17
A.—3
person as you consider qualified, a Commissioner of the High Commissioner's Court for the purpose of administering oaths, &c. It will, I think, be satisfactory if you can accept the office. As the double jurisdiction under which the Cook group of islands is at present administered is now unworkable, I am addressing Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies on the question, and am suggesting that they should be placed for the future entirely under the High Commissioner. I have, &c, Glasgow.
No. 14. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, — Auckland, 3rd January, 1894. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Excellency's despatch of 26th December, enclosing one from the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, with a blank commission for the appointment of some person qualified to administer oaths as a Commissioner of the High Commissioner's Court. In obedience to your Excellency's opinion, I will write to the High Commissioner by the first opportunity accepting the Commissionership, which will not in the least interfere with my duties as Eesident. With regard to the future administration of the Cook Islands, referred to by your Excellency, I have only to express a hope that in any change which may be made their autonomy will continue. To raise up within them a native race of Maoris capable of self-government must, if the experiment be successful, have a material effect on the future of the great number of the islands scattered over the Pacific which are individually too small to support European teachers and missionaries, and also the future of outlying parts of the larger islands and of New Guinea, to which the Cook Islands contribute many missionary teachers. I have full confidence that if allowed a reasonable time for development the experiment will be successful, especially now that the natives are to be taught English. I have, &c, His Excellency the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., Frederick J. Moss, Governor of New Zealand. British Eesident.
No. 15. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, — . Auckland, 3rd January, 1894. I have the honour to enclose Dr. Andrews's report on the health of Earotonga, which I received by last mail via Tahiti, through Lieut.-Commander Bain, of H.M.S. " Ringdove." The report is a press copy only; and I would have had it recopied, but did not wish to lose time, as, if your Excellency think fit to have the report printed, it would be an advantage that the printing should be done at once, in order that I might correct the proof before returning to Earotonga. I have, &c, His Excellency the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., Frederick J. Moss, Governor of New Zealand. British Besident.
Enclosure. REPORT ON THE HEALTH OP RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS, BY O. W. ANDREWS, M.8., 8.5., SURGEON R.N. General Diseases. Group A. — Sub-group 1. Smallpox. —Unknown. Measles.— Unknown. Enteric Fever. —No case occurred during my visit to the island. Yellow Fever. —Unknown. Cholera. —Unknown. Dysentery. —This disease, I was informed, was very prevalent amongst the natives during the summer months (December, January, February, and part of March). One or two cases occurred at Ngatangia during our stay, but I did not see them. Leprosy, which is usually treated under the head of specific febrile diseases, is alluded to in this report under the heading of skin-diseases. Group A. — Sub-group 2. Ague, Remittent Fever. —Occasional. Cases of malarial fever are met with from time to time in persons who have visited other islands, but the Island of Barotonga appears to be singularly free from the malarial poison. Group A. — Sub-groups 3 and 4. Erysipelas. —No case came under my notice. This disease, which is so frequently met with in temperate climates, is much less frequently met with within the tropics. As it is not unknown in other tropical places, I have no doubt that occasional cases occur in Earotonga. 3—A. 3.