A.—3

1904. NEW ZEALAND

COOK AND OTHBE ISLANDS. [In continuation of Parliamentary Paper A.-3, 1903.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Memo, for the Resident Commissioner. Rarotonga, 14th March, 1903. With reference to the subsidy of £1,000 per annum voted by the Cook Islands Administration in aid of the Government schooner " Countess of Ranfurly," I would point out that no portion of this amount is contributed by the Niue Island Administration, nor does that Administration in any way contribute towards the expense of maintaining the schooner. Since this Department has had the management of the schooner she has visited Niue twice, and is now on another voyage to Auckland via Niue and back, making four visits in nine months. Previously, I think, the vessel visited Niue twice. As some of these visits were purely for Government purposes, and as the object of the vessel's present visits there is to foster trade and to benefit the traders and the Niue community generally, I would suggest that steps should be taken to obtain from the Niue Administration a small annual subsidy, so that the subsidy borne by the Cook Islands Administration could be reduced. E. Blame, Secretary, Government Schooner Department. For the consideration of the Government of New Zealand. —W. E. Gudgeon. Resident Commissioner.

No. 2. Sir,— Rarotonga, 30th March, 1903. I have the honour to submit that on an island like Aitutaki, where there are no wheeled vehicles, and no roads other than old Native tracks, an Ordinance like the attached is not only unnecessary, but oppressive. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, The Hon. the Minister for the Islands. Resident Commissioner.

Enclosure. Aitutaki Island Council. An Ordinance to license and regulate the Use of Bicycles on the Island of Aitutaki. Whereas the use of bicycles on the narrow public thoroughfares of Aitutaki is fraught with considerable inconvenience and risk, several accidents having resulted therefrom to the inhabitants of the island: Be it enacted by the Island Council of Aitutaki: — 1. The Short Title of this Ordinance is " The Bicycle Ordinance of Aitutaki, 1903." 2. Within one month from the notification in the Cook Islands Gazette of the assent of the Governor of New Zealand to this Ordinance, every user of a bicycle on the Island of Aitutaki shall obtain a license for such bicycle from the President of the Island Council, and pay therefor a license fee of two shillings and sixpence (2/6); this also shall apply to every bicycle brought to Aitutaki thereafter, the fee in the latter case to be paid before the bicycle is removed from the year, and shall be renewable during the first week in January in each succeeding year-; all custody of the Customs Officer. The said license shall remain in force till the end of the current license fees not paid within the times specified in this Ordinance may be recovered by suit in the Aitutaki Resident Magistrate's Court, with costs of Court added. I—A. 3.