NEWS FROM RAROTONGA.

Otago Witness, Volume 01, Issue 2123, 1 November 1894, Page 5

NEWS FROM RAROTONGA.

Auckland, October 25.

The Richmond arrived last night from Tahiti and Rarotonga with a full cargo of fruit, pearl shell, copra, and general island" produce. News from Rarotonga is to the effect that coffee, banana, and fruit-planting is considerably extending among the islands of the group. The Native Council was in session at Karotongn, and several important measures were pussed, including the first local tax ever levied in Rarotonga, its object being to tax occupied land According to front «ge, and it is thought that measure will act fairly with residents. The British Resident at Rarotonga (Mr F. J. Moss) tent a memorandum to the Rarotonga Council re special settlements. A large quantity of the best land in the island is now lying watte and idle. It could yield much valuable coffee and other saleable produce, but there are nob people enough to use it. The remedy is to induce peeple to come from other countries. He also outlines his scheme. The counoil haviDg considered the matter, passed the following resolution :—": — " That this council considers that the time has come to form special settlements of people from New Zealand who might desire to be planters of coffee or other produce on the lands lying unused in Rarotonga. They recommend, eubject to the Government— i c., the Arikis,— to take such measures to a selection of lands and conditions of occupation and other matters &% they (the Arikis) may consider desirable, and which will secure not only additional production, but an increased population living on the land set eside for their occupation as special settlement in Rarotonga." Qaeen Make* is much gratified with the reply from the House Committee to a present of five cases of Rarotonga oraDges she sent to Bellamy's, and has' effcred to keep the New Zealand Parliament always supplied from her own grounds i£ Bellamy's will arrange about getting them carried from Rarotonga to Wellington. Oranges are a drug here, and of little value, and she hopes Parliament! will let her show in that way; small small degree of the gratitude she and her people feel for the <rocd offices they have experienced from New ZeAland. Queen llakea has voluntarily accepted s law which gives local government to her subjects, and this has been the means of uniting tho whole of the people. The Seventh Day Adventißts have landed a party of missionaries at RarotOßga to form a mission, and the Roman Catholics are also expsctcd to send a party of misoionaries shortly. The new law maklcg British currency the only legal tender throughout the group comes into force in January next. The natives do not appear to be pleased with tha report that they are to b9 annexed to Fiji* being well satisfied with the New Zealand connection, which has been found to work ver.» well.

Anyone in want of *n island to be free from posts, trains, telegraphs, book Hands, and others, has the choice of 38,600 acres northern part Auckland Inland, npeet annual rental only £2; or 75,000 acres southern portion of ditto, rent £5 ; or 25,000 ncres Adams Island for £2; or Campbell Island, 28,000 acres, at an upset rental of £2.