THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE..
201

might think fit: And whereas divers Payments, amounting in the whole to One
hundred and two thousand seven hundred and three Pounds, or thereabouts, have
been made to the Company on account of the Sum so charged and the Interest
thereon: And whereas the Company are willing to accept the immediate Payment of
a Sum less than the Residue now unpaid of the Sum of Two hundred and sixty-
eight thousand three hundred and seventy Pounds Fifteen Shillings, and the Interest
thereon, in full Satisfaction and Discharge thereof, instead of waiting for the Pay-
ment of the whole Amount by Instalments and at uncertain Times; and it is
expedient that Payment of a Sum, as by this Act provided, be made to them accord-
ingly, and that the Sum so paid be distributed among the Shareholders of the
Company: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and
with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons,
in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:

1. If, on or before the Fifth Day of April One thousand eight hundred and Payment of a
   fifty-eight, there be paid in One Sum, or by Instalments to the New Zealand Sum to the
   Company, on the Receipt authorized by the first-recited Act, for immediate Distri- New Zealand
   bution, a Sum equal to the Balance on the Day of such Payment remaining Company to be
   unpaid of the Sum of Two hundred and sixty-eight thousand three hundred and in full of their
   seventy Pounds Fifteen Shillings, and the Interest thereon, less Sixty-eight thousand Claim for Ba-
   three hundred and seventy Pounds Fifteen Shillings, then, on that Payment being lance of
   so made, it shall be in full Satisfaction and Discharge of all such Part as is then £268,370 15s.
   unpaid of the Sum of Two hundred and sixty-eight thousand three hundred and
   seventy Pounds. Fifteen Shillings, and the Interest thereon, and of all and every
   Claim of the Company in respect of that Sum, and the Interest thereon, and the
   Sum so paid shall be forthwith distributed and paid by the Company to and among
   the several Shareholders of the Company and other Persons entitled thereunto; and
   the Payments to the Shareholders shall be in rateable Proportion to their respective
   Payments on Shares in the Capital of the Company, and shall be made to the
   several Persons who from Time to Time are registered in the Books of the Company
   as the Holders of Shares in the Capital of the Company: Provided, that where
   Two or more Persons are registered as the Holders of any Share, any Payment in
   respect of the Share may be made to the joint Holders thereof, or any One or more
   of them, and their or his Receipt shall be an effectual Discharge for the Money so
   paid: Provided also, that if and where any Shareholder is in Debt to the Company
   they may retain and apply any Money payable to him under this Act, or a sufficient
   Part thereof, in or towards Satisfaction of the Debt, and that whether the Debt, be
   due from him alone or from him jointly with any other Person or Persons, and
   whether such Person or such Persons, or any of them, be a Shareholder or Share-
   holders, or not: Provided also, that where, after dilligent Inquiry, the Person to
   whom any Money is payable under this Act, or his Address, is unknown to the
   Company, or he fails to accept it, or to apply to them for it, they may pay it into
   the High Court of Chancery, under any Act from Time to Time in force for the
   Relief of Trustees.

2. Provided always, That this Act, and everything therein contained, shall be Act not to pre-
   subject and without Prejudice to all Claims and Demands whatsoever against Her judice Claims
   Majesty, under and by virtue of Section Nineteen of the recited Act of the Session against Her
   of the Tenth and Eleventh Years of Her present Majesty, Chapter One hundred Majesty.
   and twelve.

3. This Act shall be in force throughout Her Majesty's Dominions.
   Act to be in
   force in Her
   Majesty's Do-
   minions.

4. This Act may for all Purposes be cited as " New Zealand Company's Short Title.
   Claims Act, 1857."

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, Dec. 12th, 1857.
THE attention of the respective Postmasters
throughout New Zealand is directed to
the following Despatches.
E. W. STAFFORD.

[CIRCULAR.]

Downing Street,
11th August, 1857.
SIR.-Referring to my predecessor's Circular
Despatch of the 10th August, 1854, relative to

a proposal from the East India Company to
establish a Book Post between India and the
Australian Colonies I transmit herewith for
your information and guidance copy of a letter
from the General Post Office, stating that the
proposed measure will be carried into effect on
the 1st of October next, and containing a scale of
the postal charges to be made for Book Packets
under this arrangement.

I have, &c.,
H. LABOUCHERE.
Governor Gore Browne, C.B.
&c., &c., &c.