A.—3b

30

baU'which had been given at Government House the previous evening. On Saturday afternoon and Sunday most of the members took the opportunity of Eeeing as much as possible of Suva and its surroundings. On Monday, the 25th May, at the kind invitation of the citizens of Suva, the party made a trip up the Eewa Eiver as far as the "Village of Navuso. They were accompanied by Mr. A. M. C. Duncan, Warden of Suva; Hon. William Sutherland, M.L.C., Acting Colonial Secretary ; Hon. William Burton, M.L.C., manager of the Bank of New Zealand ; Mr. William McBae, manager of the Bank of New South Wales ; Mr. S. L. Lazarus, merchant; Mr. Henry Marks, merchant; and Mr. F. J. Barnett, merchant, who constituted the committee of management : and also the Hon. J. M. Brown, M.L.C. ; the Bev. William Thompson, Presbyterian minister; Mr. J. H. Garrick, solicitor; Mr. B. Caldwell, solicitor; Mr. L. B. Benjamin, merchant, and three of the officers of H.M.S. " Pylades." At Nausori, where the Colonial Sugar-refining Company's mill is situated—the third largest in the world—we were joined by Mr. B. Gemmell Smith, the general manager of the company in Fiji. The mills were not in operation at the time, and we did not go ashore. On arrival at Navuso the party were entertained at a sumptuous luncheon at the bouse of Princess Thakombau. Mr. Duncan, on behalf of the citizens of Suva, proposed the health of the Minister and party, coupling the toast with the names of the Hon. Mr. Mills and Mr. James Allen, M.H.B. The Minister thanked Mr. Duncan and his friends most heartily for the generous manner in which the party had been entertained, and Mr. Allen also responded briefly in a few well-chosen words. A Fijian meke was then performed by the Natives, after which we left on our return journey down the river. On the way a short stay was made at the Boman Catholic mission-station at Naililili, which is in charge of the Bev. Father Bougier. The steamer had been unable to wait there on the way up, as the river was shoaling with the receding tide. This was one of the most enjoyable days of the whole tour, and the members were unanimous in their praises of the hospitable reception accorded to them by the good people of Suva. A word of thanks is due also to the members of the Suva Club for their kindness and courtesy to the Parliamentary party during the time we were there. In the evening the Minister dined with Sir Henry Jackson. Shortly after midnight the steamer left for Levuka. LEVUKA. After a run of sixty miles we reached Levuka, in the Island of Ovalau, arriving alongside the wharf about 7 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 26th May. Here the Minister was received by the Chairman of the Town Board. At the invitation of Captain Bobbie, Chairman of the Levuka School Board, a visit was paid to the State school, where we were most cordially received by the master, Mr. J. Garner Jones, who was most attentive to the party throughout the day. Under his direction an exhibition of knot-tying was given by the elder boys. Mr. Jones is a man of boundless energy, and he and his assistant have a school to be proud of. The scholars having been dismissed for the day, Mr. Jones entertained a number of the party at his residence. The afternoon was spent in a general inspection of Levuka and its surroundings, and at 6 in the evening the " Mapourika" left for the Kermadecs. Our departure from Levuka was the occasion of a remarkable display of enthusiasm, the people cheering and singing "God save the King" until we were well out from the wharf. Sunday, 29th May.—Sunday Island, in the Kermadec Group, was sighted after 12 o'clock, and about 5 in the afternoon we stood close in, and steamed along towards Hutchison Bluff. Owing to the lateness of the hour and the heavy sea, however, Commander Crawshaw deemed it inadvisable to attempt a landing, and we accordingly passed on for Auckland. Monday, 1st June.—We reached Auckland shortly after 3 p.m., and a large crowd was found waiting to welcome the party's arrival home. The northern members and a few others left the steamer there, and shortly after midnight we sailed for Wellington. Thursday, 4th June. —At 7 a.m. the " Mapourika " reached the Queen's Wharf, Wellington, the voyage having occupied exactly seven weeks, and the distance travelled being 8,015 miles. A map showing the course and the itinerary of the voyage will be found at the end of this paper.

Of the sixteen islands included in the annexation eight were visited, the remaining eight being Mitiaro, Takufcea, Manuae, Palmerston, Suwarrow, Bakahanga, Danger, and Nassau. Mitiako. This is a small coral island lying about forty miles to the north-east of Atiu, and an equal distance from Mauke. Its area is only about four square miles, and it nowhere rises higher than 50 ft. above sea-level. It contains some good land, however, and is capable of producing 100 tons of copra annually. Its present export is about 70 tons of copra and five hundred boxes of oranges. In the centre is a pretty little lagoon, bordered by a belt of swamp. The population according to the last returns was 165. Takutba. This is the smallest island in the Cook Group, its area being about 400 acres. It lies about 125 miles to the north-east of Barotonga, and close to the Island of Atiu. It belonged to the late Ngamaru Ariki, and was by him presented to His Majesty King Edward for the benefit of his subjects in the Group. The Besident Commissioner proposes to have the island systematically planted with cocoanut-palms, and he anticipates that it will in time yield 200 tons of copra annually.