A—3.

No. 77. Sib, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 30) of the 28th November last, reporting your visit to Bakahanga, which is satisfactory ; and I now enclose a warrant appointing Panapa Wauharangi to be Eesident Agent for that island, without salary. He will act only under your instructions. I have, &c, B. J. Seddon. Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga.

No. 78. Sib, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 31) of the 21st November last, reporting your visit to Manihiki. Your proceedings there meet with the approval of the Government, and I now enclose warrants of appointment for Henry Williams and George Ellis for the Tauhonu and the Tukao divisions of the island respectively. They will act only under your instructions. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga. B. J. Seddon..

No. 79. Sic, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 28) of the 20th November last, reporting as to a recent judgment by Captain Macalister, of H.M.S. "Torch," at Penrhyn, and to inform you that I have forwarded a copy to His Excellency the Governor for transmission to the Admiral for Captain Macalister's remarks. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga. B. J. Seddon.

No. 58.

No. 80. Sib, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. In reply to your letter of the 16th November (No. 25), I have the honour to inform you that the Government approves of your action at Atiu with respect to the landing-places. You will therefore be good enough to have them surveyed and gazetted as suggested. The notice should appear in the New Zealand Gazette in the first instance. I have, &c, E. J. Seddon. Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga.

No. 57.

No. 81. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 38), not dated, enclosing letters from the Union Steamship Company and Captain Macbeth relative to a lease of wharf and sheds at Barotonga. As I have before stated, it is only equitable and right that faith should be kept with the company, and you will therefore be good enough to give effect to your own suggestions in regard to the matter. I have, &c, B. J. Seddon. Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga.

No. 82. Sib, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 26) of the 18th November, recommending the appointment of yourself and Pa Ariki, under section 6 of " The Cook and Other Islands Government Act, 1901," to investigate titles to land in the islands. The Government is favourably disposed to adopt your recommendation, but before doing so it would be glad to receive such suggestions as you may have to make as to carrying the recommendation into effect, and I therefore suggest that you should prepare a draft Order in Council embodying such powers and functions as you consider should be conferred on the. Judges, taking as your guide the powers and functions of the Judges of the Native Land Court in New Zealand. • I have, &c, B. J. Seddon. Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga.

No. 83. Sic, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1902. I have the honour to inform you that I have submitted the draft rules for regulating the pearl-shell industry forwarded with your letter (No. 29) of the 20th November for the advice of the Solicitor-General, and now return them with that officer's advice indorsed thereon for your action. You will perceive that he has some doubts as to your power to make such regulations, but has none as to the power of the Federal Council to pass an Ordinance embodying them ; and it seems to me that you should get such an Ordinance passed by the Council without delay. I have, &c., Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Eesident Commissioner, Barotonga. B. J. Seddon.

No. 59.

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