out by the Government under the authority of this Act during the preceding financial year; also a full and correct statement of the expenditure during such year on all the works and services chargeable to the Public Works Fund.

A copy of such statement of accounts shall be sent to the Controller and Auditor-General, who shall certify to the correctness of the same; and his certificate, together with any remarks by him appended thereto, shall be laid before Parliament by the Minister.

Every contract for the execution of Government works shall be entered into in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, and may be executed by the Governor on her behalf.

Every contract for the execution of local works shall be made in such manner as the local authority making the same is authorised by law to make and execute its contracts.

All such contracts may be varied and discharged in the same manner respectively.

The provisions of sections seventeen and eighteen do not, except as hereinafter specially provided, apply to the taking of lands for railway or defence purposes, or to the taking of Native land for any public work.

All the other provisions of this Part of this Act apply to the taking of any lands and to all lands taken for any public work whatever, except as hereinafter specially provided.

Whenever the Governor, or Her Majesty, or the Government of the Colony, or any Minister of the Crown, or any local authority, is authorised by this or any other Act or ordinance to undertake or construct or provide any public work, the Minister, in the case of a Government work, and the local authority, in the case of a local work, is hereby empowered to take land for the purposes of such work under the provisions of this Act.

Whenever power is given to take land for any public work under the provisions of this Act, such power, except where otherwise specially provided,—

Includes the power to set apart or procure the setting-apart of Crown land for such purpose, and also the power to take or set apart any part of any public reserve or public domain, or of any land vested in any local authority for any purpose whatsoever, or of any land vested in trustees for any public purpose whatever, whether local or general; but

Does not include the power to take any part of any road or street.

The Minister may from time to time impound, divert, and take away any water from any stream or running water, or may purchase or acquire any right or interest therein, for the purpose of supplying water for the use of any railway or other public work and the engines or machinery used thereon or connected therewith, or for the purposes of any wharf, building, or premises connected with such railway or other public work, whether such railway or other public work is situated on land entitled to the use of such water or not, and also may in like manner take, purchase, or acquire any land which shall be necessary for the purposes of this enactment.

Any water so impounded, diverted, or taken away, and any land taken, purchased, or acquired as aforesaid, and any right or interest therein respectively, and all pipes, machinery, appliances, and works used in connection with or for the purposes of such water-supply, is and are hereinafter included in the expression “waterworks”; and all waterworks already constructed or acquired, or that may hereafter be constructed or acquired, for all or any such purposes as aforesaid, shall be deemed to have been and to be constructed or acquired under the provisions of this Act, and to form a part of the railway or other public work for the use of which they have been constructed or acquired.

The Minister, and all officers, workmen, and others by his direction, may enter on any land in the day-time, with or without carts or other vehicles, for the purpose of laying or erecting water-works in or on such land, and also may from time to time in like manner enter thereon for the purpose of examining or repairing such waterworks when necessary. At least twelve hours’ previous notice in writing shall be given by or on behalf of the Minister to the owner or occupier of such land, if resident thereon, before any entry for the purpose of laying or erecting waterworks, and, if such owner or occupier is not so resident, then by posting such notice in a conspicuous place on such land; but no notice shall be necessary in cases where the entry is made for the purpose of examination or to execute repairs.

In exercise of the powers conferred by the last-preceding subsection, the Minister, his officers, workmen, or others, shall do as little damage as possible, and any damage or loss done or occasioned by the exercise of such powers shall from time to time be ascertained and settled in the manner provided by any agreement made by the Minister under the authority of this Act, or, if no such agreement be made, then in the manner provided by Part III. thereof.

Except for the purpose of a railway or for defence purposes, or for the purposes of any other work to be made under the authority of a special Act, nothing in this Act contained shall authorise—

The taking of any stone or other material from any quarry, brickfield, or like place commonly used for the taking material therefrom for sale, without the consent in writing of the owner first obtained; or

The taking of any land occupied by any building, yard, garden, orchard, or vineyard, or in bond fide occupation as an ornamental park or pleasure-ground, without the previous consent of the Governor in Council or the consent in writing of the owner first obtained.

When any land is or has been taken at any time by the Governor or by any local authority under the authority of any Act or Provincial Ordinance for the construction of any public works, the Governor or such local authority shall not thereby be deemed to have acquired or to acquire any right to any mines of coal or other minerals whatsoever under any land so taken, except only such parts thereof as shall be necessary for the proper and effectual construction, support, and maintenance of such works.

And all such mines and minerals (excepting as aforesaid) shall be deemed to be and to have been excepted out of the Proclamation or other instrument under the authority whereof the land is, or has been, or may be, taken.

In case any of the land so taken as last aforesaid shall be leasehold land of the Crown, held under lease granted under the provisions of “The Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877,” or any other Act relating to the granting of leases of land or licenses to hold land for mining purposes, then and in such case the lessee or licensee or lessees or licensees of such land shall not be entitled to claim compensation in respect of any land so taken, but shall only be entitled to claim compensation for actual loss sustained through damage to his or their mine, or the works connected therewith, by reason of the taking of such land.

Subject to the provisions of section ten, whenever lands (other than Crown lands) are required to be taken for any public work, the Minister in the case of Government works, and the local authority in the case of local works,—

Shall cause a survey to be made and a plan to be prepared, showing the lands required to be taken for the same (if any), together with the names of the owners and occupiers of such lands, so far as they can be ascertained; and

Shall cause a copy of such plan to be deposited in some place in the road district in which such lands are, or, if such lands are not within a road district, in such other convenient place as the Minister or local authority respectively may direct:

Such plan shall be open to inspection by all persons at all reasonable hours. Any person having custody thereof, and refusing or obstructing such inspection, shall, for every such offence, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds:

Shall cause a notice to be gazetted, and to be twice publicly notified, stating the place where such plan is open for inspection, with a general description of the works proposed to be executed, and of the lands required to be taken:

And in such notice shall call upon all persons affected to set forth in writing any well-grounded objections to the execution of such works, or to the taking of such lands, and to send such writing within forty days from the first publication of such notice to the Minister or to the local authority, as the case may be:

No objection as to the amount or payment of compensation in respect of the execution of such works shall be deemed a well-grounded objection within the meaning of this section:

Shall also cause a copy of such notice and description to be served upon the said owners and occupiers, and any other person having an interest in the land, so far as they can be ascertained:

Shall, upon receiving any such well-grounded objection as aforesaid, appoint a time and place within the colony at which the objector may appear, in the case of Government works before the Minister or some person appointed by him, and, in the case of local works, before the local authority, and support the objection by such evidence as the objector thinks fit.

If within the said forty days no objection is made, or if, after due consideration of all objections, the Minister or the local authority, as the case may be, is of opinion that it is expedient that the proposed works should be executed, and that no private injury will be done thereby for which due compensation is not provided by this Act, the land proposed to be taken shall be taken in the following manner:—

In the case of any Government work, the Minister shall recommend the Governor to issue a Proclamation taking the land; or

In the case of any local work,—

Declaration by local authority to be accepted as sufficient that public work is authorised.

