WHEREAS under the authority conferred in the first paragraph of the First Schedule of “The Special Powers and Contracts Act, 1886,” the Governor did appoint a Commission to inquire into and report upon all claims to laud made by Volunteers enrolled between the years one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three and one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, which were barred by section three of “The Waste Lands Administration Act, 1876,” with the view, in accordance with a report of the Waste Lands Committee of the House of Representatives, dated the tenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six, of restoring their rights to all those men enrolled before the thirty-first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, who subsequently, by continuous service, completed their five years as efficient Volunteers:

And whereas the aforesaid Waste Lands Committee, by another report dated the twenty-second day of June, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six, did express their opinion that the claims to land of the naval and military settlers, if entertained at all, should, in the first instance, be inquired into and reported upon by the Government; and the Governor, in accordance with the last-mentioned report, did direct the Commissioners appointed under the aforesaid Commission to inquire into and report upon all the claims to land of the naval and military settlers accordingly:

And whereas the aforesaid Commissioners have reported to the Governor that, having inquired into the claims of one thousand six hundred Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers, they found that only the several persons mentioned in the First Schedule to this Act had respectively substantiated such claims, and to the extent in the said Schedule expressed:

And whereas subsequent to the said report, further evidence has been adduced by or on behalf of the persons mentioned in the Second Schedule in substantiation of their claims, and the same have been proved to the satisfaction of the Defence Minister, to the extent in the said Schedule mentioned:

And whereas, by the enactment hereinabove first recited, it is provided that all claims recommended by the aforesaid Commissioners should be paid in cash, and it is expedient that the Governor should be authorised to satisfy any of such claims by the issue of certificates for remission of money in the purchase of land, in lieu of cash: