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COOK AND NOETHEBN ISLANDS.

REPORT OF RESIDENT COMMISSIONER. No. 1. Sir, — Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 18th April, 1908. I have the honour to enclose herewith my report on the condition of the Cook and Northern Islands for the year ending the 31st March, 1908. Attached to this letter will be found the details of the general contingent expenditure, the contingent expenditure of the High Court, and the travelling-expenses, &c, of the Land Titles Court. You will observe that, notwithstanding the expenses of the water-supply, the revenue has more than met all demands, and that there is a substantial increase to our surplus. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. James McGowan, Minister administering Islands.

Enclosure. COOK AND NORTHERN ISLANDS. REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH, 1908. Lands and Surveys. During the past year the Land Titles Court has held sittings on forty-six days, and has made 495 orders, of which number 348 refer to the land of Rarotonga, and 147 to Mauke. The fees imposed by the Court on account of both surveys and definition of title have been as follows: Rarotonga, £662 55.; Mauke, £398 10s.; Mangaia, £2 ss. In addition to these fees the Registrar has imposed office charges to the amount of £29 15s. 6d., making a total for the year of £1,092 15s. 6d. The fees collected and paid into the Treasury during the year amount to £621 14s. lid., making a total to date of £1,859 9s. 10d., leaving the following fees unpaid and outstanding on the 31st March, 1908: Rarotonga, £1,203 25.; Mauke, £173 55.; Aitutaki, £99 13s. 4d. ; Rakahanga, £21 3s. 6d. ; Mangaia, £2; Mitiaro, £6; Atiu, £5 55.; Manihiki, 155.: total, £1,511 3s. 10d. These are, I submit, very satisfactory figures, and demonstrate the wisdom of giving the people at least two years in which to pay off any liability incidental to the definition of their land titles. Notwithstanding that we have received over £1,800 in fees, not one man has been asked to pay up ; and this is really a large sum for these islands to find. I may also justly claim that ninety-nine out of every hundred Natives hold the Court in such estimation that there is not the least hesitation in placing their sole interest in life in the hands of the Court. During the past year the whole of the valuable Island of Mauke has been surveyed and cut up into blocks of from 2 to 70 acres, and in each instance the Court has heard the claim of the presumed owners to the land, and has awarded it to the individual or family found to be entitled thereto. The surveys have been conducted with much care and consideration for the feelings of those owning the land, and wherever a boundary has been in dispute, both lines have been surveyed and the matter in dispute left to the decision of the Court. Mauke has long been famous for the bitterness displayed bj the inhabitants one towards another, the result of an old conquest by the Atiu people and of their short-sighted policy in allowing certain of the old inhabitants to live. The descendants of the latter are now the most numerous section of the inhabitants of this island, and, whether for good or evil, they oppose the influence of the conquerors on every possible occasion. The virulence of this feeling did not, however, interfere with the work of the Court, and no difficulty was found in determining the title to the land —indeed, valuable assistance was received from the chief Tamuera, who is a most useful man, so long as there is no matter of debate between himself and Tararo (the Government Agent), who represents the conquerors.

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