2Interpretation

### 2 Interpretation > *\[Section 2 Amended by 25 Geo. V No. 78 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by 25 Geo. V No. 97, s. 3 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by 26 Geo. V No. 97, s. 3 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by No. 67 of 1964, s. 2 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by No. 75 of 1973, s. 2 and Sched. 1 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by No. 19 of 1980, s. 171 and Sched. 1 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by No. 28 of 1994, s. 39 \]**\[Section 2 Amended by No. 30 of 1995, s. 3 and Sched. 1 \]*In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears – > > > ***bankruptcy*** includes liquidation by arrangement, and any other act or proceeding having, under any Act, effects or results similar to those of bankruptcy; > > > ***building purposes*** include the erecting and the improving of, and the adding to, and the repairing of buildings; and a ***building lease*** is a lease for building purposes or purposes connected therewith; > > > ***conveyance*** includes assignment, appointment, lease, settlement, and other assurance, made by deed, on a sale, mortgage, demise, or settlement of any property, or on any other dealing with or for any property; > > > ***Court*** means the Supreme Court; > > > ***covenant in gross*** means a covenant created under [section 90AB](#GS90AB@EN) ; > > > ***incumbrance*** includes a mortgage in fee, or for a less estate, and a trust for securing money, and a lien, and a charge of a portion, annuity, or other capital or annual sum; and ***incumbrancer*** includes every person entitled to the benefit of an incumbrance, or to require payment or discharge thereof; > > > ***instrument*** includes deed, will, schedule of easements under the [Local Government (Building and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1993-096) , and Act; > > > ***land*** includes land of any tenure, and tenements and hereditaments corporeal or incorporeal, and houses and other buildings, also an undivided share in land; in relation to land ***income*** includes rents and profits, and ***possession*** includes receipt of income; > > > ***mortgage*** includes any charge on any property for securing money or money's worth; and ***mortgage money*** means money or money's worth, secured by a mortgage; and ***mortgagor*** includes any person from time to time deriving title under the original mortgagor, or entitled to redeem a mortgage, according to his estate, interest, or right in the mortgaged property; and ***mortgagee*** includes any person from time to time deriving title under the original mortgagee; and ***mortgagee in possession*** is, for the purposes of this Act, a mortgagee who, in right of the mortgage, has entered into and is in possession of the mortgaged property; > > > ***property*** includes real and personal property, and any estate or interest in any property real or personal, and any debt, and any thing in action, and any other right or interest; > > > ***purchaser*** includes a lessee or mortgagee, and an intending purchaser, lessee, or mortgagee, or other person who, for valuable consideration, takes or deals for any property; but ***sale*** means only a sale properly so called; > > > ***Register*** has the same meaning as it has in the [Land Titles Act 1980](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1980-019) ; > > > ***rent*** includes yearly or other rent, toll, duty, royalty, or other reservation, by the hectare, the tonne, or otherwise; and ***fine*** includes premium or fore-gift, and any payment, consideration, or benefit in the nature of a fine, premium, or fore-gift; > > > ***securities*** include Government debentures, Treasury bills, and shares; > > > ***timber*** includes all indigenous or foreign trees, the wood of which is ordinarily used for building or manufacturing purposes, and the bark of such trees, but does not include brushwood, scrub, or underwood.