The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Green and Spencer Land Claims Act 1868.”

The decision award and direction of the Land Claims Commissioner whereby the land described in the Schedule hereto was awarded to the said George Green and the direction that a Crown Grant of such land should be made and issued to him is hereby annulled and made void and it shall be lawful for the said Commissioners to make a new decision award and direction in lieu thereof.

It shall be lawful for either of the claimants aforesaid to appeal against such new decision award or direction of the said Commissioner to the Supreme Court in manner provided by the thirteenth section of “The Land Claims Settlement Act 1856” at any time within six months from and after the passing hereof anything in the said Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

In the event of such new decision and award of the Commissioner containing a recommendation that the said Crown Grant to George Green should be cancelled and should no certificate be given within the said period of six months by a Judge of the Supreme Court of his opinion that the said new decision and award should be reversed or annulled it shall be lawful for the Governor to cancel the grant aforesaid issued to the said George Green in manner and with the effect provided in respect of the cancellation of grants by “The Crown Grants Act 1866” and to issue a grant or grants of the aforesaid land claimed by the said George Green and James Spencer or of any part of it in accordance with such new decision or award.

It shall be lawful for a Judge of the Supreme Court upon an application in a summary way to stay the proceedings in the action aforesaid brought by George Green to recover possession of the lands described in the Schedule hereto and for other matters until the opinion of a Judge of the Supreme Court shall have been certified as aforesaid.

If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Commissioner and be so stated in such new decision or award that the decision and award hereby annulled were induced by misrepresentations made by the said George Green and such new decision or award be not reversed or annulled within the period aforesaid by the Supreme Court then and in such case the said James Spencer and John Watt and others the defendants in the aforesaid action shall be and are hereby freed acquitted and indemnified of from and against all costs in the said action or in any proceedings connected therewith or in any appeal against any judgment or order made in the said action heretofore or which hereafter may be awarded by the Supreme Court to be paid by the defendants in the said action or any of them to the said George Green or which they or any of them may become in any way liable to pay to the said George Green in the said action and all awards judgments and orders which the said defendants may have been or may be or become liable or subject to for or on account of any such costs shall be discharged and made void and the said action so commenced by the said George Green shall on the expiration of the said period of six months without such reversal or annulment as aforesaid be absolutely stayed and any Judge of the Supreme Court to whom the Judicial District of Otago and Southland shall for the time being have been assigned is hereby authorized and required to order that all further proceedings in the said action shall be stayed.

All costs which the said defendants or any of them have incurred or hereafter shall incur or have or shall become liable to pay for or about or in respect of defending the action so commenced by the said George Green for the recovery of the said land or for or about or in respect of any appeal against any judgment or order made in such action shall on the expiration of the said period of six months without such reversal or annulment as aforesaid and upon being taxed and allowed by the proper taxing officer be paid by the said George Green to the said defendants respectively or in default of such payment within three months after such confirmation or allowance shall be made a first charge upon any land or lands hereafter to be awarded by the said or any Commissioners under “The Land Claims Settlement Act 1856” or under any Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand to the said George Green or his representatives and it shall not be lawful for any such Commissioners to direct or recommend or for the Governor to issue any grant for such land or lands hereafter to be awarded until the costs aforesaid shall have been so paid to the satisfaction of such Commissioners.