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accompanied us. The building, of which the foundation-stone was laid by Lord Banfuii) , eonuuiiS eight rooms, including two large dormitories and schoolroom. The scholars, both boys and girls, struck one as being a very intelligent and well-disciplined lot of young people, and they listened attentively to the few words of encouragement and exhortation that the Minister addressed to them. This excellent school is under the charge of two trained teachers, the Misses Eoyle, daughters of the first European missionary to the island, and the instruction imparted is of a higher grade than that given in the other school. From the school we passed on to the Village of Vaipae, returning again to Orongo via the mission-house. Before leaving for the steamer the Minister was presented with mats, &c, by the Natives as a token of their good will. Colonel Gudgeon and Pa Ariki remained at Aitutaki to return to Barotonga by the Union Company's steamer. The " Mapourika " left at 5.45 p.m. for Tahiti. As already stated, Mr. Large is being transferred to Mangaia, where it is hoped he will be able to do as good work as he has done in Aitutaki. He will be succeeded in his present position by Mr. J. C. Cameron. TAHITI. Monday, 4th May. —The Island of Moorea was sighted at 8.45, and at 10.50 we embarked the pilot off Papeete Passage. A few minutes later, the Health Officer having granted pratique, we steamed in and made fast to the wharf at Papeete, the capital of the French Island of Tahiti. The Mayor of Papeete, Mons. H. Langomazino, came on boaxd at once, and welcomed the Minister and party. The Hon. Mr. Mills then called on the English Consul, Mr. E. T. Symo.ns, who kindly arranged for the party to pay their respects to the Governor, M. Edouard Petit, the reception being fixed for the following morning. Tuesday, sth May.—At 10 o'clock the Minister and party proceeded to the Governor's residence, and were introduced to M. Petit by Mr. Symons. After the Minister had conveyed to His Excellency the good wishes of the Premier, his colleagues, and the members of the party, the Governor expressed his regret that our stay in Tahiti was to be so short. He was kind enough to say that had we been able to remain on the island for a day or two longer he would have arranged a. fete for the entertainment of the party, but things moved slowly in Tahiti, he explained, and he was sorry that in the short time available nothing of the kind could be done. His Excellency added that he was greatly interested in New Zealand, mentioning specially her land system, trade, and colonisation, and said he was watching the progress of events with pleasure. He desired the Hon. Mr. Mills to thank the Premier for certain facilities granted to French subjects at Eotorua. After a little general conversation His Excellency asked the Minister and party to join him in drinking success to the expedition. Before we left the Governor graciously acceded to the request of the Minister to allow himself and Madame Petit to be photographed with the members of the party in front of the residence. In the afternoon some of the party drove out to Point de Venus and inspected the fine lighthouse erected there by Pomare IV. in 1867, and the interesting memorial of Captain Cook's observation of the transit of Venus in 1769. Others visited Point Venus in the steamer's launch. During our stay in Papeete the local clubs—the Corcle Bougainville and the Cercle Militaire—very generously extended the privilege of membership to the party. Wednesday, 6th May.—lt had been arranged for the steamer to leave at daybreak, but owing to the difficulty in obtaining water we were unable to get away until after 1 o'clock. As the "Mapourika" glided past the British Consul's residence on her way out of the harbour we gave the Consul three such British cheers as were never heard before in that French settlement. At 2 o'clock the Papeete Passage was cleared, and we steamed for Penrhyn. PENEHYN. We arrived off Penrhyn shortly after midday on Saturday, the 9th May, after a run of 720 miles from Tahati, and went ashore in. the steamer's launch and boats, landing at the Village of Omoka, where we were met by the Resident Agent, Captain M. J. Nagle, and the Native chiefs Tautaitini and Silinga. Penrhyn is a good specimen of the pure atoll. It is merely a ring of coral, about forty-eight miles in circuit, supporting a number of low islands, from 200 to 300 yards across, and enclosing a lagoon of ninety square miles in area, of which twentyfour square miles are more or less covered with pearl-shell. There are three passages into the lagoon, the principal one having a depth of 18 ft. at low water, and there is sufficient wharf accommodation at Omoka for the small class of vessel that visits the island. The other village at Penrhyn, Te Tautua, is some ten miles distant. The total population is nearly 450, about a dozen being Europeans. The pearl-shell fishing is the main industry of the island, although last year 100 tons of copra were exported; and Colonel Gudgeon reports that "from some unexplained cause the cocoanut-palms have suddenly regained their old fertility, and thousands of young trees, planted on land only a few feet above sea-level, are growing as vigorously as those planted on the best alluvial land in Earotonga." The practice followed with regard to pearlshell fishing is to divide the lagoon into three parts, which are alternately closed against fishing for a certain period. When the interdiction is removed from any area the Natives may dive without restriction beyond the payment of a small fee to the Government. After the naked diving has been in operation for a time the machines are allowed to be brought into requisition until the limit of time has been reached. That area is then closed, and the same procedure is repeated in another portion of the lagoon. By this means each area is given rest for about a year, and as the shell is said to grow very rapidly at Penrhyn the supply is well maintained. An Ordinance of the Federal Council prohibits the removal of shells of less than in. in diameter. Over 90 tons of ■pearlshell, representing an amount, of £9,300, were exported from the northern islands during 1902, and. it would be safe to say that the greater part of this came from Penrhyn, from which island alone over 100 tons annually were formerly obtained. The value of the shell ranges from £100 a ton to upwards of £200.