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No. 24. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Govebnob. My Lord, — Cook Islands, British Eesidency, Earotonga, 23rd February, 1898. A letter to your Excellency (dated the 2nd February) from Makea, Ariki, was, on receipt, sent from my house without being handed to me, as I had been ill for some time, and my doctor prohibited all further work by that mail. My previous despatches by that mail render little remark on Makea's letter to be necessary. The composition is of her European prompters, and the leading ideas of having exclusive control of " our money " and " our own property "have unfortunately been too strongly planted in her mind and in that of the Arikis and chiefs with her. Much trouble will come from this if not efficiently arrested. In the letter itself many statements entirely unfounded are placed in Makea's mouth. For example, that " the Torea newspaper, we knew, was the paper of the British Eesident," which, in reality, was entirely the property of Mr. Nicholas. The person referred to as " Owen " was employed for more than a year by Mr. Nicholas as printer and as editor of the little paper. The statement that " the paper became the source of trouble between the Maoris and the foreigners " is heard for the first time, and I believe it to be entirely untrue. That "the Arikis do not like H. Nicholas "is equally new. He has been more than thirty years in Earotonga, popular and influential with natives of all classes, a large trader and employer of labour, and used to say proudly that during all his stay had never been in serious quarrel with any native. I may add that this feeling of Makea is recent, and due only to his refusal to act with her and with the other Arikis, or with the Europeans who were persuading them, as he considered that mischief only could follow to the Arikis and to the islands. Of the correspondence and communications between Tepou and H. Nicholas which are referred to by Makea I have no information. The translation attached by Goodwin to Makea's letter to your Excellency, that I had replied to her application to me as "We must leave the press where it was "is misleading. The Maori words used, by me were " tuatua apii," being clearly my " advice " or " word to teach " only. I feel bound to add to your Excellency my belief of the need as soon as possible after the end of the hurricane season of a Judicial Commissioner coming here from Fiji in one of Her Majesty's ships. This will enable me to stop further mischievous interference and vindicate among Arikis and natives the authority of the Queen, an indispensable preliminary to the future mode of government, whichever it may be. I have, &c, Fbedeeick J. Moss, His Excellency the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., British Eesident. Governor of New Zealand, &c.

Subenclosure to No. 21.

No. 25. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Govebnob. My Lord, — Cook Islands, British Eesidency, Earotonga, 24th February, 1898. I have the honour to enclose letter from me to Makea Takau, Chief of the Government of the Federation, and dated the 12th February. This letter is in continuance of the correspondence in my despatch (3/98) of the 3rd February to your Excellency. I may observe, with reference to the style above of "Makea Takau," that it was adopted in the Constitution Act of 1891 to define Makea as the elected chief, and not holding the position by any rights as Ariki. The name " Takau "is ancestral, as indicating one who had taken twenty heads in an old battle. I have, &c, Fbedeeick J. Moss, His Excellency the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., British Eesident. Governor of New Zealand, &c.

No. 20.

Enclosure. Madam,— 12th February, 1898. I have not received from you an answer to my letter of the 22nd January. It is my duty as British Eesident finally to warn you that, failing such answer, you will become, equally with Tepou-o-te-rangi and other persons, liable for due penalty, which they will receive for their outrage on the 17th January on the Protectorate Power and on the authority of Her Majesty the Queen. Enough. From the Beitish Eesident (Frederick J. Moss). Makea Takau, Chief of the Government of the Federation.

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