A.—3

3

Enough, We wish your Excellency and your family health, happiness, and God's blessing. Makea Takau, Ariki, Chief of the Government of the Cook Islands, that is to say, of the Arikis of the several islands, who are :— Earotonga ... Makea, Ariki. Atiu, \ ... Ngamaru, Ariki. ... Karika „ Mauke, and I ... Parua „ „ ... Tinomana „ Mitiaro J ... Eongomatane „ ... Pa „ Aitutaki ... Vaeruarangi „ „ ... Kainuku „ „ ... Tamatoa „ Mangaia ... John „ „ ... Teurukura „ ~. Nooroa „ „ ... Maharangi „

Eeply. Earotonga, 29th March, 1894. To Makea Takau, Ariki, Chief of the Government of the Cook Islands, and to the Arikis who form the Government, whose names are affixed to the address received on my arrival this morning. I thank you for the cordial welcome you have given me as the Governor of New Zealand, with which great colony you have been so long in close intercourse, and also for your welcome to Lady Glasgow and my family, who have come with me to visit your beautiful islands. From the time when I first came to New Zealand till now I have wished to visit you in order that you might have a proof of the interest which I take in your welfare, and to assure you of the goodwill of the inhabitants of New Zealand to you and your people. I had hoped, if time and weather permitted, to visit all the islands—namely, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke, and Mangaia, but I fear that I cannot undertake to do so, and I ask you therefore to convey to the Arikis, Governors, and people of those islands my regret that I cannot visit them on this occasion, and my best wishes for their happiness and welfare. I shall take the greatest pleasure in conveying to Her Majesty Queen Victoria your expressions of thankfulness for the protectorate over your islands. Her Majesty will be pleased to hear that your children are to be taught English, for their own great good and that of the people of other islands, to whom they will be able to become guides and teachers. I have been glad to hear from the British Eesident, Mr. Moss, how well your Government has maintained the law among your people, and how earnestly your Federal Parliament and the Councils of the various islands have striven to perform their duties, the due observance of which have tended so much to render the maintenance of order and good government easy among you. Persevere in this work, so that by unanimity and cordial co-operation you may be strong to do good for your people. I pray for God's blessing on your labours, and for the success of your young Government, and the happiness and prosperity of the inhabitants of your islands. Glasgow.

Enclosure No. 2. Message No. 1. We recommend Parliament to pass a resolution undertaking to appropriate next session a sum not exceeding $200 towards the expenses of a fair, to be held in July next year, in Earotonga, at which fair prizes will be given for the best of certain articles made or grown by people of all races in the Cook Islands. If you pass the resolution it will give time for people to prepare, and the fair can be held during the next session of Parliament. sth July, 1894.

Enclosure No. 3. Message No. 2. We find that the London Missionary Society has paid $125 duty on the importation of timber and other material for the school now being built at Nikao. As the school is for the good of all the islands we should have liked to remit this duty, but on considering the question have decided that the law does not allow it. Also, in the Society's school at Arorangi, Miss Ardill has been doing good work and teaching English to fifteen children, who have been boarded there since last November. But the Society has no claim to any of the grant made by you last session (11th July, 1893) because that was for teaching children from all the islands, and not from one. This cannot be done in the school at Arorangi as it is not large enough. To show your goodwill to this school, now being built at Nikao, we recommend you to make provision: (1.) For making a good road to the Nikao School; (2.) For contributing a sum, not exceeding $200, towards the expense of the feast which is usual on the first opening of all houses and buildings. Earotonga, sth July, 1894.

Enclosure No. 4. [This Bill to be submitted to the Parliament is published for general information. Copies may be obtained on application to the Chief Postmaster.—22nd June, 1894.] No. 1, 1894. —To Establish Beitish Coinage as the only Legal Curkency, It is hereby enacted by the British Eesident and the Parliament of the Cook Islands, — 1. That no action under this law shall be taken by the Chief of the Government without the previous approval in writing of the British Eesident.