35

A.—3

[Translation.] Mauke. Law for the Police at Mauke. 1. There shall be six policemen at Mauke. 2. The Arikis and the Governors shall each choose one policeman. The whole six will then be under the orders of the Judge. 3. The Arikis and the Governors shall fix the pay to be given to the Judges and police for each year, and they shall be paid from the money (subsidy) voted by the Federal Parliament. 4. All fines shall hereafter be spent only for some publio work, and none of them shall be paid to the Judges or police. 5. The Judge shall keep a record of the fines levied by him, and of the offences for which they are imposed. He shall send a list of the same to the British Resident at the end of December, March, June, and September in each year. Dated at Mauke, 16th October, 1893. Approved, and to become law forthwith. 16th October, 1893. Fbbdbbiok J. Moss, British Resident. Appropriation Law. The following sums shall be paid for the year beginning from Ist October last, namely :— I Arikis, three, at $12 per annum .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 Governors, three, at $8 per annum .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Judge .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Police, six, at $6 per annum .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 In all $120. Approved, and to be law from this date. |120 Frederick J. Moss, British Resident.—l7th October, 1893.

[Translation.] Mitia.ro. Law for the Judges and Police in Mitiaro. 1. There shall be six policemen in Mitiaro. 2. The Arikis (three) and the Governors (three) shall each choose one policeman ; then they shall be under the •orders of the Judge. 3. The Arikis and Governors shall fix the money to be paid for each year to the Judge, and they shall be paid from the money voted by the Federal Parliament. 4. All fines shall hereafter be spent only on some public work for the good of all the people in Mitiaro. No portion of these fines shall go to the Judge or to the police. 5. The Judge shall keep a record of all fines received, and of the offences for which the fines are imposed. He shall send a copy of this record to the British Resident at the end of December, March, June, and September in each year. Dated at Mitiaro, the 18th October, 1893. Approved. To be law from this date. Frederick J. Moss, British Resident. —18th October, 1894. Appropriation Law, The following sums shall be paid for the year beginning Ist October last: — $ Arikis, three, at $10 per annum .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 30 Governors, three, at $8 per annum .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Judge, one .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 Police, six, at $6 per annum .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 In all, f 100. 1100 Approved. To be law from this date. Frederick J. Moss, British Resident.—lBth Ootober, 1893.

(6.) Prom the Bbitish Resident to his Honour the Administrator of the Government, New Zealand. (No. 7/97.) Sir,— Rarotonga, 22nd July, 1897. I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the session of the Federal Parliament of the Oook Islands began on the sth instant, and to enclose the opening address from the Government (No. 1). I have also to report that three Bills have been laid before the Parliament. They are : Import Duty Act Amendment Bill, Federal Court Bill, and Juries Bill, all of which are still under consideration. The Import Duty Amendment Bill is merely to abolish compulsory free treatment at the hospital, as provided in the Act under which the revenue for the hospital is derived, and to leave the regulation of such treatment to the Hospital Board, since created. The reason for this Bill is explained fully in the message. The Federal Court Bill and the Juries Bill are important. The reasons for the introduction of the Federal Court Bill will also be found fully stated in the opening message. Since Judge Te Pou's inability to preside, from illness, no other native Judge has been found, nor can any other be found, competent to take his place. The Arikis' Courts in each island, over which these Judges preside, are incompetent to deal with commercial and other cases in which Europeans are concerned. The Judges allow themselves to be biassed by listening out of Court to interested parties, delay justice, do not understand the cases before them, nor decide in accordance with the evidence produced. Appeals are made to me against their decisions, and I find investigation difficult and unsatisfactory upon the imperfect records which they keep. A remedy is imperative, but the want of funds compels careful regard to the cost. The simple and most direct course appeared to me to be that embodied in the Bill, which, as drafted and now before the Parliament, I enclose for your Excellency's information. The powers of the Federal Court are extended so as to enable it to act as a check upon the Arikis' Courts and the ocal Governments in their several proceedings. This Court also will have the sole jurisdiction in certain oases, and in all suits in which Europeans are concerned. There is no one here to take the Presidency of the Court, and there are no funds to pay him adequately if there were. The only alternative is that the British Resident for the time being, if allowed to assume the office of President, shall do so, but be answerable only to his own Government, and not in any way to that of the natives. Of course, he will act without pay, but, in consideration of the extra work and more direct responsibility, will be provided from the Federal revenue with a Private Secretary, who will act also as Kegistrar of the Court. The Bill is strongly, and with great unanimity, opposed by the members of Parliament, who object to it as taking away their mana, or, as might be more properly said, the mana which the Judges are not competent to possess. The passage of the Bill is extremely doubtful, but I hope that time and a more full understanding of the position will induoe the members to change their present view.