18

A.—3b

Colonel Gudgeon : Mr. Mackenzie, I do not think they intended to say that the charges in Auckland were higher than those in other places, but in many cases they received very little return for their fruit, and the charges in all cases seem unreasonably high. There is truth in their contention, but not as to any one place specially. "Another thing I may tell you is that they have a habit of not sending to one person alone; one man sends to one person and another man to another, the consequence being that all the fruit is in the market at the same time, and one shipper is placed in competition with another. Mr. Large : They also strongly object to the charges in their accounts. Their balance-sheets, which they brought to me, were very unsatisfactory. Further, the accounts are not full and explicit; indeed, they show the expenses at the end of the year—freight and other expenses—in a lump sum, and the Maoris do not know how that money has been expended. They are not enlightened upon that point, and that is one thing they are not satisfied with. Hon. Mr. Mills : I will ask Mr. Large to send me copies of two or three of the accounts from different agents that are sent back to this island; then I shall be properly armed when making inquiries in Auckland, because I know what would be a reasonable charge, and if they have been charging more than what would be a fair thing we shall point out what appears excessive, and I have no doubt, at any rate, of the Government being able to arrange with some one —either a reliable business-man or a man whom they could place there to take charge of all the fruit and see that you get fair and full value for your produce. But do not neglect among yourselves to see that the fruit is placed on board in good order, so that it will keep during transit. Mr. Large : I will have those accounts collected, and will forward them on through Colonel Gudgeon to you, so that they will be in Auckland in readiness for you when you arrive there. Hon. Mr. Mills : There is one matter Mr. Large has brought before me, and that is the question as to whether those who send produce from here should receive back goods in exchange, instead of money. Now, you will find that in all communities, in the early stages, there is a great deal of traffic done in that way. In New Zealand I recollect that for many years this kind of traffic went on, and unless we took goods in exchange for our produce we could not obtain a reasonable price. We must look at it in two ways. You may get better value in goods here, than you would get if you had payment in money, but the sooner you do get paid in cash the better it will be for the community. Mr. Large : They say that they want to be paid in cash alone. Mr. Wood : That is a very proper request. Mr. J. Allen : Is not the Truck Act in force here? If not, it ought to be. Colonel Gudgeon : If they are foolish enough to take goods instead of money it is their own fault, as there is an ordinance in force that everything is to be paid for in cash instead of goods. Hon. Mr. Mills : You want more organization. If these islands are developed as they ought to be, instead of having a monthly steamer as at present you would have one every week, for hundreds of people would visit the islands, some of them possibly with money, who wish to do business, and others who wish to see places of this description, and that would increase the traffic so much that you would be able to send away fruit once a week. Otherwise, if a large quantity of tropical fruit arrives in Wellington from. Sydney the day before or the day after your produce one or the other must suffer. Mr. Wood : I should like to know, sir, whether they are satisfied with the present system of education in the. island. Hon. Mr. Mills : I understand you have two missionary schools on this island, and our own Education Department have not received sufficient information to warrant Parliament in making any special grant for further education on the island as yet. But I may as well tell you that it is the wish of the Minister of Education to bring these islands under our general scheme. I hope, at any rate, that with the means you have of getting your children taught here you always see that they attend regularly at the schools, because you must understand and bear in mind that as they grow up every one of your children will be in open competition with those who trade in these islands, and for their own sake and the sake of their families they ought to learn all they possibly can. Israela : We shall be very pleased to welcome the advent of the New Zealand system of education to these islands, as soon as the Government may see fit to introduce it. Mr. Wood : I would like Mr. Large to explain that it is free, compulsory, and secular. Mr. Large explained, and, addressing the Minister, said, —I would like to say, sir, that there is a great deal of playing truant among the children of the island. Hon. Mr. Mills ; Have they any more to say ? Mr. Large : No. Hon. Mr. Mills : I will now ask all my friends to give three hearty cheers for Aitutaki and its people. This call was readily responded to, and the Minister then presented the Arikis with a New Zealand ensign and some books on behalf of the Government. After luncheon in the Courthouse a number of the party went out to the edge of the reef to test the possibilities of the Aitutakian method of catching sharks, referred to by the Minister in his speech. Others strolled round the island pursuing their investigations. The Hon. Mr. Mills called upon the Rev. J. Jones, the representative at present of the London Missionary Society, and had an interesting conversation with him about the educational work carried on by the mission on the island. Mr. Jones conducts a school in Orongo, open three days'a week, in which the children, in addition to receiving instruction in their own language, are given an elementary English education. He is of opinion that a compulsory system is necessary, as there is no discipline in the homes, and attendance is apt to be erratic. A splendid work is also being done in the mission boarding-school at Araura, towards the centre of the island, to which Mr. Jones