• Preamble

  WHEREAS in the Dominion of New Zealand certain persons are members (as defined by section two of this Act) of Churches at various places in the said Dominion, which said Churches are affiliated to the religious body known as the Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand (hereinafter referred to as the body): And whereas at a duly convened Conference of delegates of the said Churches held at South Dunedin on the eighteenth day of April, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, a Board of Trustees consisting of certain members of the said Churches was set up, to the intent that the said Board should hold as Trustees the lands of such of the said Churches as were desirous of vesting the same in the said Board, and also all real and personal property to be vested in the said Board for Church extension purposes: And whereas the said Board was duly incorporated under the Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Act 1908: And whereas the said Board is known as the Church Extension and Property Trust Board of Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand: And whereas by a certain deed-poll or declaration of trust bearing date the twentyninth day of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, the said Board attempted to define (a) the trusts upon and subject to which moneys raised or received by it, or real and personal property received, held, purchased, or acquired by it, for Church extension purposes were to be held, managed, lent, or expended, and the powers of the said Board relative thereto, and (b) the trusts upon and subject to which the said Board would hold all real or personal property held by it, either on behalf of any individual Church of Christ affiliating with the body or on behalf of the body itself, or on behalf of any society, club, or other organization connected with the body or any Church affiliated therewith, and the powers relating thereto: And whereas the Churches named in Schedule 1 hereto have transferred their respective properties (as described in column three of the said Schedule) to the said Board upon the trusts set forth in the said declaration of trust: And whereas doubts have arisen as to the ability of the said Board to legally hold the properties vested therein or other properties sought to be vested therein, and it is desirable that such doubts should be removed by legislative enactment: And whereas certain other Churches affiliated with the said body are desirous of vesting their respective properties in the said Board, subject to the trusts hereinafter defined, but are precluded from doing so by reason of the said properties being held under existing trusts, or are unable to do so without incurring the expense of first appointing new Trustees in place of those who have died, as well as other legal expenses: And whereas in the case of the property described in Schedule 2 hereto the Trustees thereof are (so far as is known) all deceased, and there is no person duly authorized to apply to the said Board to take over the said property: And whereas it is desirable that in this case the disabilities hereinbefore mentioned should be removed, and that a simple and ready means should be provided whereby the said property may be vested in the said Board upon the trusts and subject to the powers and authorities hereinafter defined and set forth:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—