27

A'.—B

Friday, 9th October. After a keen contest the resolution to raise the education rate from 2s. to 3s. was carried by sto 4. The Council then adjourned till Tuesday, 13th October. After a short discussion the Bill embodying the above resolution was carried by 7 to 4, and so ended this long contest, not without its uses as an educating process for the Maori. The Council also passed the Appropriation Act. The Bills passed will be submitted to the House of the Arikis, and if they and the British Resident approve them the session will end. Many members expressed the opinion that January or February would be better months for meeting than August, which is the busiest time of the year. The Council then adjourned till Tuesday, the 20th instant, on which day the Arikis' Council will also meet.

Enclosure No. 2. Public Schools Act 1895 Amendment, 1896. It is hereby enacted by the Rarotonga Council: — 1. That for the year ending 30th June, 1897, and subsequent years the sum to be paid annually by all adult persons of the age of twenty years and upwards shall be three shillings instead of two shillings, and that section six of the above Act is hereby amended accordingly. Dated at Avarua, this 13th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1896. Passed by the Arikis' Council, 20th October, 1896. Approved. To go into operation forthwith. Feedeeick J. Moss, British Resident.-—2oth October, 1896.

Enclosure No. 3. Appbopkiation Act, 1896. It is hereby enacted by the Rarotonga Council: — 1. That the money, amounting to eight hundred and one pounds and eight shillings, as per Schedule attached hereto, shall be applied to the purposes respectively stated. 2. That all accounts must be formally certified to by the Auditor as being in accordance with the attached Schedule, and to be applied to the purposes respectively stated. 3. That the Paymaster shall not issue any cheques, nor the Auditor countersign the same, unless the services to be paid for are certified by the head of the department as having been properly performed, or the works and services on roads or bridges to be paid for certified by the Inspector of Works as having been properly done. Dated at Avarua, this 13th day of October, 1896. Passed by the Arikis' Council, 20th October, 1896. Approved. To go into operation forthwith. Feedeeick J. Moss, British Resident.—2oth October, 1896.

Schedule, 1896-97.

'ote. Service. Amount. 1 2 3 4 5 Clerk to Council and Government ... Paymaster Auditor ... Rent of bond Clerks of the Arikis' Courts— Avarua Arorangi Takitumu Police — Avarua Arorangi Takitumu Interpreting and clerical assistance ... Fixed appropriations— Avarua Arorangi Takitumu Judges of Arikis' Courts — Avarua Arorangi Takitumu £ s. 7 10 7 10 7 10 5 18 d. 0 0 0 0 25 0 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 36 0 18 0 18 0 30 0 0 0 9 0 7 8 40 10 30 0 30 0 0 0 0 45 0 18 0 18 0 0 0 9 Carried forward