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No. 16. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Goveenoe. My Loed,— Auckland, 21st October, 1892. I have the honour to enclose the copy of a letter from Captain Eooke, of H.M.S. " Champion," respecting certain complaints of Mangaia and Aitutaki, which the Natives of those islands wished him to make to me. Captain Eooke's letter is dated from Tahiti on the 13th September, and was received by me at Earotonga on the 2nd of October by the " Eichmond," by which vessel I came to Auckland. I had previously received from Aitutaki and Mangaia the complaints made to Captain Eooke. The latter reached me on the 23rd September, and were at once replied to, in order that the opportunity of writing by the Mission vessel the " John Williams," then hourly expected, might not bo lost. Aitutaki. Israela, Chairman of the Aitutaki Council, and other Aitutaki chiefs, visited Earotonga on the 12th September, and came to see me. Finding that the reports (similar to those circulated at Mangaia) were without foundation, they left, perfectly satisfied, as your Excellency will see by the Aitutaki letters, dated the 30th September, enclosed herewith. The letters are from Pakoti, Chairman of the Government, and from Te Taura, the Chief Judge of Arutanga. Arrangements were also made to avoid causing unnecessary inconvenience to Aitutaki vessels under the Customs Eegulation No. 5, to which Captain Eooke refers. They were also perfectly satisfied with the new flag adopted by the Parliament. They had recently got into difficulty in Papeete through hoisting their local flag, which the French authorities declined to recognise. Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul, who intervened in their behalf, informs me that the numerous Cook-Islanders resident in Tahiti, who have registered themselves at the Consulate, all express satisfaction with the new Federal flag. If the Union-jack is allowed in the corner, that satisfaction will be much increased, and all grounds for quarrel be removed. The Aitutaki chiefs were also perfectly satisfied with the new postage-stamp, with Queen Makea's likeness—as the elective chief of the Federal Executive—upon it, when informed that, as Chief of the Federal Government, Makea had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Island. Mangaia. I enclose, for your Excellency's information, copies of the letters received by me from that Island, with my replies thereto—namely : (1) from Vaipo, one of the most important chiefs, dated the 19th September, with my reply of the 23rd; (2) from certain chiefs, dated the 21st September, with reply of the 23rd; (3) from King John, dated the 21st September, with reply of the 23rd ; (4) from Chief Judges, dated the 18th September, with reply of the 23rd; and have no doubt that, as with Aitutaki, there will be no further trouble when they know that the reports circulated among them are without foundation. The suggestion to place the likeness of Her Majesty Queen Victoria upon the postage-stamps is quite new, and had there been any idea that this would have been permitted, I am quite sure that the Federal Parliament and Queen Makea would have gladly adopted the proposal. The big star in the centre of the official Government stamp was only an artistic fancy. The matter is trifling, but to appease jealousies I had already advised that a new stamp should be made, and one has been sent by the " Eichmond," with all stars alike. I would respectfully observe that Aitutaki has one-fourth of the representation in Parliament; that Mangaia is in a similar position; and that it is of the first importance to maintain the authority of the Parliament as the only means of overcoming the jealousies of the Arikis and between the several islands. These jealousies are old and strong, and are easily operated upon by persons inimical to the success of the Federation. This probably acccounts for the apparent omission, in the interpretation into English of King John's complaints to Lieutenant Nugent, of the erroneous reports on which those complaints were based, and on which such stress is laid in the letter of the 21st September by the " Tiaki Aus," sent by King John to me. I have, &c, Feedeeick J. Moss, His Excellency the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c. British Eesident.

Enclosure No. 1. Captain Eooke to Mr. J. F. Moss. Sic,— H.M.S. " Champion," at Tahiti, 13th September, 1892. I beg to inform you that on my arrival at Mangaia, on the morning of the 9th instant, one of the lieutenants of this ship landed on the west side of the island and rode across to the Mission buildings on the east side. He delivered your letter to King John, who formally made the following complaints to me through him : (1.) He and his chiefs object strongly to Queen Makea of Earotonga being Queen of the Federation and placed over them. They said they do not know her at all, and are under Queen Victoria only. (2.) He and his chiefs object strongly to having Queen Makea's head on their postage-stamps, and want that of Queen Victoria. (3.) They object to the one big star amongst the seven stars on the official stamp, it being a symbol of the supremacy of Earotonga over the other islands. (4.) They wish to collect the duties on goods coming from ports other than Earotonga, the money to be expended on the island according to the direction of the British Eesident. Lieutenant Nugent informed King John that I would forward their complaints to you, which I now do, observing that they are very nearly the same objections as were made to

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