A.—3b

2

of the 17th degree of south latitude and the 167 th degree of longitude west of Greenwich ; thence due west to the point of intersection of the 17th degree of south latitude and the 170 th degree of longitude west of Greenwich ; thence due south to the point of intersection of the 23rd degree of south latitude and the 170 th degree of longitude west of Greenwich; and thence due east to the point of intersection of the 23rd degree of south latitude and the 156 th degree of longitude west of Greenwich. Given under the hand of His Excellency the Right Honourable Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly ; Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George ; Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies ; and issued under the Seal of the said Colony, at the Government House, at Auckland, this tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and one. R. J. Seddon. W. C. Walker. „ J. G. Ward. Jas. MoGowan. w ' jORGE - J. Carroll. T. Y. Duncan. Wμ. Hall-Jones. C. H. Mills. Approved in Council. J. P. Andrews, Acting Clerk of the Executive Council. God save the King ! From the 11th June, 1901, therefore, the above-mentioned islands have formed part of New Zealand territory, and the colony has naturally a deeper and more direct interest in their welfare and development, and a larger measure of responsibility for their administration, than was the case during the period of the protectorate. It was the consideration of these facts that .led to the proposal that members of Parliament should be given an opportunity of visiting the islands, in company with a member of the Ministry, so that they might judge for themselves as to the capabilities and prospects of the annexed territory and the lines it would be best to follow to insure the most successful administration. In accordance with promises made by Sir J. G. Ward, Acting-Premier, in reply to a question asked by Mr. J. H. Witheford in the House of Representatives on the 4th September, 1902, and to comments made by Messrs. James Allen, George Laurenson, and others, negotiations were entered into with the Union Steamship Company in March last to obtain a steamer suitable for the members of the Legislature to visit the islands in, this course being rendered necessary owing to the fact that the accommodation on the " Tutanekai," the Government; Steamer, was not sufficient for the number of members who had expressed their intention of going. The company generously placed the fine steamer " Mapourika " at the disposal of the Government free of charge ; but as it was thought advisable that she should fly the New Zealand ensign, it was arranged that she should be formally placed under charter to the New Zealand Government, and so become, to all intents and purposes, a Government boat for the voyage. In reply to a circular letter addressed to members of the Legislature by the Eight Hon. the Premier in February, 1903, between forty and fifty members signified their intention of visiting the islands, but owing to business and other considerations a number of these subsequently found themselves unable to join the party. The " Mapourika " left Wellington, with the majority of the party, on the 16th April, and, despite the fact that the morning was exceedingly wet, a number of friends, including the Eight Hon. the Premier, Sir J. G. Ward, and the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, came down to witness the departure and wish the party bon voyage. At 10.53 a.m., in a heavy downpour of rain, the steamer left the Eailway Wharf, Wellington, for Auckland, amid the cheering of the crowd led by the Eight Hon. Mr. Seddon. Shortly after Pencarrow Heads were passed the Hon. Mr. Mills called the members together in the saloon, and, after having introduced Captain Crawshaw, addressed them briefly regarding the objects of the visit, stating that the primary purpose was to gather all the information it was possible to obtain as to our recently acquired territory in the South Seas, and adding that he hoped the tour, although a business one, would prove most enjoyable to one and all. We arrived at Auckland on Saturday, the 18th April, at 4.45 p.m., and although we had been expected earlier in the day there were a large number of people assembled on the wharf to meet the party. Immediately on arrival a telegram was received by the Minister from the Eight Hon. the Premier, conveying the sad news of the death of Ngamaru Ariki, the husband of " Queen " Makea, of Earotonga. and the Hon. Mr. Mills at once obtained a wreath to place on the chief's tomb on our arrival at the island. At Auckland we were joined by other members from both Houses, making the number of legislators who actually participated in the tour thirty-three. The following are the names : Hon. C. PI. Mills, Minister in Charge of the Islands Administration ; members of the Legislative Council—Hon. C. C. Bowen, Hon. W. M. Bolt, Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, Hon. John Eigg, Hon. D. Pinkerton, Hon. Major Harris, Hon. J. Marshall, Hon. T. Thompson, Hon. A. Baldey, Hon. W. C. F. Carncross ; members of the House of Eepresentatives —Hon. Sir. W. J. Steward, Mr. E. G. Allen, Mr. J. Allen, Mr. J. F. Arnold, Mr. W. H. P. Barber, Mr. George Fisher, Mr. F. R. Flatman, Mr. G. Fowlds, Mr. W. Fraser, Mr. J. A. Hanan, Mr. E. M. Houston, Mr. F. Lawry, Mr. E. G. B. Moss, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. C. E. Major, Mr. J. O'Meara, Mr. T. Parata, Mr. J. C. Thomson, Mr. J. W. Thomson, Mr. J. Vile, Mr. A. D. Willis, Mr. W. T. Wood. In addition to the members of Parliament, the party included Dr. J. M. Mason, M.D., F.C.S., &c, Chief Health Officer for the colony, who was commissioned to report on the health of the islands, with special reference to certain alleged cases of lerjrosy at Penrhyn ; Mr. T. W. Kirk, F.L.S., Government Biologist (Chief of Division of Biology, Horticulture, and Publications, Department of Agriculture) ; Mr. J. W. Black, Private Secretary; Mr. E. MacCarthy, Official Eeporter; Mr. G. A. Eead, Official Photographer; and Messrs. E. B. Walrond, H. Winkelmann, A. J. Wilkin, and G. H. Hicks, the photographers representing respectively the New Zealand Graphic, Auckland Weekly News, Canterbury Times, and Otago Witness.