A.—3b

22

not some of you get up and speak to some of these gentlemen? I suppose because you have no strength of mind, no spirit, no thanks in you. You have only come here to have a look, and do not see the good we have got from them —that is, bringing this flag to us to protect us, Nobody would come now and molest us as in the old days of the Callao vessels, when the Spaniards came in here and seized the people and took them on board as slaves. Now we are protected ; this flag will protect us from the slaver. I was nearly taken myself to Callao, but now there will be no more of that. You ought to praise these people for protecting us. That is all I have got to say to you. A number of the young men and women of the village then performed a song and dance in honour of the flag in the most enthusiastic fashion. This was followed by similarly spirited compliments to King Edward and Lord Eoberts. We left at 6 o'clock for Tutuila, G32 miles to the south-west. TUTDILA. Monday, 13th May.—This island, the.most easterly of any size in the Samoa or Navigators Group, was sighted about 4 a.m., and at 8 o'clock we entered the magnificent harbour of Pago Pago (or, as it is pronounced, Pango Pango), the large mail-steamer " Ventura " steaming in ahead of us. With the exception of Vavau, this island has probably the finest harbour in that part of the Pacific. It is almost entirely land-locked, and the steep hillsides are thickly wooded from the summits to the water's edge. Tutuila, which belongs to the United States of America, is used merely as a naval station, and no attempt has been made in the direction of colonisation. The Minister and party, on going ashore, were introduced to Captain Underwood, the Commandant, the Hon. E. W. Gurr, Chief Secretary of Native Affairs, who is a young New-Zealander, and other officials of the United States Government, all of whom were very kind and courteous. At the invitation of the Minister these gentlemen joined the party at luncheon on board. A pleasant day was spent ashore, and when the steamer left the wharf at night a most hearty send-off was accorded by the officials and others assembled there. The harbour-entrance was cleared at 11.30 p.m., and we steamed for the Island of Upolu. UPOLU. Wednesday, 14th May.—Apia Harbour, eighty-two miles from, Pago Pago, was reached about 8 a.m., and immediately on landing the Minister proceeded to the British Consulate, and was cordially received by Mr. T. Trood, Acting-Consul, who then accompanied the Hon. Mr. Mills to the residence of the Imperial Governor of Samoa, Dr. W. H. Solf. The Governor, who converses freely in English, is a gentleman of broad sympathies and genial disposition, and a very pleasant hour was spent at his residence. " New-Zealanders," remarked the doctor playfully in the course of the conversation, "always think of Samoa with a tear.in their eye." So far as the legislators who visited the Island of Upolu are concerned this is probably truer now than ever it was, and they no doubt sympathize with, if, indeed, they do not entirely share, the feelings that actuated the Eight Hon. the Premier when he wrote his memorandum of the 16th April, 1900, to His Excellency the Governor on the subject of the Samoan Convention. During the morning several of the party visited " Villa Vailima," the residence of the late Eobert Louis Stevenson, and a few enthusiasts succeeded in making a pilgrimage to the top of Vaea Mountain, where the distinguished novelist lies buried. In the afternoon Dr. Solf received the members in his official chambers in the town, and then accompanied them to Mulinuu, where an interesting interview was held with the High Chief Mataafa. Short addresses were delivered by Dr. Solf, the Hon. C. H. Mills, and Mr. T. Parata, M.H.E., the last of whom spoke in Maori, and was listened to with marked interest and attention by the Natives, who were able to some extent to follow his remarks. He also spoke to them in English, his address being interpreted by Mr. Charles Taylor, a highly cultured Samoan gentleman, and head interpreter to the German Government. At the conclusion of the speeches the kava-bowl was passed round with due ceremony; then, after witnessing a short exhibition of dancing, the party returned, to the steamer for dinner, at which they were joined by His Excellency the Governor. Night closed in with heavy rain, but several went on shore again for an hour or two. At midnight the steamer left for Niue, 348 miles distant in a south-easterly direction. NIUE. This island was reached early in the afternoon of Saturday, the 16th May, and at 1.30 we anchored off the Village of Alofi. The Eesident Agent, Mr. C. F. Maxwell, came off to the steamer, and immediately thereafter the party went ashore. At Alofi the fringing reef is broken by a narrow boat-passage, partly natural and partly the result of improvements effected by H.M.S. " Mildura " a few years ago. The weather at the time of our arrival was beautifully fine, and the landing was effected without the slightest difficulty at the end of the little wharf that has recently been erected. Niue is the largest of the annexed islands, having an area of upwards of a hundred square miles, and a circumference of forty miles by road.. It consists entirely of uplifted coral, and is probably the result of a series of upheavals. In general formation it takes the shape of two terraces, the lower being about 90 ft. above sealevel, and the other about 220 ft. In addition to the one at Alofi, there are landing-places at Avatele and Tuapa, and arrangements are being made to have a boat-passage formed at the latter, where Togia, the " King "of Niue, resides. Although so rocky that it is for the most part unploughable, Niue is by no means unproductive. All the usual tropical fruits grow well, and large trees are found averaging from 18 in. to 2 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and in some cases attaining a diameter of 4 ft. and running up to 100 ft. in height. A good deal of this timber,, however, is situated in rocky country, and it is questionable if it would pay to cut it and bring it out. One of the principal drawbacks to Niue trade in the past has been the lack of good roads connecting the various villages