A.—3

34

What appears to me to be an anomaly in the Bill is that the Niue Island Council is empowered to issue prohibition orders against any person (European, of course). It seems to me that this power should vest in the Resident Commissioner in his capacity as a Justice of the Peace, to be exercised after due inquiry. . The Niue Council, composed wholly of Natives who are debarred from obtaining liquor, should not, I think, be able to deal with a matter of this kind, which would affect Europeans only. Of course, it comes to the same thing; but, as the clause stands, a meeting of the Council would have to be summoned before a prohibition order could issue, although there are two Justices of the Peace on Niue. I have, &c, C. F. Maxwell, The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister in Charge, Resident Commissioner, Niue. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington.

No. 81. Sir,— Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 13th October, 1904. In reply to your letter No. 225, of the 22nd September, 1 have the honour to inform you that, as I have "always urged that the boat should not be insured, I very much approve of the discontinuance of the insurance, but I can see no reason why a sinking fund should be established, since you have at all times a lien on the revenue of both Niue and the Cook Islands. I notice'by the papers that the words '■'household purposes" have been struck out of the Licensing Act, and therefore total prohibition would seem to be the law in these Islands. If this is so the sooner the schooner is sold the better. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering Islands, Wellington.

No. 66,

No. 82. Si Rj _ Niue, 14th October, 1904. I have the honour to submit to you herewith a return of road-work in Niue for the quarter ended the 30th September, 1904. The total length of roads constructed at a fixed price per chain is 172 chains, comprising 101 chains of new road and 71 chains of widening to 16 ft., and remaking former roads. The total expenditure on this class of work amounts to £146 14s. 4d., averaging £1 os. 9d. per chain for new roads, and 12s. per chain for remaking old roads. A heavy rock cutting and 15 chains of excellent road was made Try the people under a previous arrangement, at a cost of £15— i.e., provisions and tobacco, £10, and paid labour £5, as I sent my gang of trained men to do the blasting. This cutting and two reservoirs caused the expenditure of a large quantity of dynamite, and obliged me to relinquish road-work, as very little can be done here without explosives. I am employing a gang of four men as surface-men, and the roads are gradually becoming very good. 1 h av e> <*°-> J & C F. Maxwell, The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister in Charge, Resident Commissioner, Niue. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington.

Enclosure. Return of Road-work in Niue from 1st July to 30th September, 1904.

Dynamite and fuse supplied by Administration; value, £9. 101 chains of new road <ml £104 14s. 4d.; average cost per chain, £1 os. 9d. 71 chains widening, &c, old road cost £12; average cost per chain, 12s. Rock-cutting and 15 chains of new road made by the island cost tobacco, £2; provisions, £8; paid labour, £5: total, £15. I have, &c, C. F. Maxwell, 13th October 1904. Resident Commissioner, Niu»j

Locality. CKss of Work. Number of Chains. Price per Chain. Total. Alofi-Avatele New roaa, 16 ft. " 5ft 20 31 11 33} 5ft 39 26| 172 £ s. d. 1 13 0 1 5 4 0 12 0 1 13 0 0 16 6 1 13 0 0 12 0 0 11 0 £ s. d. 8 14 0 25 6 0 18 12 0 19 13 0 27 16 10 8 13 0 23 8 0 14 11 6 Alofi-Tuapa Tuapa-Mutalau Alofi-Avatele Tuapa-Mutalau Alofi-Tuapa Alofi-Liku Widening and forming New road, 16 ft. Widening and forming New road, 12 ft. Total 146 14 4