A.—3

12

4. All work on roads or bridges shall be subject to the supervision of the Government Engineer or other officer appointed for that purpose by the Resident Commissioner. Passed this twenty-seventh day of June, one thousand nine hundred and four. S. Savage, Clerk to Council. W. E. Gudgeon, President. [Assented to by the Governor, 6th August, 1904.]

No. 18. g IR) — Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 29th June, 1904. Having regard to the carelessness displayed by the people in the northern islands in the matter of leprosy, I propose, subject to your approval, to pass an Ordinance to prevent any vessel from bringing Native passengers from any island which shall have been declared an infected island to any one of the Cook Islands. By this action we shall be able to limit the disease, and bring home to the people the danger of not taking proper precautions. I have, &c, The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister for the Islands, Wellington. W. E. Gudgeon.

No. 19. g IB Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 29th June, 1904. I have the honour to forward herewith plan of the proposed accommodation-house and of the Hospital grounds and their position relatively to the other Government buildings of the place. No better site could, be chosen than that of the Hospital, for there is a piece of land on which Mr. Banks's house stands that could be taken at any time to add to the grounds, and make the place as near perfection as could be obtained in this island. On this point, and on the policy that should be pursued with reference to all lands in the occupation of the Government, I will, however, write you at length on a future occasion. I have, &c , , , W. E. Gudgeon. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington.

Enclosure. Proposed Accommodation-house for Rarotonga, Concrete Building. It is proposed to erect only part of the building at present, and the remainder, if found necessary, later on. The part of the building proposed to be built at present is shown on the plans in black, and the addition in red. The part proposed to be erected at present to contain 7 bedrooms, 1 sitting-room, I diningroom, 1 kitchen, 1 store, bath-room, and verandahs, 2,700 square feet of floor of main building, 450 square feet of floor of kitchen, &c, and 1,120 square feet of verandah-floor. The estimate of the cost is eleven hundred pounds sterling (£1,100). Addition. To contain six extra rooms and verandahs, 1,500 square feet of main-building floor, 1,650 square feet of verandah-floor. Estimate of the cost seven hundred pounds sterling (£700). H. M. Connal, Rarotonga, 30th June, 1904. Government Engineer.

No. 20. g IR Upper Albert Street, Thames, 3rd July, 1904. Having resided for eighteen years in North Queensland, and knowing that you are desirous of developing the trade and conditions of the Cook Islands, I beg to make a few suggesBelieving that all the sugar and tropical fruit consumed in New Zealand could lie grown there by the Natives and our own race, I think a bonus on produce from the Cook Islands, or extra duty on the Fijian produce, would have the desired effect. This has been done by the Commonwealth Government, and the 'trade diverted to North Queensland. Fiji has practically a monopoly of this trade.with us, and takes very little in return, and these imports are the product of servile Asiatic labour.