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Money-orders. —Number of orders paid, 272 ; amount, £5,025 13s. Id. Number of orders issued, 747 ; amount, £12,060 18s. 3d. ; commission, £151 15s. sd. Stamps.—A new series of stamps lias been issued comprising the following denominations : Jd., Id., 2d., 2-Jd., 4d., 6d., and Is. Stamp sales (exclusive of stamps sold in the Group for High Court purposes) amounted to £1,332 15s. 3fd. Telephones. —The telephone service has been well maintained during the year. Mechanical faults which have developed and line troubles have been promptly attended to. Radiograms. —The total charges collected for forwarded traffic amounted to £657 Bs. sd. Compared with the preceding year (1930-31) there is a falling-ofi in revenue of £307 19s. sd. from this source, it is to be pointed out, however, that for part of the year 1930-31 (from Ist April to 11th May) the charges on messages to New Zealand, or through New Zealand stations, was at the rate -of Is. 6d. per word as against the present charge of Is. per word (ordinary rate). WIRELESS. The parent station at Rarotonga and the substations at Ait.utaki, At.iu, Mauke, and Mangaia have maintained efficient services. A low-power valve transmitter, using dry batteries for the power-supply, was installed at Mangaia in June. An inspection of all substations was made -by the Superintendent. Native operators are keeping the machinery and apparatus in good order. The work of these operators continues to be satisfactory. The short-wave transmitter which was installed at Rarotonga in 1930, and which gives direct communication with New Zealand, is giving very satisfactory results. Wireless press news from New Zealand is relayed to the Group stations three times a week. There was a considerable reduction in revenue during the year due partly to the curtailed services of the cargo-steamer during the fruit season, and partly to the general depression. Seventeen radio receiving licenses were issued during the year. POLICE. Rarotonga.—The strength of the Rarotonga force is one European Inspector and seven Native officers. Group Islands. —The location and distribution of the Native police in the outer islands is now as follows : Aitutaki, six ; Atiu, five ; Mitiaro, three ; Mauke, four ; Mangaia, seven ; Penrhyn, four ; Manihiki, five ; Rakahanga, three ; Pukapuka, three. During the year 1,307 cases were brought before the High Court, being an increase of 268 over the previous year. Most of the offences for which prosecutions were instituted were of the nature of misdemeanours rather than crimes. During the year fifty-one prisoners completed their sentences and were discharged. This was an increase of thirty-one over last year. At 31st March, 1932, there were fourteen prisoners in the goal at Rarotonga. A" new Ordinance, intituled " The Rarotonga Motor-vehicles Ordinance, 1931," was passed and came into force on Ist April, 1931. Registration has been effected during the year of sixty-one trade-motors, fifty-five cars, seven motor-cycles, and one trailer —a total of 124 vehicles. Drivers' licenses to the number of 213 were issued. Fees collected amounted to £356 Is. Bd. In accordance with instructions, the strictest economy has been exercised in the expenditure of public money. METEOROLOGICAL. The total rainfall at Avarua (Rarotonga) for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1932, was 75-14 in., the highest fall recorded for twenty-four hours being 5-04 in. on sth June. The highest reading of the Fahrenheit thermometer in the shade was 88° on 12th January, 29th January, Bth February, and 9th February, 1932, and the lowest 53° on 2nd July. The mean of the minimum was 67-4°, and the mean of the maximum 80-4°. The lowest reading of the barometer was 29-700 on 27th March, 1932. Daily observations are taken of weather conditions (including barometer, thermometer, wind, clouds, rain, &c.), and a monthly return is forwarded to the Director of the Meteorological Office in Wellington. Full weather reports are sent daily by radio to Apia for the purposes of the scheme of weather reports and storm warnings in the South Pacific Ocean. LOWER COOK GROUP. AITUTAKI. Health. —The general health of the island was good, and there were no epidemics. Sixty-three maternity cases were attended by the resident nurse with no maternal mortality. During the year there were seventy-five births and thirty deaths. Sixteen children died under the age of ten years of summer diarrhoea and T.B. The Chief Medical Officer visited the island on three occasions. The people are still very short of food-supplies owing to the prolonged drought that followed the hurricane of February, 1931.

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