Notwithstanding that the special rate made by the Minister of Lands under subsection (1) of section 2 of the Swamp Drainage Amendment Act 1928 on 30 March 1933 on lands in the Poukawa Drainage Area, in addition to being of an amount sufficient for the repayment of moneys then actually expended on that area together with interest thereon, included an estimated amount required to be expended to complete the drainage works in that area, the special rate is hereby validated and declared to have been lawfully made.

Whereas by a Proclamation dated 23 June 1939 and published in the Gazette of 6 July 1939 on page 1937, an area of 19 acres 1 rood 26 perches of land, being portion of Section 13, Block I, Oamaru Survey District, in the Otago Land District, was taken under the powers conferred by the Public Works Act 1928 for the purposes of a secondary school:

And whereas it was mutually agreed with the owners of the said land—namely, the managers of the Saint Paul’s Presbyterian Congregation, Oamaru, a corporation constituted under the provisions of the Presbyterian Church of Otago Incorporation Act 1875 (hereinafter in this section referred to as the owners)—that the sum of 795 pounds be paid in full and final settlement of all costs, claims, demands, or damages arising out of the taking or utilisation of the land for secondary school purposes or otherwise howsoever:

And whereas the owners and the lessee of the land mutually agreed that the compensation was to be paid to the owners and that the owners would settle with the lessee for any interest he may have:

And whereas doubts have arisen as to whether the compensation should be paid to the owners or to the Public Trustee:

And whereas it is inadvisable in this case to pay the money to the Public Trustee, all matters having been mutually agreed upon by the parties affected:

Be it therefore enacted as follows:

The Minister of Public Works is hereby authorised to pay to the owners the sum of 795 pounds in full and final settlement of all costs, claims, demands, and damages arising out of the taking or utilisation of the aforesaid land for secondary school purposes or otherwise howsoever, and the receipt of the secretary or other authorised officer of the owners for that amount shall be a full and final discharge from any further liability.

It shall be lawful and be deemed to have been lawful for any local authority or public body to expend out of its general fund or account any sum or sums of money for the purpose of welcoming, entertaining, or otherwise tendering hospitality to the officers and men of any ships of the Royal Navy or of any other navy, whether British or foreign, which have visited or may hereafter visit New Zealand.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Act, the Buckley Drainage Board shall have, in respect of that portion of the Mangaore Stream situated in the Borough of Shannon and the Horowhenua County between the Main Road and Johnson Street in the said county, all the power of a River Board duly constituted in accordance with the provisions of the River Boards Act 1908.

The Buckley Drainage Board shall maintain the left bank of the aforesaid portion of the Mangaore Stream and shall expend annually on the maintenance thereof such sums of money as the Board, the Horowhenua County Council, the Shannon Borough Council, the Minister of Public Works, and any landowner may mutually agree to contribute, being not greater in any individual case than the sum of 10 pounds.

Any such contributions by any local authority shall be paid annually to the Board out of the general fund or account of the contributing local authority, and any sums agreed to be paid by the Minister of Public Works shall be paid out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purpose.

The provisions of the Electoral Act 1927, or of any other Act, as to the disqualification of members of Parliament or of candidates for election as members of Parliament shall not apply with respect to any payment that may be received out of public moneys by the Right Honourable Joseph Gordon Coates in respect of the purchase from him of a sound camera and equipment for the purposes of the Government film studios.

Whereas the prices at which motor spirits may be sold are fixed by certain regulations (hereinafter in this section referred to as the district regulations) made under the Motor-spirits (Regulation of Prices) Act 1933:

And whereas by the district regulations it is provided that where any purchaser of motor spirits purchases or has purchased for use in his own business and not for resale not less than specified quantities of motor spirits the motor spirits shall be sold at reduced prices (hereinafter in this section referred to as wholesale prices):

And whereas in the month of September 1939 restrictions were imposed on the quantities of motor spirits that could be purchased, and consequently purchasers of motor spirits who would otherwise have purchased the specified quantities of motor spirits which would have entitled them to purchase at wholesale prices were unable to purchase those quantities:

And whereas the district regulations have since been amended by reducing the quantities specified but the amendment did not come into force until 8 March 1940:

And whereas it is desirable to provide that persons who, if the amendment had come into force on 1 September 1939 and applied with respect to all motor spirits purchased on or after that date, would have been entitled to pay wholesale prices for any motor spirits, instead of the higher prices actually paid by them, should be entitled to a refund of any moneys paid in excess of the wholesale prices:

Be it therefore enacted as follows:

If any person has bought motor spirits for use in his own business and not for resale and satisfies the Minister of Industries and Commerce that if the aforesaid amendment of the district regulations, being the Motor-spirits Prices General Regulations 1938, Amendment No 8 (SR 1940/42), had come into force on 1 September 1939 and had applied with respect to all motor spirits purchased on or after that date, that person would have been entitled to purchase the motor spirits at the wholesale prices for the time being in force, the vendor of the motor spirits shall refund to that person any amount paid for the motor spirits in excess of those wholesale prices.

Any vendor of motor spirits liable to make a refund under this section shall make the refund not later than 16 days after he receives notice that the Minister has been so satisfied as aforesaid.

Any such notice may be signed on behalf of the Minister by any officer of the Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity Department.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the will of James Dilworth, late of Remuera, Auckland, settler (deceased), or in the Drillers Trustees Act 1902, or in the Dilworth Trustees Act 1902 Amendment Act 1905, or in the Dilworth Trustees Acts Amendment Act 1912, the trustees of the said will may select to be a pupil of the Dilworth Ulster Institute any boy who, during any war in which His Majesty may be engaged and whether before or after the passing of this Act, may have arrived in New Zealand from any part of the United Kingdom under any Government scheme, whether or not he is under the age of 10 years.