A.—3.

Public Works. —Roads have been maintained in good repair and metalled where possible and needed. A new bridge has been built on the round-the-Island road at Tamarna. This road is now practically an all-weather one. A two-roomed Native house has been built on London Missionary Society land at the back of the dispensary, by kind permission of the London Missionary Society authorities, for use as a hospital. Two large ovens of lime were burnt. Much lime is required in the course of the year to keep Administration buildings and walls in repair and clean. All this work has been done at very little expense, beyond food supplied. Planting. —Considerably more planting is being carried out than for many years past. The parliamentary delegation's visit and the prospects for better times and better prices have given the people the necessary incentive. It remains for the Administration to give them every encouragement by providing the means for the export of their produce at remunerative prices. There is a scarcity of banana-plants, and there will not be sufficient bananas this year to warrant a call. Next year should see this Island in a position to ship bananas, kumeras, and pines, in addition to oranges. General. —In September of last year a cricket and tennis team paid the Island a visit, Mangaia proving superior in both contests. The visit was greatly enjoyed by both sides. The behaviour of the visiting teams was exemplary. On 19th February H.M.S. " Dunedin " paid a visit to the Island. ATIU. Health. —The general health was good. There have been no epidemics and very few deaths. The Native medical practitioner, who has been here since November, has had a busy time treating yaws and filarial abscesses. He has also been of great help in child-welfare work. The usual skin ailments and summer sicknesses of the babies have been much milder than in previous summers. Mosquito-eating fish are now in all the swampy parts on the island. Village Inspection. —In addition to the weekly inspection of villages, a general inspection was held at Christmas. The general standard of cleanliness of the Island is very high. Trade. —Oranges : The season proved one of the best the Island has enjoyed from the point of view of quantity. Fifteen thousand oases of oranges were passed for export, but on account of the mishap to " Matua " at Aitutaki only 9,700 eases were shipped. Copra : 200 tons were made during the year. The price to the growers increased considerably towards the end of the period. Seventeen tons were also made at the Island of Takutea. Public Worhs. —The main problem is that of trying to keep the main road in a good state of repair. This is difficult on account of the steep hills, as a heavy downpour of rain is sufficient to remove nearly all the metal. Apart from that on the main road, the chief work has been the widening, straightening, and heavy metalling of the Taunganui-lotua Ika Road. As this road is flat it does not suffer in heavy rain. Further, a new landing-place is being made at the Ika Landing, and much work has been done already. A skidway for launching boats has been made at Taunganui, and some blasting was done at the edge of the reef to remove jagged out-crops of coral. Agriculture. —The main food crop of these people is taro, although they plant quantities of yam and kumera. High Court. —In general there were no serious offences, and all work, including cases reserved for the Judge, have been disposed of. Education. —The roll at the school is 250, which is an increase of 80 over the figures of two years ago. Agriculture has been made a feature of the work, including training in citrus planting. Island Council.—This body meets regularly during the year, and the members give good service in the governing of their people. Meteorological. —The weather from April to September was cold and unseasonable. Many high winds were recorded, and the main landing was often unworkable. From October to March the weather was very settled and, except for March, there was an absence of rain and strong winds. In mid-February, at the time of the hurricane in Tonga, the barometer remained for about five days at 294, with high winds. It is pertinent to remark here that Atiu is well protected from damage by hurricanes by the height of the makatea. In this respect it is perhaps the most fortunate island in the group. Rainfall for the year ending 31st December, 1936 was 79-65 in. Visits. —On the 4th August last the parliamentary Committee set up by the Government to inquire into the Cook Islands fruit industry visited Atiu in m.v. " Matua." On the following day, H.M.S. " Wellington " paid a visit to the Island. Vital Statistics. —Births —Males, 18 ; females, 24 : total, 42. Deaths —Males, 8 ; females 16 : total, 24. Marriages, 4. General. —These people appear happy in their partial isolation, spending the greater part of the day on their land. Tennis has proved popular, and good courts are now to be found in most of the villages, matches being played regularly. MITIARO. Mitiaro, with an area of 2,500 acres and a population of 230, lies 140 miles north-east of Rarotonga. There are considerable areas of makatea, or coral rock, and swamps, so that the area of cultivable land is not large. At present the only export is copra, and although the Island grows good oranges the quantity is not sufficient to warrant calls of the cargo-steamer.

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