A.—3a

4

against the European settlers, who seem to me just like the ordinary settlers in New Zealand, to say that the residents are practically akin to people on a ship; and we know that people on a ship on a long voyage rarely complete their voyage without misunderstandings happening amongst passengers, and perhaps between the captain and officers and the passengers. This is not the first time that there have been difficulties in Rarotonga. As has already been referred to, Sir James Prendergast had to investigate, for several days, charges, some of them trivial, and some of them absurd, that were made in 1897. Since then there have been differences between the medical officers and the Natives, and the medical officers and the Resident Commissioner. Nor are the whites at present all agreed : some it is said support the Commissioner, and some are dissatisfied with him. If one were to read a novel, say, of Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, or J. M. Barrie, he would observe that the same class of misunderstandings appeared in villages in England and Scotland, and no doubt arise there to-day. When the charges are examined it will be see-i that they are of minor importance. The charges made may be thus classified :— A. Hospital management. B. The administration of justice. C. The termination of Mr. Reynold's engagement. D. The drainage of the Maererenga Lagoon. E. The appointment of a European member of the Federal Council F. Prison-administration. G. The intoxicating-liquors question. H. Education. I. Appointment of an Auditor. The above headings cover 'all the complaints. I may add that one of the white settlers stated that some of the white people object to the Commissioner for not entertaining, and entering into the social life of the community. This settler, however, had no sympathy with such complaints; on the contrary, he cordially approved of the action Captain Smith had taken in keeping himself apart from all persons in the community. He said that if the Commissioner had invited to his house some people only, he would have offended the people whom he did not. invite; and, further, there were some whom he could not invite to his house Some of them were really offending against section 7 of the Offences Ordinance No. I, 1907. A. Complaints relating to Hospital xManagement. Complaints relating to the Hospital began by a letter from Dr. Dawson of 31st January, 1911. The letter was as follows: — " Dear Sir, — " Teotue, 31st January, 1911. " I shall be obliged if you will inform me if the Hospital is ready to receive patients for surgical treatment, and, if not, when it will be. I have a patient suffering from a serious malady and requiring immediate surgical attendance. Will you please give this matter immediate attention, as it is decidedly urgent. " Yours faithfully, " The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga." " C. M. Dawson, M.8., CM. On receipt of this letter the Commissioner forwarded it to Dr. Story, with a minute as follows: " Please enable me to reply." Dr. Story replied on the Ist of February as follows: — " Dear Sib, — Rarotonga, Ist February, 1911. " Referring to Dr. Dawson's letter addressed to you, of 31st January, requesting to know if the Hospital is now ready to receive patients for surgical treatment, I have to say that it is ready for any urgent cases. . Sundry appliances are still required, which, no doubt, will be furnished on the return of the Chief Medical Officer. " I remain, &c, " Captain J. Eman Smith, Rarotonga." "A. C. Story. On the receipt of this reply the Resident Commissioner sent the following letter to Dr. Dawson :— " Sir, — " Rarotonga, Ist February, 1911. " I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st January received by me this day. As far as I am aware, the Hospital is ready to receive patients for surgical treatment. If the patient be a Native he will be attended to free of charge by Dr. Story, who is acting for Dr. Chesson, the Chief Medical and Health Officer, now on sick-leave in New Zealand. If it should be a European patient of your own I will have no objection to using the Hospital for such patient pending the return the Chief Medical and Health Officer. On his arrival he will deal with all questions such as this : I do not interfere with his department. " I have, &c, " J. Eman Smith, " Dr. C. M. Dawson, M.8., CM., Rarotonga." " Resident Commissioner.