The Governor may thereupon, if he thinks fit, by Proclamation publicly notified, declare that the said lands, a list whereof shall be contained in or annexed to the Proclamation, are taken for the public work therein mentioned:

And, from and after a day to be named in the said Proclamation, the lands therein specified shall, unless otherwise specially provided in this Act or in any special Act, become absolutely vested in fee simple in Her Majesty, or in the local authority, or the corporate body represented by it, as the case may require, discharged from all mortgages, charges, claims, estates, or interests of what kind soever, for the public use named in the said Proclamation.

Whenever it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Governor that any local authority has not made provision for the payment of the compensation which would probably be awarded for the land proposed to be taken, the Governor shall not issue the Proclamation taking such land until such time as he is satisfied that the local authority has made provision for the payment of such compensation.

Whenever any Crown land is required to be set apart for any public work, the Governor may at any time, by Proclamation duly gazetted, set the same apart for such public work without complying with any of the provisions of this Act in respect to the taking or setting-apart of other lands for such purpose, and every such Proclamation shall have the effect of and shall be deemed to be a Proclamation under section eighteen hereof.

A Proclamation issued under this Act, or under any Act hereby repealed, shall not be held or deemed to have taken or to take effect until such Proclamation was or shall be gazetted.

In any case where a Proclamation has been issued taking land for any public work, and where, before such Proclamation has been registered by the District Land Registrar under the following section, it is found that such Proclamation incorrectly describes the land purporting to be taken, or that any other error in form or substance exists in or in relation to such Proclamation, or the making or gazetting thereof, the Governor may by a subsequent Proclamation cancel and annul such Proclamation or any part thereof, and such first Proclamation or such part thereof shall, from the date of the subsequent Proclamation, be absolutely void and of none effect as from the date of the same, and shall not be deemed to have vested the land mentioned therein in Her Majesty, or in the local authority, or in the corporate body represented by such local authority, or to have discharged such land from any mortgages, charges, claims, estates, or interests of what kind soever existing in respect of such land, anything to the contrary in this or any other Act notwithstanding.

But nothing herein contained shall limit the power of the Governor to take by any subsequent Proclamation the whole or any part of the land mentioned or described in any Proclamation so cancelled in whole or in part.

Except in a case under the following section, the Minister shall cause a copy of every Proclamation taking or setting apart land, and of the map referred to therein, to be deposited without fee in the District Land Registry Office for the district in which such land is.

If such land was not theretofore subject to the provisions of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,”—

If the said land was theretofore subject to the provisions of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,”—

No person having in his possession such Crown grant, certificate of title, or other instrument, shall be entitled to claim or receive any compensation under this Act until such certificate is delivered up to the District Land Registrar.

In the case of a Proclamation setting apart or taking any lands which are not subject to the provisions of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,” and dealings with which are not registerable under the provisions of “The Deeds Registration Act, 1868,” the Minister shall cause a copy of the same and of the map referred to therein to be lodged in the office of the Surveyor-General, and the Surveyor-General shall cause the land included in such Proclamation to be shown upon the proper maps and records of the district affected by such Proclamation in such manner as to prevent such land being disposed of in any manner at variance with such Proclamation.

If any land, not situate in a town or built upon, is so divided by the land taken for any work as to leave on either side thereof a less quantity of land than half a statute acre, The Minister or local authority, as the case may be, shall, if so required by the owners of such small parcel of land, and except as hereafter provided, take such parcel together with the other land taken for such work.

But, if such owner has other land adjoining into which such small portion may be conveniently thrown, the Minister or local authority, as the case may be, may, instead of taking such small parcel of land, throw the same into such adjoining land, by removing the fences and levelling and soiling the sites in a sufficient and workmanlike manner.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Minister or local authority may enter into agreements to take the estate and interest of any person in any land required for public works without complying with the provisions of section seventeen or of clause (c) of subsection three of section eighteen, or to purchase any such estate or interest, upon such terms and conditions as he or it shall think fit.

Where an estate or interest is taken by agreement, the compensation to be paid may be either agreed upon or left to be determined under Part III. of this Act.

In any case the compensation or purchase-money shall be paid,—

but neither the Minister nor any member of a local authority shall be personally liable for any compensation or purchase-money which may become payable under this Act.

Where an agreement for the taking of an estate or interest has been entered into, the Governor, upon being satisfied of the sufficiency of the agreement, may forthwith issue a Proclamation taking such estate or interest under section eighteen, without complying with any of the provisions of section seventeen or of clause (c) of subsection three of section eighteen.

Where an agreement for the purchase of an estate or interest has been entered into, such estate and interest shall be conveyed or surrendered to Her Majesty, or, except in the case of roads, to the body corporate represented by such local authority, or, if not incorporated, to some person on behalf of such local authority, as the case may be.

An estate or interest purchased and conveyed or surrendered hereunder shall be deemed laud taken under the authority of this Act; but the provisions of this Act respecting compensation shall not be applicable in any such case except as specially provided.

Except where an agreement has been made as provided in section one hundred and seventeen hereof, nothing in this Act shall authorise the removal of any fencing upon any lands until fences have been first made, so that all lands adjacent to land taken or works executed under this Act shall be as effectually protected against damage by trespass as before the commencement of such works.

If any public work has been or is executed, and after the execution thereof it is found that any person has any estate or interest in any land occupied by such work, or that any land required therefor has not been taken in the manner required by law, or that the provisions relating to the taking of such land have not been fulfilled; or

If it is found desirable for the use, convenience, or enjoyment of any public work executed or in course of execution to take, purchase, or acquire other land;

Such land, or the estate or interest of any person therein, may be taken, purchased, or acquired in the manner provided by this Act in respect of the taking, purchasing, or acquiring of lands required for such public work in the first instance.

All the provisions of this Act relating to the taking, purchasing, or acquiring of land, and to payment of compensation or purchase-money therefor, shall apply, except that in such cases—

Provided that, if any person shall have received payment or been awarded compensation for such land, or by reason of his being injuriously affected by such public works, such person, and all persons claiming by, through, under, or in trust for him, shall not be entitled to any further payment or compensation.

The provisions of this section shall be deemed to apply, mutatis mutandis, to the closing of any road or street and to the exercise of any power over any land, road, or street after the execution of any public work for the purposes of which a road or street might have been closed, or any such power exercised in the first instance.

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to in any way interfere with the operation of section ten of “The Public Works Acts Amendment Act, 1889,” set forth in the Second Part of the Fifth Schedule of this Act, or of any other provision of this or any other Act validating or confirming the taking of any land for any public work.

If it is found that any land held, taken, purchased, or acquired at any time under this or any other Act or Provincial Ordinance, or otherwise however, for any public work, is not required for such public work, the Governor may, by an Order in Council, publicly notified and gazetted, cause the same to be sold under the following conditions:—

A recommendation or memorial, as the case may be, as provided by section eighteen, shall be laid before the Governor by the Minister or local authority at whose instance the land was taken, describing so much of the said lands as are not required for such public work, accompanied by a map thereof, certified by the Surveyor-General or an authorised surveyor appointed by him in that behalf, and setting forth the reasons for disposing of the same.

The Minister, or local authority, as the case may be, shall cause the land proposed to be sold to be valued by one or more competent valuers, and shall offer such land at the price fixed by such valuation, first to the person then entitled to the land from which such land was originally taken; and, if he refuse it, or cannot after due inquiry be found, then to the owner of the adjacent lands, or, if there be more than one such owner, then to each of such owners, in such order as the Minister or local authority thinks fit; and, if no such owner accepts such offer, may cause the land to be sold by public auction:

Provided, however, that the Governor may, without complying with any of the last-foregoing provisions, sell by private contract or grant to any Education Board any lands taken for Government works, and may execute such grants, conveyances, and assurances as may be necessary to give effect to such sale or grant.

