The Short Title of this Act is “The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act Amendment Act, 1897,” and it shall form part of and be read together with “The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act, 1896” (hereinafter called “the principal Act”).

The power by the principal Act conferred upon the Colonial Treasurer to raise the therein-mentioned sum of one million pounds is hereby extended to include such additional sums, not exceeding in the whole the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, as he thinks fit.

For the purpose of enabling the said sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds to be effectively raised, all the powers, authorities, and provisions of the principal Act relating to the therein-mentioned sum of one million pounds shall extend and apply to the said additional sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds.

All moneys raised in respect of the said sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds shall, as and when raised, be paid into the Public Account to the credit of the Public Works Fund, and shall from time to time be applied to the works and purposes and in the amounts respectively specified in the Schedule hereto:

Provided that no payments out of the Public Works Fund shall be made in respect of such works and purposes without appropriation by Parliament.

The proviso to subsection one of section two of the principal Act, limiting to twenty-five years the time within which debentures, scrip, or stock shall be repaid, is hereby repealed.

Section thirteen of the principal Act is hereby amended as from the date of the coming into operation thereof by adding at the end of that section the words “without further authority or appropriation than this Act.”