rangi Town Board shall bear three-eighths of such cost respectively; and I do also further direct that any contribution hereby required to be made as aforesaid by the Hikurangi Town Board shall be paid from time to time, in the proportion hereinbefore prescribed, out of the funds of the said Town Board within a period of one month after demand in writing made by or on behalf of the Whangarei County Council, and that such payment shall be made from time to time to the Clerk of the Whangarei County Council for and on behalf of the Hikurangi Town Board.

SCHEDULE.

THAT bridge in the North Auckland Land District over the Mangawhero Creek on the Hikurangi-Jordan Road, known as McKenzie’s Bridge, on the boundary between the Whangarei County and the Hikurangi Town District. As the site of the said bridge is more particularly delineated on the plan marked P.W.D. 61119, deposited in the office of the Minister of Public Works at Wellington, in the Wellington Land District.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General, this 22nd day of April, 1925.

J. G. COATES, Minister of Public Works.

/Appointing a Member of the Waimakariri Harbour Board./

CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General.

WHEREAS it is provided by subsection three of section thirty-eight of the Harbours Act, 1923, that in the event of an extraordinary vacancy in the office of a non-elective member of a Harbour Board, the Governor-General shall, by Warrant under his hand, appoint some qualified person in his place:

And whereas Thomas E. Keetley, a non-elective member of the Waimakariri Harbour Board, having resigned his office by writing under his hand delivered to the Secretary of the Board, an extraordinary vacancy in the membership of the Board has been created, and it is desirable to appoint a qualified person in his place:

Now, therefore, His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the hereinbefore-recited power and authority, doth hereby appoint Llewellyn Blackwell Evans to be a member of the Waimakariri Harbour Board in the place of the said Thomas E. Keetley, resigned.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General, this 27th day of April, 1925.

G. JAS. ANDERSON, Minister of Marine.

/Appointing a Member of the Waitara Harbour Board./

CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General.

WHEREAS it is provided by subsection three of section thirty-eight of the Harbours Act, 1923, that in the event of an extraordinary vacancy in the office of a non-elective member of a Harbour Board, the Governor-General shall, by Warrant under his hand, appoint some qualified person in his place:

And whereas Harry McKenzie, a non-elective member of the Waitara Harbour Board, being deceased, an extraordinary vacancy in the membership of the Board has been created, and it is desirable to appoint a qualified person in his place:

Now, therefore, His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the hereinbefore-recited power and authority, doth hereby appoint George Ernest Wills to be a member of the Waitara Harbour Board in the place of the said Harry McKenzie, deceased.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General, this 27th day of April, 1925.

G. JAS. ANDERSON, Minister of Marine.

/Commission appointed./

CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General.

To all to whom these presents sha'l come, and to ASHLEY JOHN HUNTER, Esquire, A.M.I.C.E., of Auckland, Civil Engineer; WILLIAM DUFFUS HUNT, Esquire, of Wellington, Company Manager; and HEATHCOTE BEETHAM WILLIAMS, Esquire, of Gisborne, Farmer: GREETING.

WHEREAS it is considered expedient to inquire into matters connected with the drainage of the district set apart for the purposes of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910, and with the financial difficulties now being experienced by settlers in the said district :

Now, therefore, I, General Sir Charles Fergusson, Baronet, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said-

Ashley John Hunter,
William Duffus Hunt, and
Heathcote Beetham Williams

to be a Commission to inquire into and report upon the above matters generally, and in particular to inquire into and to report upon-

(1.) The causes of the financial difficulties now being experienced by settlers in the district set apart for the purposes of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910.

(2.) The capacity of the lands in the said district to bear the charges leviable against them under the Rangitai ki Land Drainage Act, 1910, having regard to the value of the said lands at the time the drainage operations were undertaken.

(3.) The bearing that increases in the prices of such lands due to sales, and to transfers effected subsequently to the inauguration and carrying-out of such drainage-works, have had upon the general taxation now leviable upon such lands.

(4.) Whether the Government should proceed with the further development of lands within the aforesaid drainage district by expenditure out of capital, and, if so, whether such expenditure should be a charge on the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Account, or be provided by way of grant or subsidy.

(5.) What portion (if any) of the charges to which lands in the aforesaid district have, or may become, subject can equitably be regarded as chargeable against the State and be met by way of a grant in aid of drainage and road works, having regard to the fact that the Government has in the past given grants or subsidies to works of a national character, such as roads, river-protection, drainage, &c.

(6.) By what methods can the aforesaid settlers' indebtedness to the Crown be alleviated, and to what extent.

(7.) What relief (if any) should be afforded to the aforesaid settlers by mortgagees other than any relief that may be recommended as a charge to be borne by the Government.

(8.) Whether on the completion of the scheme of works now being carried on under the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910, or on the completion of the extension of such scheme if further works are deemed advisable, the ratepayers within the aforesaid drainage district should take steps to have the maintenance of such works controlled by a Drainage Board.

(9.) Whether, in the event of such a Drainage Board being constituted, it should be subsidized by the Government for a limited period. What should be such period and the rate of subsidy.

(10.) In the event of such a Drainage Board being constituted what plant (if any) should be handed over by the Government to the Board. What should be the terms of purchase of such plant by the Board.

(11.) Any other recommendations or advice arising out of these premises.

And, with the like advice and consent, I do further appoint you-

Ashley John Hunter

to be Chairman of the said Commission.

And you are hereby authorized to conduct any inquiries under these presents at such times and places as you deem expedient, with power to adjourn from time to time and place to place as you think fit, and to call before you and examine on oath (or otherwise) such persons as you think capable of affording you information as to the matters aforesaid, and to call for and examine all such documents as you deem likely to afford you information on any such matters.

And, using all due diligence, you are required to report to me, under your hands and seals, not later than the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, your opinion on the aforesaid matters.

And you are hereby strictly charged and directed that you shall not at any time publish or otherwise disclose, save to me in pursuance of these presents, or by my direction, the contents or purport of any report so made or to be made by you.

And it is hereby further declared that these presents shall continue in force although the inquiry is not regularly continued from time to time or from place to place.