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(27.) Letter from Rev. J. Chalmers, of New Guinea, to His Excellency the Govebnoe, on the Liquor Law. My Loed, — Dunedin, sth February, 1891. I have the honour to reply to your telegram received last night. No one of the Arikis wish for prohibition except for their own people, and that of such a kind that they may be able to prooure spirits as vairakau (medicine) when necessary. They are decidedly opposed to prohibiting the white man having liquour, and have expressed themselves openly in favour of its being allowed him on permit. The Arikia cannot carry out prohibition alone, and the best that could be done under the circumstances was that advised by Mr. Moss. For ten years I lived on Rarotonga, and know well how impossible it was to work prohibition. I have good hopes the present law will do more to stop drink than any former prohibitory law. During Mr. Moss's stay on the island, the publichouses, which numbered over twenty, were closed ; and during that time I did not see one drunken manor woman; whereas, when I arrived, five weeks before Mr. Moss, drunkenness was prevalent everywhere, and strong drink sold openly at bars to men and women, and that when a strong prohibitory law was supposed to be in force. I am of opinion that, if it is necessary to suppress strong drink, and under no conditions whatever to allow natives to have it, a skilled European officer, with a European staff, will be necessary to assist Mr. Moss, as no native officer can be trusted to carry out the law. To prohibit white traders having what they require for personal use would ba an uncalled for hardship, and one that no officer, however skilled, could carry out on an island like Rarotonga. lam quite in favour of the present arrangement having a fair trial, and hope for its success. If abused by the white residents then total prohibition might again be tried. I have, &c, James Chalmebs. London Missionary Society, New Guinea. His Excellency the Earl of Onslow, Governor of New Zealand.

(28.) Cook Islands Government. (No. 65.) Dβ. to the Cook Islands Hospital Board, for the following :— Date : 30th November. Authority for supply : Eederal Parliament. Vote No. 19. Amount: £15. I certify that the Hospital was open from the Ist to the 30th for the reception of patients. Peed. Goodwin, Chairman. [This voucher was returned to me by Mr. Goodwin, who said he had filled in all that ha could, as Dr. Craig had refused to give any more information.—F. Gelling, Ist December, 1897.]

(29.) Rabotonga Council. —Liquor Law 1890 Amendment, 1897. Short Title.—" Liquor Law Amendment, 1897." Be it enacted by the Rarotonga Council, subject to approval by the British Resident: — 1. That if the Arikis appoint agents to sign in their name authorities for the issue of permits in accordance with the Law No. 9, of 1890, the Licensing Officer shall be informed in writing by the Ariki of the agent so authorised, and the said agent shall not have power to appoint any one to act in his place. 2. That the said agents shall only be Maoris living in the district, and shall use good discretion in the issue of authorities, so that no person unfit to be trusted with intoxicating liquor shall receive it, and any agent may be summarily dismissed by the Ariki and another put in his place. 3. That the agents shall be paid quarterly from the fees collected by the said Licensing Officer as follows : The agent for the Ariki of Avarua, at the rate of £9 yearly ; the agent for the Ariki of Arorangi, at the rate of £6 yearly; the agent for the Ariki of Takitumu, at the rate of £6 yearly : Provided that no agent shall be himself a dealer in liquor or interested in the sale thereof. And any agent accepting gifts or seeking in any way to make money by liia office in addition to the above salary shall be sued by the Licensing Officer in the Federal Court, and be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds: Provided also that the name of such agent, if found guilty, shall be posted on the door of the Licensing Office as one who has taken bribes and disgraced himself and his office accordingly. 4. That the authorities for the issue of permits shall be printed with counterfoils, in accordance with the Schedule hereto attached, and that only the name of one person shall be placed on each authority. 5. That each authority shall bear a stamp of twopence for each bottle, and that the stamps used shall be the postal and revenue stamps of the Cook Islands. 6. That the Licensing Officer shall obtain and keep a supply of such stamps, which he shall issue from time to time to the agents of the Arikis, who shall pay to him monthly on account of the Rarotonga revenue the sums received by them for stamps affixed to such authorities. 7. That, in addition to the penalty for contempt of Court enacted by section 16 of the law of 1890 for supplying liquor to persons under prohibition, any one breaking the said law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds, and the person under prohibition shall be liable to a similar penalty for being a party to the breach of the said law. 8. That any one under prohibition soliciting liquor from any person may be brought by the police before the Ariki's Court and fined a sum not exceeding ten pounds, and kept in the custody of the police in such place and for such time or times as the Judge of the Ariki's Court may consider necessary for his restoration to sobriety, and that the said person shall pay all expenses connected therewith. 9. That all fines received under this Act shall be Rarotonga revenue, and dealt with accordingly. 10. That the Judge of an Ariki's Court may at any time, on due cause being shown to him by the Licensing Officer or by the police, place in custody any person who is at the time proved to be continuously drunk, and may keep the said person in custody in such place and for such time as he may think necessary for the full recovery of the said perton, who shall pay all expenses connected therewith. Dated at Avarua, this 3rd day of December, 1897.

(30.) Petition op Me. Kohn and others. Sis, — Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 17th September, 1897. I have the honour to send to your Excellency, under this cover, a copy of a petition, signed by myself and others, and addressed to your Excellency, respecting the administration of affairs in Cook Islands. Tha original petition has been forwarded to the British Resident for transmission to your Excellency in an official manner. I have, &c, 0. Kohn, Managing Agent, Cook Islands Trading Company (Limited). His Excellency the Bight Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, K.C.M.G., Governor of New Zealand, &o. [Reply.] Sib, — Cook Islands, British Residency, Rarotonga, 17th September, 1897. I have the honour to return herewith a press copy of a document just received for transmission to His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand. It is not a suitable paper either to send or to record in my office.

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