The Short Title of this Act is “The Sea-fisheries Act Amendment Act, 1896,” and it shall form part of and be read with “The Sea-fisheries Act, 1894” (hereinafter called “the principal Act”).

Section three of the principal Act is hereby amended by repealing, in the definition of “oysters,” the words “and all edible shell-fish that may be from time to time declared by the Governor to be oysters for the purposes of this Act.”

The Governor may from time to time, by Order in Council gazetted, declare—

Any particular species or description of edible shell-fish (other than oysters); or

Sponges and sponge-beds, either generally or any particular species or description thereof, to be subject to such of the provisions of the principal Act or this Act relating to oysters or oyster-beds as he thinks fit to specify in that behalf; and thereupon, and until the revocation of such Order in Council, such shell-fish, sponges, and sponge-beds shall be subject to such provisions, mutatis mutandis, accordingly:

Provided that when shell-fish in the Middle Island are required as an article of food by the aboriginal native population they shall be exempt from the operations of this Act:

Provided also that the Native Minister may, by written order gazetted, relax the provisions of any Order in Council as regards the North Island if he is of opinion that such Order in Council injuriously affects aboriginal natives by limiting or depriving them of food-supplies. Such order by the Native Minister may be varied or cancelled from time to time, and may apply to any part or parts of the North Island.