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3. As the Europeans want to be level with us, they must therefore be level with us in regard to the law as we are —that is, in law, with regard to liquor and immorality. Absolutely no liquor to be sold to them, and they must bo fined for drinking liquor or for being drunk, and be fined for immoral living. 4. All laws that are mado in regard to our islands, we ask that they bo translated into the Maori language, and printed, because we cannot read and understand the English language. 5. In regard to the law about wills : We ask that this section be altered to read, " That we, the Maoris, may make a will in regard to our interest in our land in favour of our own children, but not to have the power to leave any of our land to strangers, and for the Land Court to sco that the will is just and equitable and that no child is left without land." That is from us tho Arikis and the Mataiapos and the Rangatiras. Arikis. Mataiapos, Rangatiras. Makea Ariki. Pharaoh. J. Tumu. Tinomana Ariki. Araiti. T. Putu. Pa Ariki. Mocr Maoate. Taio Tapetukura. Kainuku Ariki. Teeiao. W. Tongareva. Karika Ariki. G. Tamarua. Tairi te Rangi. Eteke Teava. Noarei'a. Enua Vakapora. Anautoa. Members of the Island Parau Tamaiva Council. Uirangi. TEPURETU MatAIAPO. Al'AI. 0. T. Cowan, Mataiapo. Manavaroa. Kainuku Ariki : There is something we wish to ask :it is about the law. What we want is that if laws are made we should be allowed to discuss them before they are put through. Why not let us have a look? That would meet us half-way. Hon. Sir James Allen : I want to say on behalf of myself and colleagues that they will consider it a duty to submit to you a translation of legislation which is proposed in the New Zealand Parliament dealing with your interests, and we will give you the opportunity, as far as it is possible to do so, of communicating with New Zealand and expressing your views. If this needs an alteration of the law we will have it altered next session. Mr. Anderson : A half-caste in Rarotonga is a Native under the law. What is a three-quarter caste ? Mr. Reed :It should be pointed out that the elected member must be a European. We must be careful that half-castes do not get on the European roll. Hon. Sir James Allen : 1 want the position defined now. They want the electorate to be purely European, just as they want their member to be pure European. Kainuku : Read what is written. The European member shall be a pure European. Hon. Sir James Allen: We will accept the document as it is. I will be glad to bring your representations before the Government for consideration on my return to New Zealand.

Aitutaki, 28th February, 1920. MEETING WITH ISLAND COUNCIL. Present: Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister of External Affairs) and members of the Parliamentary Party; Mr. W. S. Cooper (Resident Agent); members of the Island Council (eight in all). Mr. Cooper, in introducing the Island Council, said that Manurangi Ariki, who was the leading Ariki by virtue of being the oldest, would act as spokesman. Manurangi Ariki, in the first place, extended a welcome to the visitors, whose arrival had been totally unexpected. Island Nurse. —The first subject brought up was that of the maintenance of the island nurse. The Council considered that in this respect they should be placed on the same footing as Rarotonga. Mr. CoorEß explained that there had always been a little feeling over this matter. The people of Aitutaki were called upon to pay the sum of Bs. per adult head of the population per annum towards the cost of maintaining the nurse and meeting the cost of the dispensary. The total cost was .£250 per annum, of which Aitutaki was called upon to pay one-half. The nurse's salary was £200 per annum. The quarters in which she lived were rented. At Rarotonga the islanders received medical attention without any special charge at all. The people of Aitutaki asked for the same privilege, without payment. The matter had been represented to the Resident Commissioner v Mr. Platts, who had shown that the revenue received from Aitutaki was not sufficient to shoulder the whole weight of the cost. Mr. Cooper added that the Natives received attention and medicines free of charge other than the impost of Bs. per head that he had referred to. Horse-lax. —Manurangi asked, on behalf of the Council, that the horse-tax should be abolished. Aitutaki was the only island of the Cook Group where such a tax was imposed. The Council had originally imposed the tax itself, and now they wished to do away with it. Mr. Cooper explained that years ago there had been a local Native law forbidding the importation of horses, which were regarded as a danger to the safety of the food-supply. Later it was found that horses would be useful in connection with the plantations, and their importation was allowed on a permit being obtained and payment of a tax of £1 per head. This tax had caused a great deal of trouble, and Mr. Platts had suggested that it be reduced to 10s. per head, on the understanding that the horses should be used on roadwork. The tax was accordingly reduced. There were 120 horses on the island at the present time, and there had been issued permits for the importation of thirty more. For the most part the horses already on the island were of a very small, weedy kind. Mr. Cooper said that his personal opinion was that it would be bad policy to allow horses in without a check of some kind, but the Natives wanted all restric-

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