A.—s

4

certain services in return, including military service. The land belonged absolutely to the chiefs, they having obtained it by conquest. Tenants failing to render their obligations were dispossessed. Mr. Bitchener asked whether the chiefs considered they had the right to alienate the whole of the land to strangers. Makea : We would never do a thing like that. The Hon. Mr. Earnsiiaw asked what amount of land had been set aside for the Arikis, and if it was the same area as that apportioned to the common people. Mr. Savage replied that at present most of the Arikis were still living on the blocks. They would probably get the larger share. Power to Will Land. —One of the Mataiapos present complained that under the law as it stood no Native had power to will his land or any interest in any Native land. Suppose he had two sons, and one stayed at home and helped his father on the plantation, and the other left home and was of no assistance : under the law as it stood the property would descend equally to both of them. This did not seem right. Why could he not leave his property in the way he wished—to the one son who had remained with him ? Mr. Platts said this was an exceptional case, but the law could not be altered. If a Native had the power to will his lands he would not appreciate the power in his hands. In the opinion of the Native Land Court and of the Commissioners it would never do to give a Maori the power to will his land away. It was open to question what he might do, and it would greatly depend upon what influence he might be under at the time. In making this law the ancient Maori custom had been observed and retained. Native land descended to the next-of-kin, to the whole family. There was no law of primogeniture —each child got an equal share. It would be useless to go into the question, because it had already been thoroughly investigated and decided by competent authorities, and it was impossible to meet the apparently reasonable case that had been stated by the Mataiapos. The Hon. Mr. Mooru suggested that a Court of Appeal might be set up to meet such cases. Mr. Platts said that the whole object of the Cook Islands Act was to make the law simple and to avoid litigation as much as possible. There might be a Court of Appeal, but if so there would be endless litigation. Simplicity was the keynote of the island laws and ordinances, so that the iNative might know exactly where he stood. The Hon. Sir James Allen, in reply, said that the Parliament of New Zealand would be only too pleased to do what it could to maintain the mana of the Arikis and Mataiapos—that was to say, their control over the tribes. He did not see, however, that they could remedy what had already been done. In individualizing the land-titles the Native Land Court had been following exactly the same practice as that prevailing in New Zealand —namely, apportioning to each, individual the amount of land that belonged to him. The deputation had not suggested that the Land Court had been unfair in what it had clone. What they had objected to was the general principle, because it had destroyed their mana. He did not see how any alteration of the law could now take place; the work of the Land Court had now been completed in Rarotonga. One could only suggest that the memory of their past history and the influence they then had be kept alive amongst the chiefs and the people. DEPUTATION FROM RAROTONGA (NATIVE) FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION. Present: Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister of External Affairs) and members of the Parliamentary Party; Mr. F. W. Platts (Resident Commissioner); Mr. Savage (Interpreter); committee of Rarotonga Fruitgrowers' Association; members of the Island Council. The deputation presented the following petitions :— Rarotonga, 17th February, 1920. To the Hon. Members of the New Zealand Parliament. Salutations to you all! Wo have heard that you are all our guardians, and we now as your wards give you greetings. Greetings to you all our guardians ! These are the words of your children to let you know the manner of our living on Tumu-tc-varovaro. Our forefathers have passed away, and they always exhorted us, saying, "Keep your hand to the spade "—meaning, plant plenty of food, keep on planting. That is all good, and we have profited by that part; but about the part relating to planting fruit-trees, that has not been so prosperous. We will explain: The European fruit-traders fixed the prices we should accept for our fruit per case of bananas at Is.' 6d. a ease, oranges Is. 6d. a case, and they sold us their tins of meat in 2 lb. tins in their stores at 3s. a tin, and so on with their other goods last year. They would not agree to our request to pay us from 25., 35., up to ss. per case for our fruit, and our patience became exhausted, and we neglected our planting for nearly ten yeafs past. On January, 1919, we searched out a scheme and joined together into an association, and we sent notiee'to all European' fruit-traders that we should sell our bananas and oranges at ss. per case, not less. They refused to pay this ; therefore we appealed to the Resident Commissioner to obtain some cases for us, and we pay for them. This assistance was given us, and we shipped ourselves, and wo got 55., 65., Bs., 10s. 155,. i'l, and £1 3s. pei- ease for the sale of our fruit in New Zealand. And for the Europeans to blame Mr. Platts, saying he taught us, the Maoris, to withhold our fruit and not sell to them, is absolutely untrue. It was solely our own idea. The Europeans complained that Platts traded cases for us. This is not true; we, the Rarotonga Fruit Association, asked Platts to gel cases and nails for us, for which we paid. We went to him, the Resident Commissioner, and stated our wishes, and begged for assistance and to convey our wishes to the New Zealand Government, so as they could help us in our fruit trade; also to try and establish an Island Hank. We have absolute faith in the Resident Commissioner, Mr. Platts. There is also another thing: wo arc exceedingly pleased with the Registrar, Mr. Savage, who acted as interpreter in all our interviews. Wo consider both these men good men, and we have full faith in Mr. Platts, the Resident Commissioner, and the Registrar, Mr. Savage. This is the voice of the children speaking to the parents. Salutations! The Rarotonga Fruiturowkks' Association Committee. (Signed) Tinomana (and 17 others).