The purchase-money of land so sold shall be paid into the Public Account, or the ordinary fund of the local authority, as the case may be, and shall form part of the fund appropriated to the execution of the works in respect of which the said lands were taken under this Act.

Upon the payment of the purchase-money, the Minister or local authority, as the case may be, shall file in the District Land Registry Office for the district in which such land is situate a copy of the Order in Council directing the sale of the said lands, together with a copy of the certified map thereof, and also a certificate of the payment of the purchase-money, with the name and address of the purchaser.

Such Order in Council and certificate shall be deemed to be a memorandum of transfer of such land to such purchaser within the meaning of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,” and the Registrar shall register the same and deal therewith in the manner in the said Act provided.

If any land at any time taken for public works under tins or any other Act or Provincial Ordinance is not required for immediate use, the Minister or local authority by whom the land was taken may let the same upon such terms as he or it may respectively think fit for any period not exceeding twenty-one years, and the rents and profits thereof shall be paid into the Public Account, or the ordinary fund of the local authority, as the case may require.

Her Majesty or the local authority, as the case may be, but in the case of a local authority subject to the provisions of subsection two hereof, may from time to time grant to any person any easement in, upon, through, over, or under any land taken or acquired for a public work, subject to such conditions and payment of rent as Her Majesty or the local authority shall think fit, and subject to revocation without compensation at any time when the service of the public requires it, and subject also to immediate revocation in case of the breach of any conditions under which such easement was granted.

The power given by the last subsection shall not be exercised by a local authority without the consent of the Minister; and no instrument executed by or on behalf of a local authority granting or purporting to grant such an easement shall have any effect whatever unless and until the consent of the Minister shall have been indorsed thereon.

Every person having any estate or interest in any lands taken under this Act for any public works, or injuriously affected thereby, or suffering any damage from the exercise of any of the powers hereby given, shall be entitled to full compensation for the same from the Minister or local authority, as the case may be, by whose authority such works may be executed or power exercised.

No compensation shall be payable in respect of—

Any land taken for a road or railway under this Act the right to make a road over which is otherwise reserved to the Crown, and has not lapsed or become barred:

Any Crown lands taken or set apart for any public work.

In any case where Her Majesty or the Governor may have been, or may hereafter be, entitled to resume or take possession of land under the authority of any Act of the General Assembly, then, notwithstanding the issue of a Proclamation under this or any Act of a like tenor at any time heretofore in force taking such land for any public purpose, and notwithstanding that any special provisions contained in such authorising Act as to the resumption or taking of such land may not have been complied with, no compensation shall be paid or payable in respect thereof otherwise than as may be specially provided in the Act by virtue of which Her Majesty or the Governor, or any person on behalf of Her Majesty or the Governor, is entitled to resume or take possession as aforesaid: Provided such Proclamation shall have been issued during the currency of such authority.

No claim for compensation under this Act, or any Act repealed by this Act, shall be made (in respect of any lands taken) after a period of five years after the date of the Proclamation taking the said lands, or (in respect of any damage done) after a period of twelve months after the execution of the works out of which such claim has arisen, or may hereafter arise; and. all right and title to any compensation in respect of such lands, or for damage arising out of the execution of such works, as the case may be, shall after such respective periods absolutely cease.

The provisions of this section shall also extend and apply to all claims for compensation of any kind which arose before the passing of “The Public Works Act, 1882,” or which may arise under that Act or any Act thereby repealed after the passing of this Act, so far as such Acts or any of them are capable of having effect.

A claim for compensation may be made by any person seised, possessed of, or entitled to such lands, or to any estate or interest therein, whether such person has or has not the power to sell and convey the same, or by any executor or administrator; and any such claim on behalf of cestuis que trustent, wards, lunatics, or idiots, may be made by their trustees, guardians, or committees respectively.

In the case of any person being an infant, lunatic, or idiot, or cestui que trust, not having a guardian, committee, or trustee within the colony, the Public Trustee shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be the legal guardian, committee, or trustee of such person.

A claim for compensation for lands taken out of any Native reserve may be made by the Public Trustee on behalf of those interested in such reserve.

Upon the application of the Minister to the Judge of the Supreme Court, accompanied by an offer of the amount of compensation in the matter, and upon such proof as shall be satisfactory to such Judge that any person who has any right or title to prefer a claim for compensation is absent from the colony, or is not known, or has no known agent in the colony, such Judge shall direct such claim to be heard by a Compensation Court under this Act, and shall appoint an Assessor to act in such Court on behalf of such person.

Thereupon such Court may proceed in the examination of such claim as in ordinary cases where the claimant is present.

In every such case the Public Trustee shall represent the claimant, and may act in his behalf in all matters incident to the claim or the hearing thereof; and the moneys payable as compensation shall be paid into the Public Trust Office, and shall there remain subject to the provisions of section seventy-seven.

Any person so claiming compensation is hereinafter called “the claimant”; and the Minister in the case of Government works, and the local authority in the case of local works, is hereinafter called “the respondent.”

In order to obtain compensation, the claimant shall serve upon the respondent a claim in writing, in one of the forms in the Second Schedule hereto, stating—

Such claim shall be served, in the case of the Minister, by being delivered at the Public Works Office at Wellington, or by being sent by registered letter addressed to the Minister at such office, and, in the case of the local authority, by being left at its office, or sent by registered letter to its office; and the claimant shall be entitled to receive from the officer for the time being in charge of any such office a receipt, stating the day on which such claim was delivered or received; and any officer refusing to give such receipt on demand shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds.

In order to prove the service of any claim as aforesaid it shall be necessary to produce the receipt of the officer receiving the same.

If the claimant does not give full particulars of such claims or does not specify in his claim the amount claimed for each matter on account of which he claims compensation, the respondent may, by notice in writing, require him to furnish such particulars; and if such particulars are not supplied at least twenty-one days before the date appointed for the sitting of the Court to hear the claim, that Court may, if it think fit, upon the application of the respondent made before or at the hearing, order the claimant to furnish such particulars, and may adjourn the further hearing of the claim until such particulars are supplied, and until the respondent has had reasonable time to consider the same, and may order that the costs occasioned by such adjournment shall be borne by the claimant.

If the respondent does not, within sixty days after receiving such claim, give notice in writing to the claimant that he does not admit it, the claimant may file a copy of his claim, together with the receipt for the service thereof, in the Supreme Court; and such claim, when so filed, shall be deemed to be and shall have the effect of an award filed in the Supreme Court, and may be enforced in the manner provided in section seventy-six.

If the respondent gives notice in writing within the said sixty days that he does not admit the claim, he may, within ninety days after receiving the claim, by notice in writing, make the claimant an offer of the sum which he is willing to pay in lieu of the amount claimed, and may file a copy of such notice in the Court or office prescribed in subsection four of this section.

