A.—3a.

1902. NEW ZEALAND.

PACIFIC ISLANDS: ORDINANCES PASSED BY THE FEDERAL COUNCIL OF THE COOK ISLANDS, AND ASSENTED TO BY THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND IN THE NAME AND ON BEHALF OF HIS MAJESTY.

Laid on the Table of both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 9 of " The Cook and other Islands Government Act, 1901."

Cook Islands, Rarotonga.—Ordinance No. 1, 1901. " The Traders' License Act, 1898," and the regulations made thereunder, is hereby extended to and shall have force within the Island of Penrhyn as from the 31st day of December, 1901. Passed by the Federal Council on the 10th day of December, 1901. W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. [Assented to 21st March, 1902.]

Cook Islands, Rarotonga.—Ordinance No. 2. Whereas many complaints have been received from persons of the native race and European residents in the district of Arorangi to the effect that their animals and crops have been maliciously destroyed or stolen : And whereas it would appear that the offenders are screened or defended by the people of their Tapere : Be it enacted, — 1. The Short Title of this Ordinance shall be "The Protection of Property Ordinance." 2. This Ordinance shall apply to the Island of Rarotonga, but may, by resolution of the Federal Council, be made to apply to any island in the Federation. 3. In any case where it shall be proved before the Chief Judge of the High Court that property has been stolen or maliciously destroyed, and that there is reasonable cause to believe that the offenders are being screened or protected by the people of any Tapere, the Chief Judge aforesaid may ascertain the value of the property stolen or destroyed, and may impose a fine on one or more Taperes equivalent in value to the said property and the costs of the suit. 4. The Chief Judge of the High Court may order the Mataiapo of any Tapere to collect the fine imposed and pay it into the Court within the period named by the Court, and any person who shall neglect or refuse to carry out the order of the Court, or shall obstruct the collection of the fine, shall be guilty of contempt of Court, and liable to fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labour, or a fine not exceeding twenty shillings. 5. Any person who shall be found trespassing on the land of another without the permission of the owner or occupier shall, unless he or she can show sufficient reason for the trespass, be liable to a fine of not exceeding forty shillings, or in default one month's imprisonment with hard labour. 6. In any instance where it shall be shown that a landowner has been persistently annoyed by petty larcenies or malicious injury to his property, the Chief Judge of the High Court may call upon the Ariki of the district to call out the able-bodied inhabitants of the adjoining Tapere and fence in the land of the injured person with the ordinary wall of coral rock. Ordinance passed unanimously at 10 a.m., 14th December, 1901. S. Savage, Clerk to Council. [Assented to 21st March, 1902.]

Cook Islands, Rarotonga.—Ordinance No. 3. Whereas many thousands of cocoanuts are stolen every year within the Cook Islands, and it is expedient that restrictions should be placed on the sale of this stolen property to Maori and Chinese tea-shops : Be it enacted, — 1. The Short Title of this Ordinance shall be " The Sale of Cocoanuts Restriction Ordinance." 2. During the continuance of a rahui over the cocoa-palms of any island it shall not be lawful to sell any of the nuts thereof except by permission of a policeman, who may either signify in writing that the vendors are the rightful owners of the nuts, or attend the traders personally to authorise the sale. Any Maori infringing the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine of ten shillings, or in default hard labour for ten days. Any European committing an offence against this section shall be liable to be fined five pounds and have his license cancelled. 3. Any policeman appealed to under the provisions of the last section shall satisfy himself that the person in possession of the nuts had come by them lawfully before he. shall give his consent.