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The Natives having been called together the Minister addressed them as follows ! — Hon. Mr. Mills : Chiefs and people, we are very pleased to be here with you to-day. You will probably wonder how so many members of our Parliament have come to see you. Some time ago our Premier visited some of the islands in the Pacific, but did not get so far as Penrhyn. When he came back and told us what lovely places he had seen we were all very anxious to come and see them. He instructed me to make arrangements to visit them, and I have done so, and brought with me thirty-two members of Parliament from New Zealand lam the Minister of Customs, and also the Minister who has charge of the Cook and other islands that were annexed to New Zealand some two years ago. And in administering these islands you will readily understand how hard it is for a man to do justice to them unless he can first see them, and see the people and talk to them as I talk to you to-day. My friend the Eesident Commissioner, Colonel Gudgeon, writes to me direct, and Mr. Nagle also writes to me through Colonel Gudgeon, explaining what is wanted and what they think is best for your advantage ; but still a man requires to look for himself, to see the place and those who inhabit it, and thus know exactly what is meant by the letters that come to him. The Premier recognised how necessary it was for us to see the islands for ourselves. And now we have come up here to gather what information we can, so that by-and-by when we go back again we shall be able to tell the Premier and my colleagues the other Ministers what we have seen, during our visit to the islands. I heard a great deal about these islands when I was a young man, and thought a great deal of them. I was very nearly coming to them many years ago, and, judging by what I have seen of the islands, I believe that if I had come I should have been living here ever since. I was born in New Zealand, and therefore I know a good deal of the Maoris. I can remember them when quite a little boy, and have always seen a great deal of them; and therefore I feel deeply interested in all your people here, as I believe it is from your Hawaiki that the Maori race in New Zealand came. So we are very anxious now in moving round to form the best judgment we can as to what we ought to do in the future for the people by improving matters affecting their welfare. I intend to have a talk with Mr. Nagle about different matters, and while here I should like it known that if any one wants to speak to me about anything of public importance I shall be very pleased to hear it. From what I can gather, the main industry of this island is your pearl-shell fishery in the lagoon, and it will take a little time to understand what is best to be done and the manner of doing it. But if we can do anything by the alteration of the regulations which are by law established for the better working of this lagoon then the Government will be very pleased to do it. We are glad to know that your cocoanut-palms are yielding so well. The Premier would have very much liked to come up here this time, but he could not manage to get away from New Zealand just now. But I may say that he intends to come up with the Governor early next year if possible. Now, we have come from the Islands of Barotonga, Mangaia, Mauke, Atiu, Aitutaki, and Tahiti, to Penrhyn, and we go from here to Manihiki, Tutuila, Upolu, Niue, Tonga, Fiji, the Kermadecs, and back to New Zealand. We have had to visit three other islands that I had not originally on my programme, and as we were delayed at Tahiti for over half a day to get water I am very sorry to tell you that we cannot stop here to-night. We have to start for Manihiki to-night, or we should have yisited the other settlement to-morrow ;we regret being unable to do so. I also wanted to go over and see the unfortunate lepers on the island to ascertain if they were being properly looked after, and if everything was being done that could be done for their comfort, and we want to see some of your expert men who can dive to such marvellous depths in this clear water and bring up the pearl-shell; we have heard a lot about it, and should like to see you at it. I am not going to occupy any longer time talking to you, but shall simply say that we are all very pleased to have met you and to be able to carry back with us to New Zealand our impressions of what we have seen here in the islands. Now, I have brought a flag from the Government which I intend to leave here for the Eesident Agent to erect. It is a flag of enlightenment. This flag is the one that is now recognised all over the world as the flag of New Zealand. The New Zealand Parliament passed an Act some two years ago which enabled us to fly this flag. [Hon. Mr. Mills then unrolled the flag, to the great delight of the Natives.] Since you have been annexed to New Zealand we are all one —all under one flag. It represents the Union Jack of Old England—the largest and best Empire in the world—and also the flag of New Zealand. So you will see that it is really two flags embodied in one—the flag of the Empire and the flag of New Zealand. I have now to thank you all for listening with so much attention to what I have had to say, and I shall be very pleased when the opportunity arises to come back and see you all later on. After the gathering had dispersed a number of the party went out on the lagoon to witness an interesting exhibition of diving for pearl-shell, and were much impressed with the skill and endurance of the divers. The depth was said to be 15 fathoms, and the men in some instances were under water for over two minutes. During the afternoon Dr. Mason visited the leper settlement at Morokai, taking with him a supply of provisions for the few afflicted people there. On his return he informed the Minister that their camp was clean, and they were very pleased with the changes which had been made for their comfort since the Eesident Agent had been looking after their wants. By 6 o'clock we were under way for Manihiki, 198 miles to the south-west. MANIHIKI. This island was sighted shortly after 11 o'clock in the morning of the 10th May, and at 1 p.m. we went ashore at the Village of Tukao. The landing on the reef was somewhat exciting, a capsize being narrowly averted. Manihiki also is an atoll, but, unlike Penrhyn, it has no opening through the reef into the lagoon, and when the Natives wish to visit the neighbouring Island of Eakahanga their boats have to be carried across the narrow strip of land from the lagoon to the sea. The island consists of about two square miles of land encircling a lagoon of some six miles in diameter. A great deal of pearl-shell has been obtained from Manihiki, t>ut about two years