If the respondent gives notice in writing within the said sixty days that he does not admit the claim, but makes no such offer, or if the claimant does not accept the offer so made, the claimant may file a copy of his claim in the Court or office prescribed in subsection four of this section, together with a notice in the form in the Third Schedule that he requires such claim to be heard by a Compensation Court; and be shall, in such notice, state the name and address of some person whom be thereby appoints to act as Assessor in such Court, and shall give notice in writing to the respondent of the appointment of such Assessor.

If the claimant does not file such notice as aforesaid within thirty days after the time limited for the respondent to make an offer as hereinbefore provided, the claimant shall be deemed to have abandoned the proceedings in respect of his claim, and shall not be entitled to prosecute the same further, except with the leave of the Court in which the claim might have been filed within such time, to be granted upon such terms and conditions as to the time and mode of procedure, and as to the costs of the application for such leave, as that Court thinks fit.

The Court or office in which the claim and notices aforesaid may be filed shall, if the amount claimed be not more than two hundred and fifty pounds, be the Magistrate’s Court Office nearest to the land or work in respect of which the claim arises, within the Magistrate’s Court District within which such land or work is situated, and in all other cases shall be the office of the Supreme Court nearest to such land or work within the Supreme Court District within which such land or work is situated. Such Court or office is hereinafter referred to as “the Court for filing the claim.”

The respondent shall, within twenty-one days after receiving notice of the appointment of the Assessor by the claimant, also appoint an Assessor, and shall give notice in writing of such appointment to the Registrar or Clerk of the Court for filing the claim and to the claimant; and, if the respondent fails within the said twenty-one days to make such appointment, the Registrar of the Supreme Court shall forthwith appoint an Assessor on behalf of the respondent, and give notice thereof to the claimant.

In any claim or matter arising for compensation for any land taken or to be taken, where a written offer on behalf of the respondent has been made therefor to the claimant not less than thirty days previously, and the same has not been accepted, the respondent shall have the same right to require such claim to be heard by a Compensation Court as is given to a claimant by section forty-five.

And, at any time after the respondent has filed a copy of his notice as in the aforesaid section forty-five mentioned, he may give notice in the form or to the effect contained in the Third Schedule, requiring such claim to be heard.

No appointment of any person to be an Assessor shall be valid unless such person signs the consent and declaration in the form contained in the Fourth Schedule. And every such consent and declaration shall be appended to the notice of appointment of such Assessor, and shall be filed in the Court for filing the claim.

All claims for compensation shall, except where express provision is otherwise made, be determined by a Compensation Court constituted as hereinafter provided, and hereinafter called “the Court.”

If the amount claimed be not more than two hundred and fifty pounds, then —

The Magistrate for the Magistrate’s Court District within which is situated the land or work in respect of which the claim arises shall be the President of the Court if he has extended jurisdiction under “The Magistrates’ Courts Act, 1893,” and is not interested in the case.

If such last-mentioned Magistrate has not such extended jurisdiction as aforesaid, or is interested in the case, the Judge of the Supreme Court shall, on the application of either party, appoint some other Magistrate having such extended jurisdiction, and who is not interested, to be the President of the Court.

Such Magistrate as aforesaid, and the two Assessors appointed as provided in sections forty-five and forty-six, shall constitute the Court: Provided that, if, before the first sitting of the Court to hear the claim, the claimant and respondent execute and file (in the Court for filing the claim) an agreement in writing that the claim shall be heard and determined by such Magistrate without Assessors, then such Magistrate alone shall constitute the Court, and shall hear and determine the claim accordingly.

If the amount claimed be more than two hundred and fifty pounds the Judge of the Supreme Court and the two Assessors so appointed as aforesaid shall, except as hereinafter provided, constitute the Compensation Court, and the Judge shall be the President thereof.

If the amount claimed be more than two hundred and fifty pounds, and not more than one thousand pounds, the Judge may appoint a Judge of a District Court or Magistrate to be a member of and to preside in the Court in his stead.

If either the claimant or respondent object to the person appointed under the last-preceding section the Judge shall, unless be considers such objection to be frivolous or unreasonable, cancel such appointment, and preside in the Court himself.

If the amount claimed exceeds one thousand pounds, and the claimant and respondent shall consent in writing that the claim should be heard before a Judge of a District Court or Magistrate, the Judge of the Supreme Court may order that such claim shall be heard accordingly, and may appoint a Judge of a District Court or Magistrate, as the case may be, to preside in the Court instead of the Judge of the Supreme Court.

If, before the first sitting of the Court to hear any claim as hereinbefore provided, the claimant and the respondent make and execute au agreement in writing to the effect that the claim in question shall be heard and determined by one person named in such agreement, such agreement shall also state the fee (if any) to be paid such person for his services, and shall be filed in the Court for filing the claim.

The person so named shall be deemed to be the Compensation Court, and shall appoint a time and place for the sitting thereof, and shall hear and determine the claim accordingly.

A Court constituted to hear any claim under this Act may, by consent in writing of the claimant and respondent in any other claim, in respect of the same or of any other land, hear and determine such last-mentioned claim as though the Court had been constituted to hear and determine the same.

If either party, before the first sitting of the Court, objects to the appointment of any Assessor, the President may, upon the application of such party, unless the objection appears to be frivolous or unreasonable, order the Assessor so objected to to be discharged, and the person having appointed him shall, within twenty-one days after such order, in like manner appoint another in his stead, failing which the Registrar of the Supreme Court shall forthwith appoint one in his stead.

No member of the Court shall be deemed to be interested in any case solely on account of his liability to pay rates on which the compensation awarded may become a charge.

If the Judge is interested in the claim to be heard, the Governor shall appoint some other Judge of the Supreme Court to act in his stead.

If, before the award is given, any member of the Court dies or becomes incapable of acting, in the case of the Judge the Governor shall forthwith appoint some other Judge of the Supreme Court; in a case of a President, not being a Judge of the Supreme Court, the Judge shall forthwith appoint some other Judge of the District Court or Magistrate, as the case may be; and, in the case of an Assessor, the person having made the appointment shall forthwith, or, if he fail to do so, then the President shall appoint a fresh Assessor in the place of the member so dying or becoming incapable of acting: but the inquiry before the Court shall proceed as if no such change in its members had taken place.

The President shall appoint the time and place for the first sitting of the Court, and shall, not less than twenty-one days before such sitting, cause a notice of such time and place to be served on each Assessor and upon the claimant and respondent severally.

If the claimant or respondent fails to appear before the Court at the time and place appointed, the Court may, upon proof of the service of the notice of such sitting, proceed to hear and determine the claim in his absence.

Any person entitled under the said section thirty-seven to make a claim for compensation shall be entitled to appear before the Court in the same manner as a claimant may do.

Either party may appear either personally, or by his counsel or solicitor, or by any agent appointed in writing in that behalf.

The Court, or, in the absence of the President or either of the Assessors, the member or members of the Court present, may adjourn its sittings so often as is necessary to a future day, of which the President or such member or members, as the case may be, shall give notice in open Court; and no further notice of such future sitting shall be necessary.

The Court shall have power to summon all persons required by either party or by the Court to give evidence before it, and may examine all such persons upon oath, and may require the production of any documents, plans, or other papers in the custody or control of either party.

The claimant and respondent, and their counsel, solicitors, witnesses, and all other persons attending the Court, shall have the same rights and privileges, and shall be subject to the same obligations, fines, and penalties, as in the trial of an action at law in the Court for filing the claim.

