31

A.—3

4. That all laws made by the Parliament shall be expressed as made by the British Besident and the Parliament of the Cook Islands, and shall not be valid until formally approved by the British Resident, who shall also state the day when each of the said laws shall come into operation. 5. That, unless and until otherwise provided by Parliament, the number of representative districts and the number of members asssigned to each shall continue as at present, namely : Rarotonga, three members ; Mangaia, three members ; Atiu, Mauke, and Mitiaro, three members ; and Aitutaki, three members 6. That in each of the said districts the people shall elect their members to the Parliament in such manner as the local laws of the district may direct. 7. That the Parliament shall meet at Avarua, in the Island of Rarotonga, at 10 a.m. on the 15th day of June in every year, and when the day falls on a Sunday the day following shall be substituted. 8. That the Parliament shall at each yearly meeting elect one of its members to be Chairman for the year. 9. The Government. —That an Executive Council is hereby appointed to carry out the laws made by the Parliament, and to look after the well-being of the islands when Parliament is not in session. That this Council shall be styled " the Government " of the Cook Islands. 10. That the Government may at any time call a special meeting of the Parliament, giving thirty days' notice of such meeting. The notice to date from the date of publication. 11. That with the Government shall rest the power of reducing or remitting any penalties imposed under laws passed by the Parliament; but such power shall only be exercised with the approval of the British Resident. 12. That all Arikis of the Cook Islands shall be ex-officio members of the Government. 13. That Makea Takau is hereby appointed Chief of the Government, and is to administer it under the laws of the Parliament and subject to the approval of the British Resident. All letters or other public documents issued by the Government are to be signed by the said Makea Takau. 14. That any appointments to public office shall be expressed as made subject to the approval of Parliament, and shall be submitted for its consideration at the first opportunity. 15. Fixed Appropriations. —That out of any revenue raised by authority of the Parliament the sum of $1,560 shall be appropriated yearly, as follows : (a) To each of the four representative districts, to be expended by the local Governments of such districts for public purposes, $300; (6) to each member of the Parliament for his personal use, |30. 16. All laws made by the Parliament shall be in English and in Maori, and whenever doubts arise as to the meaning of the Maori the English version shall take effect. 17. Additional Clauses. —Whenever persons fined under any law of the Parliament neglect to pay, or are unable to pay such fines, the Court shall substitute such labour, with or without imprisonment, as it may deem most suitable. 18. The posting of laws or notices in any public place appointed by the Government shall be sufficient promulgation thereof. Tβ Pou, Chairman of Parliament. Approved for the Islands of the Protectorate. Fbedebick J. Moss, British Resident.—sth June, 1891. Approved for Aitutaki, until Her Majesty's pleasure is made known. Fbedeeick J. Moss, British Resident.—sth June, 1891. This Act to come into immediate operation. Fbedebick J. Moss, British Besident.—sth June, 1891.

Constitution of the Bahotonga Council, 1893, and Oobbespondence Connected thebbwith. (No. 8.) Mr. P. J. Moas to His Excellency the Govebnob. My Lobd, — British Residency, Rarotonga, 26th September, 1893. I have the honour to enclose translation of a law, passed by the Rarotonga Council on the 22nd instant, to reconstitute the Council and to form a Government for the island. The move is important, as the Council has hitherto been much impeded by the presence of the Arikis, and by the absence of elected members to represent the people generally. 2. The chief difficulty was with the Mataiapos who have really ruled the island. They were loth to share their power with any other class, but gave way on my insisting that, if they retained the power of sending representatives, the foreign residents must have the same right, and could not be classed with any inferior order of the people. 3. The foreign residents will now have the same voice as the natives, and those of them who enjoy the confidence of the natives will have no difficulty in finding support as candidates if they desire to come forward. 4. The Council itself will certainly be more effective as a deliberative body, and the establishment of an Executive will, I hope, be the forerunner of improvements necessary to the progress of the island. :,if A favourable opportunity having offered of visiting the other islands of the group, by a trading vessel that will spend a sufficient time at each island, I leave to-morrow for the purpose, and shall probably be two or three weeks away from Rarotonga. Proper arrangements have been made so that the elections to the new Council may proceed in my absence, if necessary. I have, &c, Fbedebick J. Moss, British Resident. His Excellency the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., Governor of New Zealand. Enclosure. No. 1/93. — To reconstitute the Council and Government of Rarotonga. It is hereby enacted by the British Resident and by the Arikis and Council of Rarotonga:— 1. That the present laws, Nos. i and 6 of 1891, and No. 1 of 1892, are hereby repealed. 2. That the Barotonga Council shall consist of two Houses—namely, the House of the Arikis and the House of the people. 3. The House of Arikis shall consist of all the Arikis of Rarotonga. 4. The House of the people shall consist of twelve members, namely : — (a.) The three Judges of Avarua, Arorangi, and Takitumu, respectively ; (6.) Three members to be appointed yearly—namely, one by the ruling Ariki of each district ; (c.) Six members to be elected yearly—namely, two by the men and women over twenty-one years of age in Avarua, and who have lived not less than twelve months in that district; two in the like manner for the district of Arorangi by its people; two in the like manner for the district of Takitumu by its people. 5. The members shall be chosen from among the men of all the island, and may or may not live in the district for which they are chosen. 6. All foreigners who have lived in Rarotonga for not less than one year before the election shall be entitled to vote, and may be elected as members. 7. All laws and resolutions shall originate in the House of the people. If passed by them, the law or resolution must be sent to the Arikis. If they approve of the law or resolution, it shall be sent to the British Resident, and shall not be valid till approved by him. The British Resident shall also fix the date when such law or resolution is to take effect. If the Arikis' House has not approved of the law or resolution passed by the House of the people, it shall not go on to the British Besident, but be null and void. 8. The House of the people shall meet on the 16th day of October in the present year (1893), and on the 15th day of August in all future years. The House may be called together at any time for a special session by a majority of the Arikis. If the appointed day of the meeting be Sunday, the meeting shall be held on the following day.