The Short Title of this Act is “The Westland Education District Subdivision Act, 1883.”

On and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, the present Education District of Westland shall be divided into two education districts, being the divisions of the colony described in the Schedule hereto (hereinafter called “the District of Westland and the District of Grey”).

The Education Board for the District of Westland is hereby dissolved: Provided that this section shall not take effect until the new Boards for the said districts have been elected, as herein provided.

During the month of November, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three, elections of Education Boards for the said districts herein constituted shall take place, and such elections shall be conducted in the same way and in like manner as provided in the case of first Education Boards by the provisions of “The Education Act, 1877;” and the members of the Boards so elected shall take office on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, and shall hold their first meetings on such day as the Minister of Education shall appoint.

Nothing in this Act shall invalidate any contract, liabilities, or other agreement made, accepted, incurred, or entered into by or on behalf of the Education Board of the District of Westland with any person or persons; but such contract, liabilities, or agreement shall be carried out or fulfilled by the Education Board of the District of Westland or the Education Board of the District of Grey, or by both such Education Boards, either in whole or in part, as may be directed by the Minister of Education for the time being in office.

The Inspector, Secretary, and teachers employed by the present Westland Board of Education shall be the Inspector, Secretary, and teachers for the Education Boards of the said districts until such time as the new Boards shall have made other arrangements: Provided that nothing herein contained shall prejudice the existing rights of any such Inspector, Secretary, or teachers.

All real property immediately before the coming into operation of this Act vested in, belonging to, or under the control of the West-land Board of Education shall, on the coming into operation of this Act, be vested in the Board of the new district wherein such property is situate.

The Boards of the said districts may agree what moneys, debts, liabilities, assets, contracts, and securities of or belonging to the Westland Board of Education, or of any of the School Committees in the Westland Education District, on the thirty-first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three, or what proportion thereof, shall belong or attach to each such Board; and if they cannot so agree before the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, the Minister of Education shall, upon the application of either of such Boards, make an inquiry into the circumstances, and make an award as to the several matters mentioned in this and the preceding section.

Every award of the Minister made in respect of any one or more of such matters shall be final and conclusive on the several Boards interested therein.

In any case in which no sufficient provision is made by this Act, or in which by any misadventure, accident, or cause whatsoever anything is at any time done after the time required by this Act, or is otherwise irregularly done in matter of form, the Governor may, by Order in Council gazetted and advertised in some newspaper circulating in each of the education districts respectively, from time to time make provision for any such case, or may extend the time within which anything is required to be done, or may validate anything so done after the time required, or so irregularly done in matter of form, so that the true intent and purpose of this Act may have effect.

This Act shall be read together with “The Education Act, 1877,” except in so far as the provisions therein contained are contrary to the provisions of this Act.