The Court shall, until it shall have made its award, have all the powers of the Court for filing the claim, so far as may be necessary for inquiring into and determining the claim referred to it.

The Court may receive such evidence as it thinks fit, whether the same is strictly legal evidence or not.

Every question before the Court shall be determined by a majority of the members thereof, but the determination of the majority shall be deemed to be the award of the whole Court.

If the Court is unable by a majority to agree upon an award, the President shall discharge the Assessors, and cause notice thereof to be given to the claimant and respondent; and a fresh Court shall be constituted in the manner provided by this Act, which shall hear the case de novo.

In any case brought before a Compensation Court, where any question of law shall arise, the President may hear and determine the same without the Assessors; or he may, if he think fit, state a case for the decision of the Supreme Court thereon.

Such determination or decision shall be followed by the Compensation Court on making its award.

In determining the amount of compensation to be awarded, the Court shall take into account severally the value of the land or interests in land, including riparian rights, taken, and the extent to which any lands in which the claimant has an interest are or are likely to be injuriously affected, either by severance or by the nature of the works in question, and shall also take into account, by way of deduction from the amount of compensation to be awarded, any increase in the value of such lands likely to be caused by the execution of such works.

The value of land taken or injuriously affected shall be assessed for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of compensation, if any, at its value at the time when it was first entered upon for the purpose of constructing or carrying out a public work thereon.

If the Court is of opinion that the claimant in respect of any land taken for a public work has, at any time after the date prescribed in subsection two hereof, done anything upon or under such land with the purpose and effect of rendering the execution of such work more difficult or costly, the Court shall take into account, by way of deduction from the amount of compensation to be awarded, any increase in the cost of executing such work caused or likely to be caused thereby; and if, in the opinion of the Court, such increase in cost exceeds the value of the land taken, the award shall be for the payment by the claimant to the respondent of the amount of such excess, and the costs of the inquiry,

The date mentioned in subsection one hereof shall be, in the case of a railway, the date of the first gazetting of the Proclamation defining the middle line thereof; and, in the case of any other work, the date of the first publication of the notice mentioned in subsection three of section seventeen.

The Court may award one gross sum as the compensation to be paid to the claimant on all accounts, or they may award a particular sum in respect of any one or more of the items of the claim, and subject respectively to such conditions as they may think equitable, or they may determine that no compensation is payable in respect of the whole claim or any particular item or items thereof.

Every Assessor shall be entitled to a fee for every day upon which he attends a sitting of the Court in respect of each claim heard therein, the amount of such fee to be fixed by the President in each case, regard being had to the length of the sitting and the importance of the case.

The Court shall fix and determine the amount of the costs of the inquiry as between party and party, and shall include the same in its award, and shall direct by whom such costs shall be paid.

But if the compensation awarded does not exceed one-half of the amount claimed the claimant shall not be entitled to recover any costs.

The Court may in any case declare that no costs shall be awarded, and the fact shall be stated in the award.

Costs payable by the claimant may be deducted from the compensation payable to the claimant under the award; and, if such costs exceed the compensation payable, the award shall be for the payment by the claimant of the amount of such excess.

No award of a Compensation Court shall be void through any error or omission in matter of form.

The Court shall make its award in writing, which shall be drawn up and signed by the President as soon as conveniently may be after the making thereof; and the President shall deliver or transmit the same to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, to be by him filed in the said Court.

The Court may, within one month after making the award, reverse, alter, or modify the same; and may hear such evidence and make such order as to costs or otherwise as the Court may deem just.

Such award shall be final as regards the amount awarded, but shall not be deemed to be final as regards the right or title of the claimant or any other person to receive the same, or any part thereof.

But if the sum awarded be not paid into the Public Trust Office, under subsection one of section seventy-seven, within sixty days after the filing of the award in the Supreme Court, the award so made and filed shall have the effect of a judgment of the Supreme Court, and may be enforced accordingly, subject, however, to the provisions of this Act.

If any doubt or dispute arise as to the right or title of any person to receive any compensation awarded under this Act, or any purchase-money or compensation agreed to be paid by the Minister or a local authority under this Act,—

In the case of compensation awarded by the Court, the respondent may, within the period of sixty days after the award shall have been filed in the Supreme Court, cause the sum awarded to be paid into the Public Trust Office; and the Public Trustee shall deal with and apply such moneys in such manner and shall pay the same to such persons as the Supreme Court, upon the application of any of the parties interested, may order.

In the case of purchase-money or compensation agreed to be paid, the Minister or local authority, respectively, may pay the same into the Public Trust Office; and the Supreme Court may make such order in relation thereto, upon the application of any of the parties interested, as it thinks just and proper; and the Public Trustee shall deal with and pay such purchase-money or compensation in accordance with such order.

In any case which may be heard or disposed of by the Supreme Court under the preceding provisions of this section, such Court may order that all or any costs which may have been incurred in or in relation to such case, either before the Compensation Court or the Supreme Court, shall be paid by such of the parties, whether claimant, respondent, or a person interested as aforesaid, or that such costs be apportioned between such parties in such manner, respectively, as the Supreme Court may order; and such Court may vary or revoke any order previously made by a Compensation Court as to costs.

If compensation is awarded or has been agreed to be paid as last aforesaid in respect of lands or any interest therein taken from any person having a partial or qualified interest only in such lands, and not entitled to sell or convey the same, or in respect of any permanent injury done to such lands, such compensation shall be dealt with as follows, that is to say:—

But the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prevent any person who has a partial or other qualified interest in land to which interest be is solely entitled, and which he may absolutely sell or dispose of, from receiving any compensation in respect of such interest to which he may be declared entitled under any award, or which has been agreed to be paid to him as aforesaid.

Until any compensation deposited in the Public Trust Office under this Act is applied as provided by the last-preceding section, the Public Trustee shall invest the same upon investments upon which any moneys in the Public Trust Office may by law be invested, and shall pay the annual proceeds thereof to the party for the time being entitled to the rents and profits of the lands in respect of which such compensation was awarded.

If the land in respect of which compensation is awarded is subject to a mortgage, such compensation, or so much thereof as is required for the purpose, shall, upon the application of the mortgagee, be paid in discharge of the mortgage debt, or of part thereof, so far as the compensation will go; and if such land is a part of lands subject to a mortgage debt, and the mortgagee requires a part of such debt to be discharged, the Court shall determine what part of the compensation shall be paid in discharge of part of the mortgage debt, so that the remaining part of the mortgaged lands shall constitute as good security as theretofore for the part of the mortgage debt remaining undischarged.

The words “mortgage debt” in this section shall include the interest payable on such mortgage up to six months beyond the day on which notice was received by the mortgagee of the lands affected being taken under this Act.

If the said land is subject to any rent-charge, the Court shall determine what part of such compensation shall be paid to the party entitled to such rent-charge in redemption thereof; and, if the said land is part of land subject to any rent-charge, the Court shall determine what part of such rent-charge shall be redeemed, and what part of such compensation shall be paid in the redemption thereof, so that the remaining part of the lands subject to such rent-charge shall be as good security as theretofore for the part of the rent-charge remaining unredeemed.

The expression “rent-charge” includes “annuity.”

If the said land is part of land in respect of which any rent is payable, the Court shall determine what part of such rent shall cease to be payable, so that the remaining rent payable shall bear the same proportion to the whole rent as the value of the land in respect of which compensation is awarded bears to the value of the whole land.

In any case where the amount of compensation or purchase-money to be paid to any person has been or may hereafter be determined by agreement between such person and the Minister, the Minister may agree to grant to such person, his heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, and successors, any easement, right of way, right of occupation, or any other right, privilege, or concession in, upon, over, or under any land taken or reserved for the purpose of any public work, in satisfaction or part satisfaction or mitigation of the compensation claimed by such person: Provided that no such agreement shall be of any validity at law or in equity until notice of the assent of the Minister thereto shall have been duly gazetted.

In any case where the amount of compensation to be paid to any claimant has been or may hereafter be determined by the Court, the respondent may offer, and the Court may award to the claimant, his executors, administrators, assigns, and successors, in satisfaction or part satisfaction or mitigation of the compensation claimed, any easement, right of way, right of occupation, or any other right, privilege, or concession in, upon, over, or under any land taken or reserved for the purpose of any public work; and the Compensation Court may, by its award, declare which (if any) of such easements, rights, privileges, or concessions so offered shall be granted to the claimant in satisfaction, or part satisfaction, or mitigation of his claim to compensation.

The Governor may grant, in payment or satisfaction, or in part payment or satisfaction, for any land which has been taken or which may hereafter be taken, or for any damage done or which may hereafter be done by reason of the construction or use of a public work, to the person or persons from whom such land has been taken or to whom such damage has been done, any Crown land or any land reserved or taken for the use, convenience, or enjoyment of the said public work, but which is not required for such public work: Provided that, before such land is conveyed or transferred, the Minister shall certify that the land to be conveyed has been valued by a competent person, and that the total value, with money compensation (if any), does not amount to more than the sum which would be paid by the Government for the land taken and the damage done if compensation for same were made wholly in money in the usual way.

Moneys payable as compensation or as costs under this Act shall,—

If payable by the Minister, be paid out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the works in respect of which the claim for compensation arises;

If payable by a local authority, be paid out of the fund of such local authority available for such purposes:

but neither the Minister nor any member of a local authority shall be personally liable for any compensation or costs which may become payable under this Act.

Notwithstanding anything contained in any law in force to the contrary, any Native land and any land owned by Natives under title derived from the Crown may be taken for any public work in manner hereinafter provided.

Whenever it may be necessary to take any such land for any public work other than a railway or than for defence purposes,—

Where the title to such land is not derived from the Crown,—

Where the title to such land is derived from the Crown, the land may be taken in the manner set forth in Part II. of this Act.

Whenever it may be necessary to take any such land for any railway authorised to be constructed under the provisions of any special Act, or for defence purposes, whether the land to be taken be Native land, or the title thereto be derived from the Crown, such land may be taken for any such railway in the manner prescribed in Part VII. of this Act, and, for defence purposes, in the manner prescribed in Part IX. of this Act.

For the purpose of ascertaining the amount of compensation to be paid to the Natives interested in any Native land, or to the Native owners of any land held or owned under title derived from the Crown,—

The Minister, in the case of a Government work, may at any time, and the local authority, in the case of a local work, shall, not later than six months after the date of the first gazetting of the Order in Council or Proclamation taking the land, cause application to be made to the Native Land Court to ascertain what amount of compensation ought to be paid to the owners of or other persons interested in such land, and who are the persons entitled to be paid such compensation; and, after hearing such evidence as may be produced before it, or may be thought necessary, such Court may make such order or orders as to it shall seem fit:

Provided always that, if any person, whether a Native or European, shall have any estate of leasehold or other particular estate in, or any mortgage or charge upon, such land, the Native Land Court shall in and by the same order or orders ascertain and determine what part of the whole compensation shall be paid to such person, and no Court constituted under Part III. of this Act shall have jurisdiction to entertain the claim of any such person for compensation; and every sitting of the said Court to be held for the purpose of dealing with such land shall be duly notified in the Gazette and Kahiti.

The Native Land Court shall have all such authority and jurisdiction in respect of any such application as it would have in any matter within its ordinary jurisdiction, and, in addition thereto, shall have all the powers and authority of a Compensation Court under Part III. of this Act.

The compensation ascertained by the Court to be payable to the owners or occupiers of the land taken, or other persons having particular estates, mortgages, or charges, shall be paid to them as soon as practicable after the making of the order of Court, and interest shall be payable on the sum awarded at a rate not exceeding five per centum per annum from one month after the date of such order.

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act,—

A road may be taken and laid off under the provisions of the next following section in the manner heretofore in use for the taking and laying-off of roads under the like provisions contained in “The Native Land Court Act, 1886.”

No compensation shall be payable in respect of any land taken for a road under the provisions of the three next following sections, or in respect of any land taken for a railway over which there is at the time of the taking thereof an existing right in the Governor, under the provisions of the three next following sections, to take the same or a greater quantity of land for a road or roads, or in respect of any Native land taken for a road or railway, of which the ownership had not, at the time of the taking thereof, been determined by the Native Land Court, where the area taken does not, in the opinion of the Native Land Court, exceed the quantity which the Governor would have had a right to take under the next following section out of the land of which it forms a part, had the ownership thereof been so determined.

From and out of any land which has been or may be granted under the provisions of any Act repealed by “The Native Land Act, 1873,” or by “The Native Land Court Act, 1886,” or which has been or shall be granted, or has or shall become the subject of Land Transfer certificate under the provisions of “The Native Land Court Act, 1886,” or any Act passed in amendment thereof or substitution therefor, or which is owned by Natives under Native Land Court certificate of title, or under memorial of ownership, it shall be lawful for the Governor, at any time hereafter, to take and lay off for public purposes one or more line or lines of road through the said land: Provided that the total quantity of land which may be taken, inclusive of any already taken, for such line or lines of road shall not exceed one-twentieth part of the whole.

The Governor may at any time, by indorsement on the Crown grant, or on a subsequent or other instrument of title, or by deed, release the land the subject of such right therefrom, or from any part thereof.

But there shall not be taken under the authority of the last-preceding section any land occupied by any pa, village, or cultivation, or any buildings, gardens, orchards, plantations, or any burial or ornamental grounds, without the previous consent of the Governor in Council.

The powers given by section ninety-two as to public roads shall cease,—

Whenever any lines of road are surveyed and laid off on or over any Native land, under the direction of the Surveyor-General, the site of such road shall be deemed to be a road dedicated to the public, and shall vest in Her Majesty.

When any road is laid off along the boundary between land owned by Natives and land owned by Europeans, such road shall be taken equally from both such lands where practicable.

For all the purposes of this Act the Minister for Public Works, the Minister of Lands, the Surveyor-General or his deputy, or any local authority, or any person authorised either specially or generally by any such person or authority—

When practicable, reasonable notice shall be given to the owner or occupier of the land of the intention to enter thereon, and the authority under which the person entering claims to enter or has entered on such land shall, if required by such owner or occupier, be produced and shown.

Every person who, without due authority, destroys, mutilates, defaces, takes away, or alters the position of any trigonometrical station, survey peg, mark, or pole fixed or set up by any surveyor, or other person under the authority of the last-preceding section, shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding two years; and every person who wilfully obstructs any such surveyor or other person or his assistants in carrying on such survey shall for every such offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds.

