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great importance not only to vs —the commercial portion of the community —but also to all the foreign residents of this group. By the advice of your British Eesident (Mr. Moss) a Federal Parliament has been established here, and it consists of native members only. This Parliament is the maker of the laws, and consequently in the course of its work has, and no doubt it will continue to make laws that immediately affect us. We therefore, with all due respect to your Lordship, think that when laws are made which affect us, and which compel us to pay duties and taxes, that we should be allowed to have some voice, by representation, on that Parliament in the framing of those laws. Your Eesident here, in reply to the question put to him by a deputation from our body, said that he framed and proposed all the laws brought before this Parliament. We would respectfully urge that we do not consider that he should alone propose the laws that so immediately affect us, without our being in some way consulted or permitted to express our views ; and we further believe that we should have the right allowed us to have some voice in the disposition of the revenue, the largest portion of which is raised by duties and taxes levied on us. Trusting that your Lordship will favourably view our petition, We have, &c, E. Exham, Chairman. J. Muth. William Taylor. W. H. de Lisle. F. Engelke. Frederick C. Goodwin. His Excellency Lord Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c., Wellington, N.Z.

No. 11. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Governor. (No. 28/91.) My Lord Auckland, 30th December, 1891. I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I left Earotonga in the steamer " Eichmond" on the 21st instant, and arrived in Auckland this day. The Arikis of the island, who were at the time in Earotonga, met in Executive Council on the 16th instant for the transaction of business. Among other matters they authorised me to expend a sum not exceeding $500 for the passage of a suitable printer, for the purchase of a small printingpress, and for the introduction of insectivorous and other birds from New Zealand. The type and fittings now lying unused at the old Mission Press will, by leave of the Mission, be available, and the laws and other printing will thus, I hope, be in future dealt with on the spot. At the close of the business the Chairman of the Council (Tepou o te Eangi) formally presented me with a complimentary letter. I enclose (1) copy of the letter in the original Maori, with translation, for your Excellency's information. The letter was the more gratifying in that I find it was the spontaneous act of the Arikis on receiving from their representatives a report of the previous day's meeting with the merchants and importers, referred to in my Despatch No. 25, of the 17th instant. Before leaving, I also received letters from Aitutaki and Mangaia in the ordinary course of business. I enclose extracts from these letters : (2) From Pakoti, Chairman of the Aitutaki Executive; (3) from Te Taura, Chief Judge of Aitutaki ; (4) from Eota, Eevenue Officer and Portmaster (Aitutaki); (5) from Vaipo, Chief of Iverua (Mangaia). I have received also a note from Tepou ote Eangi, telling me that he was desired by his kinsman, John, Ariki of Mangaia, to let me know that " trouble had ceased, and that all was proceeding well at Mangaia." These letters were received by me on the 14th instant. My replies would go by the " Jessie Nicol," to leave Earotonga on the 22nd instant. Eespecting the non-return of natives from Maiden Island, referred to in Pakoti's letter, I have asked him to write to me again in New Zealand if the men do not return before the next mail. Meanwhile, I have written to the owners of the island in Melbourne. The relations between those gentlemen and the Aitutakians have existed for many ears. There has never been complaint before, and this, I have little doubt, will be explained satisfactorily. . . The letters will show to your Excellency the intelligent interest that the natives are taking m their new Government. I feel assured that they already value it greatly, and would not willingly revert to the condition that existed a year ago. I have, &c, Frederick J. Moss, His Excellency the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., British Eesident. Governor of New Zealand, &c.

Enclosure No. 1. Kia Mr. Moss. Earotonga, Avarua, December 16, 1891. Kia ora rava koe i te Atua mou, i te Ariki o te au ! i Ko matou teia, ko te Ui Ariki o Earotonga, c te Ariki o Atiu, Mauke, c Mitiaro. Te_ akakite atu nei matou ki a koe i te tv o to matou manako no te mea te acre nei koe c te noo nei matou. Tera ta matou ki a koe. Aaraka koe kia acre ma kino ma te pekapeka. Ko te manako koe c kare matou i ariki i taau tuatua i akakite kia matou c Masi c. Auraka oki matou kia noo ma te kino c te pekapeka kite enua nei. Ko te au angaanga taau i akatupu ki runga i te enua nei, kua ariki matou ma te rekareka. Ko taau i arataki ia matou c na reira ia matou. Leta teia na matou ki to matou metua kia Moss. Makea, Ariki. Karika, Ariki. Tinomana, Ariki. Ngamaru, Ariki. Pa, Ariki. Kainuku, Ariki.