Grants may be made
in severalty to abori-
ginal inhabitants.
Governor may grant
land appropriated by abori-
ginal inhabitants to
the endowment of
schools, &c.
Assent of aboriginal
inhabitants to be as-
certained by some per-
son appointed by the
Governor.
Acts to be done with
advice of Executive
Council.
Interpretation of
"Governor," &c.
Short Title.
188
15. Any set of Commissioners appointed under this Act with the
assent of the Governor may make a conveyance or lease in sever-
alty of any lands within the limits of their jurisdiction to any of
the Aboriginal inhabitants for whose benefit the same may have
been reserved or excepted either for or without valuable consider-
ation, and either absolutely or subject to such conditions as the said
Commissioners may think fit.
16. Where any lands shall have been at any time heretofore
propriated by abori- or shall hereafter be set apart or appropriated by any Aboriginal
inhabitants entitled thereto, for the sites of Churches Chapels
or Burial Grounds and for the endowment of Schools, Hospitals, or
other eleemosynary institutions for the benefit of such aboriginal in-
habitants, it shall be lawful for the Governor with the assent of the
said aboriginal inhabitants to be ascertained in manner herein pro-
vided to grant such lands to any person or persons, whether of the
Native or European race or any Body Corporate or Bodies Cor-
porate nominated by or on behalf of such aboriginal inhabitants
and such lands shall be held for the purpose of such special endow-
ments with such powers as are hereby vested in Commissioners un-
der this Act and subject to the provisions thereof. Provided al-
ways that nothing in this Act contained shall have the effect of re-
moving any invalidity or curing any defect in any grant or other
conveyance made or issued before the passing of this Act under
which any lands may have been granted or assured to any person or
persons for Religious, Charitable, or Educational purposes for the
benefit of the aboriginal inhabitants. Provided also that nothing
in this Act contained shall extend or be implied to extend to give
validity to any appropriation or setting apart of any lands for such
purposes as aforesaid which have been heretofore so appropriated or
set apart in contravention of any terms of purchase or contracts
affecting such land.
17. The Governor shall appoint some competent person to
ascertain the assent of the said Aboriginal inhabitants and such
person shall proceed according to such Rules as shall be prescri-
bed in that behalf by the said Governor. And the report of such
person, if adopted by the Governor, shall be final and conclusive as
to such assent, and the publication of such Report and the adop-
tion thereof in the "Government Gazette" of the said Colony
shall be evidence of such assent. Provided always that whenever
such assent shall have been ascertained as aforesaid the land to
which the same shall relate shall be conveyed to her Majesty her
heirs and successors and shall then become subject to the provisions
of this Act.
18. Every Act which is authorised or required to be done by
the Governor under this Act shall be done only with the advice
and consent of the Executive Council of the Colony.
19. The term "Governor" shall mean the person for the time
being administering the Government of New Zealand and the term
"Aboriginal Inhabitant" shall include half-castes.
20. This Act may be cited for all purposes as "The New
Zealand Native Reserves Act, 1856."