Nothing herein contained shall authorise any surveyor to enter upon any Native cultivation for the purpose of taking a road under the authority of this Act without the previous consent of the Governor in Council.

A “Native cultivation,” wherever the term is used in this Act, means any land regularly used by Natives for the growth of food-crops for their own consumption.

Either the Minister of Lands appointed under “The Land Act, 1892,” or the Minister for Public Works appointed under this Act, may administer this Part of this Act; and the word “Minister,” wherever it occurs throughout this Part of the Act, means either the Minister of Lands or the Minister for Public Works.

Throughout this Act, the word “road” means a public highway, whether carriage-way, bridle-path, or footpath, and includes the soil of—

Crown lands over which a road is laid out and marked on the record maps:

Lands over which right of way has in any manner been granted or dedicated to the public by any person entitled to make such grant or dedication:

Lands taken for roads under the provisions of this Act or any other Act or Provincial Ordinance formerly in force:

Lands over which a road has been or is in use by the public which has been formed or improved out of the public funds, or out of the funds of any former province, or out of the District Fund of any local authority, for the width formed, used, agreed upon, or fenced, not being more than fifty links on either side of the middle line thereof, and a sufficient plan whereof, approved by the Chief Surveyor of the land district wherein such road is situate, has been or shall be registered by the District Land Registrar or the Registrar of Deeds of the district against the properties affected by it; and the said Registrars, or either of them, are hereby authorised and required to register any such plans accordingly, anything contained in any other Act notwithstanding, when presented for registration by or on behalf of such Chief Surveyor, together with a certificate under the hand of such Chief Surveyor to the effect that such road has been so used and formed as aforesaid:

Lands over which any road, notwithstanding any legal or technical informality in the taking or construction thereof, has been taken, constructed, or used under the authority of the Government of any former province, or of any local authority, and a sufficient plan whereof is registered in manner provided in the last-preceding subsection:

and, unless repugnant to the context, includes all roads which have been or may hereafter be set apart, defined, proclaimed, or declared roads under any law or authority for the time being in force, and all bridges, culverts, drains, ferries, fords, gates, buildings, and other things thereto belonging, upon the line and within the limits of the road.

All roads and the soil thereof are hereby declared to be and are hereby vested in Her Majesty, together with all materials and things of which such roads are composed, or which are capable of being used for the purposes thereof, and are placed or laid upon any such roads.

The Governor may construct or repair any road within any part of New Zealand, but such road shall not by reason of such construction or repair become a Government road if at the time of such construction or repair it was a district or county road.

The Governor may, by Order in Council duly gazetted, declare that any road shall be a Government road, and such road shall become a Government road accordingly.

The Governor may, in like manner, declare that any road shall be a county or district road, and such road shall become a county or district road accordingly.

The powers hereby conferred may be exercised from time to time, and any Order in Council made hereunder may be revoked or altered, and any road declared to be a Government road may again be declared to be a county or district road, and any such road may again be declared to be a Government road, as often as occasion shall require.

The County Council may make county roads throughout the county, except within the limits of a borough; and, by an order publicly notified, from time to time,—

May declare any district road within the county to be a county road; and may, with the consent of the Road Board, in a similar manner revoke such order, and on such revocation the road to which it relates shall again become a district road;

May, with the consent of the Road Board within whose district the same shall lie, declare any portion of any county road to be a district road.

All roads in an outlying district, or on the boundaries thereof,—

Shall, where the whole of “The Counties Act, 1886,” is in force, be deemed to be county roads unless declared under section one hundred and two to be Government roads; and

Shall, where the whole of “The Counties Act, 1886,” is not in force, be deemed to be Government roads.

All the powers, rights, duties, and liabilities hereby vested in and imposed upon a Road Board in respect of a district road shall in the case of a county road be vested in and imposed upon the County Council, and in the case of a Government road shall be vested in and imposed upon the Governor, instead of in or upon the Road Board.

All roads, except as herein otherwise provided, shall be under the control of and may be constructed and repaired by the Road Board of the district in which such roads are, and shall be called district roads.

The Council of any county may, by special order, declare that all or any part of any district road shall, from and after a date to be fixed therein, be under the exclusive control of such local authority within the county as shall be mentioned in such special order, and may, by the same special order, direct that the cost of constructing and maintaining any such road or part of a road shall be borne either by the local authority to which the exclusive control thereof is given, or that a proportion of such cost to be fixed in and by such special order shall be borne by any other local authority or local authorities; and the local authority to which such exclusive control shall be granted may recover from such other local authority or local authorities the share so fixed of any reasonable expenditure incurred in constructing and maintaining any such road or part of a road as aforesaid in any Court of competent jurisdiction.

Any County Council may in like manner and with like effect, with the consent of the Town Board, declare that any part of a county road within a town district shall be under the control of and be constructed and maintained by the Town Board, and thereupon it shall be the duty of the Town Board to construct and maintain such part.

Wherever the operation of “The Counties Act, 1886,” or of any Act repealing or amending the same, is suspended, the Governor shall have and may exercise all the functions vested in a County Council under this section.

Where a road lies lengthways on the boundary of a borough, such road, whether included in whole or in part in such borough or not, shall be under the control of and shall be maintained by the borough.

The Council of the borough may recover from the Road Board of the road district, or, if there be no road district, from the Council of the county of which any such road is also a boundary, a reasonable share of the annual cost of maintaining such road, and also the cost of constructing the said road.

The share of such cost for any one year, if not settled by mutual agreement, may be recovered in any Court of competent jurisdiction.

All or any of the powers in relation to the control of roads on the boundaries of counties, and the cost of constructing and maintaining the same, conferred upon the Governor by section two hundred and fifty of “The Counties Act, 1886,” may be exercised from time to time as occasion may require; and any instrument issued or direction given by him under the provisions of the said section may be revoked, altered, or varied in such manner as the Governor may deem expedient.

The Road Board shall have full power to do all things necessary to construct and maintain in good repair any road under its control, and therein especially to do the following things:—

To make surveys for the laying out of new roads:

To alter the line of any road: Provided that no new line of road shall be laid out by the Road Board over Crown lands without the consent of the Land Board:

To increase or diminish the width of any road:

To determine what part of a road shall be a carriage-way, and what part a footpath only:

To alter the level of any road, except as herein otherwise provided:

To stop up any road as hereinafter provided:

To stop the traffic upon any road temporarily, whilst being constructed or repaired:

To close any public highway or bridge for such period as may be deemed advisable when it is found necessary to execute such repairs thereto as will prevent the use of the same for traffic:

To enter upon any lands and cut therein such ditches and drains as may be required to drain water from any road, and to keep such ditches and drains open at all times for the flow of water; and to erect floodgates therein, and to open or close the same as the Board thinks fit, doing as little damage as may be:

To enter upon any uncultivated and unfenced land adjacent to a road, and make thereon and use a temporary road whilst the road is being constructed or repaired:

After twenty-four hours’ notice to the occupier, to enter upon any land, other than land occupied in a bond fide manner as a garden or ornamental shrubbery, and dig and take any stone, gravel, or other material therefrom, or from any river or stream, except within fifty yards above or below any bridge, dam, or weir, and so nevertheless as not to divert or interrupt the course of such river or stream, or damage any building, road, or ford.

