A.—3

64

Mr. Moss states that he wishes proper elections would take place, and he is glad the Europeans are waking up and seeing after their representation. But all his efforts are misrepresented by persons opposed to him, the Arikis being desirous of keeping the power in their own hands. That his efforts to secure representation have disposed the Arikis against him. Section 6 of Law 9, Rarotongan Council of 1893, provides for foreigners being represented. Par. 10 : Revenue, one-sixth expended on British Residency, by votes 1896-97 : — " Vote 11, Ngatipa vote : Caretaker, £22 lls.; Vote 23 : Road, £40. No other vote for Residency. Expenditure: Caretaker, £22 11s.; Vote 23, Road, £36 6s. id. ;in addition, taken from Vote 20 for school-buildings, £54 14s. 3d.; further, from unauthorised, Vote No. 24, £110 Bs. 6d.: total, £224 os. Id." Total vote being £62 11s. Mr. Kohn : lam informed that the Ariki has not authorised the expenditure. My authority is Judge Te Pou, her mouthpiece. Even if Ariki Makea had approved, we complain that the public services for which the money has been voted have been insufficiently maintained. Mr. Moss states he believes that Makea Ariki must have signed ; he does not know, because his approval may be given before she signs. £167 was spent on school fittings, and was all that could possibly be spent, and the rest of the money was not required. As to school-teachers, the Federal Government had nothing to do with it, as they are purely local. The same as to roads and bridges. The only ground that Victoria Road was made at the expense, and was paid for by the Federal Government, was that it led to the Residency. As to the Hospital, £350 was spent on that; I know of no public expenditure which has proved less advantageous, and think that £3,500 would not satisfy those connected with the Hospital. Mr. Kohn.'] The Hospital Board has asked the Government to make a public drain from the Hospital to the sea during 1896-97 ?—No application was made. Par. 11: Laws not carried into effect: — (1.) Liquor Law. —The Customhouse Officer has not acted on his power to grant permits to Europeans until November, 1897. Up till Ist November any European would obtain from Licensing Officer a permit, and then goes to Customhouse Officer, who allows him to take the required amount. The grievance was that until Ist November the practice was that a person buying liquor, instead of going first to Licensing Officer and getting the permit, was to go to the merchant and get a form of permit from him, accompanied with an authority from the merchant to the bondkeeper, to deliver out from bond to the buyer tho quantity permitted, and, having got these, to go to the Licensing Officer, who was also bond-keeper, and get him to deliver out from the merchant's stock in bond any quantity which the Licensing Officer signed the permit, for. [Mr. Kohn at this stage was unable to explain himself.] The new practice, following out the law, is an inconvenient one to the buyer. (2.) "Passenger Act, 1894." —Not carried out. Ships from 40 tons carry passengers beyond the limit allowed by law. (3.) Infectious Diseases Act is not carried out. This is a local law of the Rarotongan Council, passed by British Resident and local Council. No Health Officer is appointed. At Rarotonga, the only port of entry, a duly-qualified medical practitioner should be appointed Health Officer, and to inspect and pass every vessel. That the British Resident ought to suggest the propriety of having such an appointment. Mr. Moss agreed, with great regret, that many laws are not carried into effect. And if the petitioners will join me in a strong representation to the Commissioner that the laws are not carried out by them. Mr. Kohn admits they have not approached the local Government as to the enforcement of the law, saying, " We look to the British Resident to do this." Par. 12 : Hospital. —The grievance is (1) that there should be no Hospital unless it is amply provided for ; (2) if there is a Hospital, it should be amply provided for, and that £180 is not sufficient. We complain that the British Resident forced the Parliament to authorise the Hospital on this insufficient provision, but ought to have induced the Parliament to vote the same sum of £180 as a bonus to some medical man to locate himself in Rarotonga to practise his profession. We complain of the expenditure on the unsuitable building. Mr. Moss admits the Hospital has been his great mistake. I dispute the fact that it was forced upon the Parliament, and to hear Te Pou's authority for this. I dispute that the revenue is only £180, because a considerable sum undisclosed by the Board must have been received from the large number of persons treated. I dispute the statement that free treatment is to be given to 6,000 inhabitants. I believe little free treatment is given at all. The better plan would be to give a bonus to a medical man with a family to settle here and having private praotice. The money spent on the building would not be wasted, as it would make an excellent house for a medical man. Mr. Kohn states that free treatment has ceased. Mr. Moss explains that the law does not now provide free treatment, except at discretion of the Hospital Board. Miss Large, Treasurer of the Hospital Board, stated : When on the Ist September, 1896, the entire management of the Cook Islands Hospital was handed over to the Board, Mr. Moss stated that the Government would guarantee £15 per month towards the Board's revenue, and if the 1 per cent, duty exceeded that sum the difference would be placed to the credit of the Board. In pursuance of that, the Board agreed with an accredited medical man. At that time free treatment was given between 8 and 9 daily. We, in order to regulate that treatment, issued orders, by the obtaining of which any one could get free treatment. The sum of £180 being so very small to pay the medical officer, nurse, food for patients, drugs, instruments, and incidental expenses, we deemed it necessary to issue these orders, believing we were morally right that those patients, white or Maori, who could pay should pay, because we deemed it necessary to have a fully qualified medical man here, unless it was guaranteed that he should make a suitable income. As, however, the Government grant of £180 has passed through my hands, a small surplus has likewise come into my possession. But as a Board we have not considered it within our province to demand from our medical officer any facts as to how much and how little his legal private practice has brought him in. By the law we were requested to send in by 30th June a full report of the Hospital work and of the expenditure. Such report was furnished July, 1897. Next report not legally due till July, 1898. Our crisis is this : Because information as to number of patients and amount received has not been furnished, the Government grant has not been paid. We are totally at one with the British Resident. And failing the income necessary to support a Hospital properly, we think it better to give a medical man a bonus of £300 per annum to enable him to take up his residence in these islands. On 16th July, 1897, it was suggested to a special Commission of Parliament that the duty of 1 per cent, be made 2 per cent. (See report, Te Torea, 22nd July, 1897.) Mr. Moss.] In the report, July, 1897, there is appended a statement by Dr. Craig of patients treated : Indoor, 9. "In the outdoor patient department 154 cases have been treated." These are not Hospital patients?— Seven were free and two paid: £1 from one, and £1 10s. from another. No money from others. The 154 out-patients : Have you received any money from the out-patients?— Certainly not, for two reasons, some have been treated under orders issued by the Board, the others, or paying patients, are treated as the doctor's private patients. At 7.15 p.m. adjourned till Monday morning at 9 a.m.

Monday, 27th December, 1897, 9 a.m. Miss Lange said : I made a mistake in calling the 154 out-patients his private patients. 154 = 582 consultations and visits have taken place ; 210 were free. Eemainder have only paid very inadequately, and those experienced in Maoris regarding money realise how difficult it is to make them know that money has often to be paid for the good of which they do not immediately see. This is shown by the number of free orders. Personally I know this, because many of the children at Tereora have received medical treatment free, even without any order likewise many of the mission students.