A.—3a

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tonga Council; No. 7, 1891, the Dog-tax Amendment; No. 8,1891, Amendment of old Law No. 11. And are to go into operation forthwith. No. 3, 1891, to Eegulate the use of Dynamite, has been also approved by me, to come into operation on the Ist September, 1891. 9th July, 1891. Fbedeeick J. Moss, British Eesident.

No. 1, 1891.—A Law to Punish the Grime of Eape. (Translation.) 1. Any man having carnal connection with a female by force or against her will, is guilty of rape, and shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding $500, or hard labour for such time as the Judge may direct. 2. No female under the age of fourteen years shall be able to give her consent to such carnal connection, and no man plead such consent. If he have connection with any one under that age he shall be adjudged guilty of rape. 3. No one shall be convicted of rape on the testimony of the girl without corroborative evidence.

No. 2, 1891.—A Law to prevent Bribery. (Translation.) 1. Whoever offers a bribe to any one in public office to influence him thereby in the performance of his duty shall be adjudged guilty of a gross offence, and liable to a penalty not exceeding $500. The penalty to be subject to the approval of the British Eesident. 2. Any public'officer to whom a bribe shall be offered, and who shall fail at once to report the same to the Government of his district, shall forfeit his office, and bedeclared ineligible to take part in public affairs for any period not exceeding five years, that the Court of the district, subject to the approval of the British Eesident, shall decide.

No. 3, 1891. —To Prevent the use op Dynamite for Improper Purposes. (Translation.) 1. No dynamite shall be sold in Rarotonga except to persons obtaining a special permission to purchase the same from the Collector of Eevenue. 2. Any person selling without such permission being first produced shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $100. 3. No dynamite shall be used for the purpose of killing fish in the waters of Earotonga. Any person so using it will be liable to a fine not exceeding $50.

No. 4, 1891.—For Electing the Au. [Translation.] 1. There shall be an Au in each of the districts of Avarua, Arorangi, and Taketumu, whose duty it will be to look after the roads and public works, and to maintain order in the district. 2. The Au shall consist of the arihis of the district with two members elected by the Mataiapos, two by the rangatiras, and two by the rest of the people. The first election shall take place on the passing of this law, and elections in all future years on the Ist June; if that be Sunday, the following day shall be the day of election. 3. When elected, their names shall be sent to the ariki, who will call them together at such time and as often as the said arihi may consider necessary. 4. The Au may impose penalties not exceeding $20 for the breach of any law made by them, and approved by the British Eesident. 5. The Au may raui cocoanuts or produce when they consider such ram for the public good, but it will not be valid unless approved by the British Eesident, and its terms and duration made publicly known. 6. The Court of the district will enforce the laws made by theAu, and levy the penalties for their non-observance. 7. The Au is empowered to levy dues for vessels using the moorings and wharves in any harbour in its districts, and to appropriate the same to the arihi of the district. No new moorings shall be laid down nor wharves built without the written consent of the arihi being previously obtained.

No. 5, 1891.—Harbours. (Translation.) 1. The pilot is not only to see vessels safely into the harbour ; he and his crew are to assist them in mooring. The same when the vessel is leaving. 2. The pilot is to be vigilant, and delay vessels as little as possible. 3. The pilot is to be appointed by the ariki of the district, and under the arihi's control. 4. If either of the harbours is at any time required for the use of the vessels of war, or any mail steamer, or for any other reasonable purpose, the arihi of the district may order any of the trading vessels moored in that harbour to proceed to sea, and either anchor outside or in another harbour. Should the master of such vessel refuse or neglect to comply with the order within three hours after receiving the same he shall be liable to a penalty of any sum not exceeding $50 for every day that he remains in port, always provided that the wind has been favourable for his leaving, and his vessel not disabled; and it is also further provided that the order of the ariki must be countersigned by the British Eesident. 5. No ballast to be thrown into the harbour on the beach or near the entrance without the written consent of the arihi. Penalty, $50. 6. The following is the scale of dues to be charged for the pilot: Scale of fees and harbour dues ; Vessels under sixty tons, $6; vessels exceeding sixty tons, 10 cents per ton.