Reasonable compensation shall be paid for any injury done and material taken; and, where any Road Board and the owner or occupier of land do not agree as to the compensation, the same shall be determined as provided for in Part III. of this Act.

Where a road crosses the boundary of a district or meets another road on such boundary, it shall not be lawful to alter the level of such road or roads at such point of crossing or meeting, unless both the parties having the control of the roads respectively agree as to the new level at such point.

The purchaser or owner of any land purchased from the Crown, to which land there is no existing access by road, and to which access can only be gained by passing through other adjoining land, may, when such adjoining land is the property of the Crown, serve upon the Minister a notice claiming that a way of access by road from and to the nearest public road shall be laid off through such adjoining land, and it shall be the duty of the Minister to direct that such way of access be provided; and, when such adjoining land is the property of another owner or owners, may, if the local authority within whose jurisdiction such land is situate have refused or neglected to take action in this behalf, in like manner serve a notice upon the Minister requiring that a way of access by road through such adjoining land shall be provided, subject always to the following conditions:—

When the road is required to be taken through private lands the Minister shall ascertain the cost of acquiring the land required for such road, and, if such cost shall not exceed one-fifth of the sum paid to the Crown as the purchase-money of the land to which access by road is sought to be obtained, then the cost of acquiring the land for such road shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund; and if the cost shall exceed one-fifth of the sum so paid to the Crown, then the person applying for such road shall repay such excess to the Minister upon his demand, and may be required to make such payment, or to give security therefor to the satisfaction of the Minister, before such road is taken.

If any part of the purchase-money of the land to which access is to be provided has been paid to any local authority, then such local authority shall, on demand of the Minister, refund to him a proportionate share of the cost not exceeding the amount received by such local authority on account of such purchase-money.

For the purposes of this section, if not inconsistent with the context,—

In any case where the local authority of any district desires to construct a bridge, or to establish a ferry or ford, in any position that will, in its opinion, be of advantage and benefit to the whole or any considerable portion of the inhabitants of an adjacent district, as well as to the inhabitants of its own district, and where it is, in the opinion of such local authority, reasonable that the local authority of such adjacent district should contribute to the cost of constructing or establishing the said bridge, ferry, or ford, the following provisions shall have effect:—

For the purpose of providing the amount necessary to enable any local authority to comply with any order which may be made by the Governor hereunder, such local authority may raise a loan for the said amount in terms of section sixteen of “The Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1886,” without taking any poll of the ratepayers thereon, and for that purpose, and for the purpose of paying the interest on such loan, and repaying the principal thereof, such local authority shall have and may exercise all the powers of “The Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1886,” and all the provisions of that Act, where not inconsistent herewith, shall apply to such loan.

For the purposes of this section, the words “bridge,” “ferry,” and “ford” respectively include such approaches to a bridge, ferry, or ford, and such protection-works in connection therewith, as may by any Proclamation under this section be defined to be part of the bridge, ferry, or ford.

The Governor may, by Proclamation publicly notified, direct that any bridge already constructed, or which may hereafter be constructed, and any ferry or ford already established or which may hereafter be established, over or across any river or arm of the sea respectively, shall, from and after a date to be fixed in such Proclamation, be under the exclusive care, control, and management of the Minister or of such local authority as shall be mentioned in that behalf in such Proclamation; and

May by any subsequent Proclamation publicly notified from time to time vary or alter such care, control, and management; and

May by any such Proclamation as aforesaid fix and determine whether all or any, and, if so, what part, of the cost, whether theretofore incurred or thereafter to be incurred, of maintaining, repairing, improving, or reconstructing any such bridge, or of managing and maintaining any such ferry or ford, and the machinery and appliances used therewith, is to be provided and paid by any local authority or local authorities (if more than one), and, if so, by what local authority or local authorities (if more than one); and

May by any such Proclamation as aforesaid direct how, when, and to whom any such payment is to be made; and every payment so directed to be made shall be made as directed by such Proclamation, and unless so made may be recovered in any Court of competent jurisdiction at the suit of the Minister or local authority, as the case may be, as a debt due to Her Majesty or to the local authority to which such payment ought to be so made.

In fixing and apportioning the cost of maintaining, repairing, improving, or reconstructing any such bridge, or of managing or maintaining any such ferry or ford, and the machinery and appliances used therewith, the Governor shall take into account the net revenue (if any) derived from or incident to the use of such bridge, ferry, or ford by the Minister or by the local authority, as the case may be, having the care, control, management, or maintenance thereof.

The Governor may, from time to time, with the view of determining whether it is expedient to vest the exclusive care, control, management, and maintenance of any such bridge, ferry, or ford either in the Minister or in any local authority, or with the view of determining the proportion in which it would be fair and reasonable to fix and determine the amount to be provided and paid by any local authority or local authorities for or towards the cost of maintaining, repairing, improving, or reconstructing any such bridge, or of managing or maintaining any such ferry or ford, and the machinery and appliances used therewith, direct any Magistrate or other person to be a Commissioner to inquire and report to him upon any matter which he shall deem necessary to enable him to determine any such question as aforesaid; and such Commissioner shall have all the powers of a Board or Commission appointed by the Governor in Council under the provisions of “The Commissioners’ Powers Act, 1867.”

Such Commissioner shall report to the Governor, after such inquiry as he shall deem requisite and reasonable, his opinion as to the matters respecting which he shall have been appointed to report; but it shall not be obligatory upon the Governor to act in accordance with any opinion that may be expressed by such Commissioner, nor to give effect to any recommendation that may be contained in his report.

All costs, charges, and expenses attending or incidental to the exercise of the powers conferred upon the Governor, or upon such Commissioner or other persons, shall be a charge upon the revenues of such local authority or local authorities as the Governor shall direct, and may be recovered as a debt due to Her Majesty in any Court of competent jurisdiction.

In case any local authority or local authorities shall refuse or neglect to maintain, work, improve, or repair any bridge, ferry, or ford (including the working of swing-or lifting-spans in bridges, where such have been provided) under its or their care, control, and management, or to reconstruct any such bridge, ferry, or ford when requisite, the Minister may undertake such maintenance, repairs, improvements, or reconstruction in the place of the local authority or local authorities so refusing or neglecting as aforesaid, and may provide for the care, working, and management of such bridge, ford, or ferry, and may recover all costs, charges, and expenses attending or incidental to his so doing from such local authority or local authorities as a debt due to Her Majesty, in any Court of competent jurisdiction.

In the exercise of the authority conferred upon him by this section, the Minister, and any and every person authorised by him, shall have all the powers and authorities which under any law are or may be vested in or could be exercised by the local authority or local authorities in the place of which the Minister shall be acting.

Any Proclamation or instrument heretofore issued or made under any Act hereby repealed, vesting the control of any bridge, ferry, or ford, and apportioning the cost of maintenance thereof, may be revoked, altered, or varied by the Governor from time to time as he may deem expedient, subject to the provisions of this Act.

Any local authority having control of a ferry may let such ferry for a period not exceeding three years.

The Minister or the local authority respectively, having the control of any road in a sparsely-populated district, may, by writing, permit any person to erect a swing-gate, including a rabbit-proof swing-gate, across such road; but the Minister or local authority, as the case may be, may, notwithstanding such permission, cause such swing-gate to be removed at any time, without payment of compensation to the person who may have erected the same, or to any person deriving benefit therefrom.