A.—3

8

No. 4. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Govebnob. My Loed, — Cook Islands, British Residency, Rarotonga, 22nd August, 1896. Referring to my despatch of the 23rd July (8/96), I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Parliament closed its session on the 11th August, and to enclose, — (1.) Act to prevent the landing of certain objectionable persons in the Cook Islands. (2.) To prevent the reckless landing of sick seamen and others in the Cook Islands. (3.) To authorise the compiling and printing of existing laws. (4.) To punish the crimes of murder and murderous assault. (5.) To form a Hospital Board. (6.) To strengthen the Arikis' Courts. (7.) " Appropriation Act, 1896." (8.) Message No. 3, respecting the returns of births and deaths in the Cook Islands. (9.) Report and supplementary report from Dr. Caldwell on the hospital. (10.) Letter from the Catholic Mission, asking for a new school. (11.) Imports for the year 1895-96. (12.) Exports for the year 1895-96. (13.) Shipping return for the year 1895-96. (14.) Estimates for the year 1895-96. With reference to above, — Nos. 1 and 2 are rendered necessary by recent experience of persons sent here. No. 4 is to meet cases like that of the recent murderous assault and robbery in Aitutaki by an American negro, and for which the laws provide no proper or adequate punishment. No. 5: By forming a Hospital Board the hospital will be brought in closer touch with the people. No. 6 is to protect Arikis' Courts in the outer islands from defiance by traders in those islands, of which there have been a few cases of late. No. 7, Appropriation Act, calls for little notice beyond reference to the item of £40 for opening a road to the residency at Ngatipa. The building which I have hitherto occupied as a dwellinghouse and office is small and very inconvenient, but it seemed to me that the schools, hospitals, and public works of different kinds required all that could be spared from the small federal revenue, and had a prior claim. Year by year, however, cisterns have been built at Ngatipa, and the roof of the outbuildings covered with iron to provide a water-supply. A road will now be made, and I hope soon to see the residency made habitable. No. 10, asking aid for the school of the Sisters of St. Joseph, received much consideration. The members value the service done by the school, but decided that the claim to aid from the public revenue could not be recognised without becoming a bad precedent, and leading to confusion. I would also call to your Excellency's notice the enclosed Bill to provide against mischief to the Federal Government from disputed succession of any Ariki in one of the islands. This Bill, after discussion, was set aside by a large majority, but, though not passed, it will probably do good by bringing to a point the disputed succession in the Takitumu district, from which dispute inconvenience in the conduct of the district business often occurs. I also enclose for your Excellency's information a cutting from a newspaper, Te Torea, in which will be found in Maori and in English the copy of a letter of respect and affection to Sir George Grey, P. 0., X.C.8., on his retirement from public life. The letter is from the Federal Parliament and Queen Makea, to whom, as well as to many of the members, Sir George Grey is well and personally known, while his name has long been as familiar to the Cook Islanders as to the New Zealand Maoris. The Torea also contains an account of the proceedings of Parliament on the closing-day, when the members expressed their strong sense of the help they have received from New Zealand, and were pleased also to show a gratifying appreciation of the work which I have been able to do among them. I have, &c, Feedeeick J. Moss, His Excellency the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., Governor of New Zealand.

Sfo. 3.

Enclosure No. 1. No. 1, 1896. —To PEEVENT THE LANDING OP CEETAIN OBJECTIONABLE PeBSONS IN THE COOK Islands. Whebeas it has become necessary to put a stop to the deportation from other countries to the Cook Islands of persons of notoriously Bad character, drunken habits, or of unsound mind, and to guard against such persons being made a burden to the Government and people of the Cook Islands : Be it enacted by the British Resident and the Parliament of the Cook Islands :■ — (1.) That the master of a vessel leaving on shore any person or persons not belonging to the Cook Islands at any of the Cook Islands other than Rarotonga shall not leave the group without proceeding to Rarotonga and reporting the landing of such person or persons to the Collector. (2.) That the Collector may call upon the said master to give substantial guarantee to an amount not exceeding fifty pounds for each person so left that the said person will not become within twelve months from the date of his landing a charge upon the revenue of the Cook Islands or of any separate island of the Federation.