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The Estimates For the coming year will be laid before you. The revenue from the small import duties is sufficient to meet all reasonable charges for the Government. We urge you to keep those charges as low as possible to avoid further taxation. In our opinion no increase of taxation should be made except for special objects to be stated at the time of imposing the tax, and to which the proceeds of the tax should be appropriated. This will be the best safeguard against extravagance and waste, because if they take place it will then be seen by all the people. A Hospital. New diseases have been brought among us which we do not understand, and others, like measles or smallpox, which killed such numbers in Fiji, may come at any time. The missionaries have done a doctor's work and given to it much time and trouble in the past; but we recommend you now to make provision for a doctor who will give all his time to the work, and with a view ultimately to having a hospital, about which the doctor would be able to advise when he came. Think well of this matter. It concerns the lives l of yourselves and your children. British Money. We recommend you also to consider if the time has not come when British money can be substituted for the Chilian dollar. In accordance with the resolution passed by you last session, inquiry into this subject has been made, and a Bill will be laid before you for consideration. Do not be in a hurry over this great matter, but consider it well, so that when you go to your homes you may be able to make it clear to all the people. The Governor of New Zealand. During'the year we have been visited by Lord Glasgow, the Governor of New Zealand, and the representative of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in that great colony. We and all the people did our best to make the visit pleasant to Lord Glasgow, and to Lady Glasgow and their party, and to let His Excellency see freely for himself all connected with the Government, and its working in these islands. We presented an address of welcome, which, with the reply, will be laid before you. We are glad to be able to inform you that Lord Glasgow was well pleased with his visit, and sorry only that he could not remain longer in Aitutaki, and that he was unable to visit Atiu, Mitiaro, and Mauke. :.. .3 .._.- . o . ; The Federal Flag. We thought that the coming of the Governor of New Zealand would be a good opportunity to hoist for the first time the flag of the Federation. At our invitation, Lord Glasgow undertook this, and the flag was hoisted by him at the Parliament House, on the sth April. This is the flag that will be used by all vessels belonging to the Cook Islands; and we recommend that it should be hoisted at Parliament House whenever the Parliament is in session. Each island can hoist its own flag when its own Council is in session, and all the people will thus be reminded of the difference between the Parliament and the Councils. The Parliament is to do those things for all the islands which one island is not strong enough to do for itself; but each island will continue to do all other work through its own Council. New Laws. Ws think that the getting of British money, and providing for a doctor, are quite enough for this session. Other matters will, no doubt, occur to yourselves. We pray for God's blessing on your work in this the fourth meeting of the Parliament of the Cook Islands. Makba, Ariki, Earotonga, sth July, 1894. Chief of the Government.

Sub-enclosure. Addbess. Earotonga, 29th March, 1894. To His Excellency the Eakl op Glasgow, Governor of New Zealand, &c. Wβ, the Government of the Cook Islands Federation, for ourselves and in the name of the Chiefs, Governors, and people of the Cook Islands, cordially welcome your Excellency as the Eepresentative of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in the great Colony of New Zealand, to which we are under obligation for many acts of kindness and help. We thank you also for bringing Lady Glasgow and your family to visit us. Your Excellency will be able to see the good work that has been done in bringing our islands under a settled form of Government, and we ask you to report to Her Majesty Queen Victoria our deep thankfulness for having covered us with the protection of the British flag, under which our Government has been formed, and under which we hope to establish in these islands a free, prosperous, and educated Maori people: To this end our great desire is that English shall be taught to our children, so that their knowledge may be increased by reading English books, and that they may carry that knowledge to other islands. Your Excellency will be pleased to learn that the London Missionary Society is sending out teachers, and that we are building a house and school for them, so that English may be hereafter taught to the children of these islands,