The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Wellington Reserves Act 1876 Amendment Act, 1877.”

The fourth and fifth sections of “The Wellington Reserves Act, 1876,” are hereby repealed.

It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to cause a Crown grant to be issued granting to the Board of Commissioners of the local District of Carterton all that piece of land the boundaries whereof are set forth in the First Schedule hereto, to be held upon trust, anything in the Land Transfer Acts to the contrary notwithstanding, to erect and build upon any part or parts of it any building or buildings for public use or connected with the public service, and also as and for a recreation-ground or public gardens for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Carterton and the vicinity.

It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to cause a Crown grant to be issued granting to the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of the Borough of Palmerston North all that piece of land the boundaries whereof are set forth in the Second Schedule hereto, upon trust, anything in the Land Transfer Acts to the contrary notwithstanding, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Palmerston North and the vicinity thereof, as a public park and recreation-ground and botanical gardens.

It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to cause a Crown grant to be issued granting to the Board of Commissioners for the local District of Featherston all that piece of land the boundaries whereof are set forth in the Third Schedule hereto, upon trust, anything in the Land Transfer Acts to the contrary notwithstanding, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Featherston and the vicinity thereof, as a reserve for water supply for the said inhabitants.

It shall be lawful nevertheless for any of the above-mentioned bodies, grantees respectively of the several parcels of land before referred to, to lease the whole or any portion of the said lands respectively granted to such body, for any term not exceeding twenty-one years, to any person or persons, for such rent or rents, and subject to the purposes recited in the preceding clause, and to such covenants, conditions, and agreements in every respect, as such body grantee as aforesaid shall, by resolution duly passed at a meeting of the same, duly convened in the ordinary way, think fit: Provided always that all rents and profits arising out of any of the said lands shall be applied towards the improvement of such land only, and for no other purpose whatsoever.

It shall be lawful for any of the said bodies, grantees as aforesaid, by resolution passed in the ordinary way at any ordinary meeting of the same, duly convened from time to time, to ordain and pass regulations or by-laws regulating the use by the public of the said lands, and for the better government of the same, and for the protection of any plants, trees; buildings, fences, or any other improvements whatsoever upon the said lands; and such regulations may impose penalties not exceeding five pounds for each offence for the breach of all or any of such regulations, such penalty to be recoverable summarily before a Resident Magistrate or two Justices of the Peace. Such regulations shall take effect one month after the publication thereof in the Gazette, accompanied by the certificate of the Mayor, Chairman, or other chief officer of such body grantee as aforesaid of the same having been duly passed. Such regulations may also be repealed, altered, added to, or amended in any way whatsoever by any other regulation or regulations from time to time passed in like manner.

If and whenever either of the said Districts of Featherston or Carterton, or any principal portion thereof, shall be formed into a corporation or borough, and the Board of Commissioners for such district, or either of them, shall cease to exist, then and in such case the lands before mentioned, and granted to either of the said Boards of Commissioners before mentioned, shall respectively immediately thereupon vest· in the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of such new borough respectively, who shall hold the same upon the same trust hereinbefore declared, and with, under, and subject to the same favours, provisoes, and declarations hereinbefore declared of and concerning the same.

It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to cause a Crown grant to be issued, granting to the society called “The Ancient Order of Foresters” the piece or parcel of land described in the Fourth Schedule to this Act, upon payment by the said society to the Waste Lands Board of the Provincial District of Wellington of the sum of one hundred pounds, to be held in trust for the purposes of the said Society.