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No. 6. His Excellency the Governor to Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 7th August, 1899. I have the honour to inform you that, undaj Section 111. (10) of the Pacific Order in Council, the power of deportation can be exercised by the Deputy Commissioner, after conviction of a crime, or in default of security for peace and good behaviour. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific could, however, under the same section, issue an order prohibiting an individual from residing in the Cook Islands. You will thus see that the power of deportation does not rest with the Governor of New Zealand in any case, and I should be very sorry to see this power exercised unless it was essential for the public peace and welfare. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, British Besident, Rarotonga. Ranfurly.

No. 7. His Excellency the Governor to Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 7th August, 1899. I have the honour to inform you that section 8 of the Pacific Order in Council, 1893, only provides for the appointment of a Judicial Commissioner for particular purposes and for a particular time. It is therefore at present impossible to grant you this Commission. The Secretary of State for the Colonies agrees with me as to the desirability of giving you these extra powers, and is causing steps to be taken for the requisite amendment of the Order in Council. I shall therefore hope shortly to be able to inform, you of it having received Her Majesty's assent. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, British Besident, Rarotonga. Ranfurly.

No. 8. His Excellency the Governor to Lieut-Colonel Gudgeon. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 13th August, 1899. I have the houour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 28/99). No. 3, I should be glad if you would inform Daniela Tangitoro that I have received his offer to present a plot of land to Her Majesty the Queen. This offer I have duly forwarded to London to learn Her Majesty's pleasure on the subject, and, on receiving her reply, will write to you a further despatch containing the same. I feel sure Her Majesty will highly appreciate the offer and the way in which it has been made. I have, &c, Lieut-Colonel Gudgeon, British Resident, Rarotonga. Ranfurly.

No. 9. Lieut-Colonel Gudgeon to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, — Cook Islands : British Residency, Rarotonga, 16th August, 1899. I have the honour to enclose five copies of three of the Acts passed during the present session of the Cook Islands Legislature—namely, " The Import Duties Act 1898 Amendment Act, 1899 " ; " The 'Au ' Empowering Act, 1899 " ; " The Public Worksßating Act, 1899." The first, as your Lordship is aware, was passed in order to restrict the sale of liquor among a class of Europeans who would otherwise never be sober, and who have hitherto taken the fullest advantage of the fact that rum was only Is. lOd. per bottle. The second was passed at the instance of the chief men of Rarotonga in order to define the process of that local body known as the " Au,"and it has met with such general approbation that it has been adopted by every island of the group. The Public Works Rating Act is a necessary sequence of Act No. 2. Hitherto the work of making and maintaining roads and bridges has fallen entirely upon the Maori population; but this want of system can no longer be put up with. Ngamaru, Ariki, and the men of Avarua, have, at my suggestion, built two bridges and approaches at an expenditure of money and labour equal to at least £400; this they have done entirely out of their own pockets, and they are now building a still more expensive bridge over the Avatiu Creek. All these are necessary works, but it cannot be expected that the Maoris shall find both labour and material. Other statutes passed by the Parliament have not yet been printed, and it is possible that I may not be able to forward them to your Lordship until the September steamer leaves here. I have noticed that some inspired writers in the Auckland papers have prophesied that the people and Parliament of the Cook Islands would give me trouble over the abolition of the Island Councils. The contrary, has, however, been the case. The Parliament has now completed its labours for the financial year 1899-1900, and has passed so many useful statutes that I think it is the end of legislation for the next five years. The laws of Mangaia and Aitutaki have been revised and codified, and, notwithstanding that I have eliminated many of the old missionary offences from the code, all of which were very dear to the Polynesian heart, the Parliament have passed these statutes with acclamation, and have expressed a hope that they will be adopted by the remaining islands of the group.