A.—3

14

6. No cattle shall be allowed to run loose on any part of Aitutaki, except in the Lagoon side enclosure. Any person infringing the provisions of this and the two preceding sections shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding twenty shillings for each offence. 7. Except with the permission of the Island Council, no human corpse shall be buried in any place other than a burial-ground recognised by the Native inhabitants as such, or reserved or set apart by them or some duly constituted authority as a burial-ground. Any person infringing this section shall be liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings. 8. Any person found playing for money, whether by cards or any other game, within the precincts of a village shall be liable on conviction to a penalty of not exceeding twenty shillings. Any owner or occupier of a house or premises situate in any village who shall permit or allow gambling or playing for money in such house or upon such premises shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding twenty shillings. 9. The President of the Island Council may, by notice in writing, direct the owner or occupier of any house or other building in a dirty or unwholesome state to clean or cause the same to be cleaned within a time specified in such notice. And if, after the service of such notice upon him, any person shall refuse or neglect to comply with such notice, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings. 10. No nightsoil, refuse, or offensive rubbish shall be cast, or deposited, or allowed to flow into any spring, stream, or watercourse that flows through or past any Native village, and which is used as a water-supply by the inhabitants of such village. All refuse as aforesaid shall be buried in the earth without delay. Any offender against this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty shillings. 11. Except with the permission of the President of the Island Council, no guns shall be fired within the limits of any Native village between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Any offender against the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding ten shillings. 12. And whereas many women of Aitutaki are in the habit of deserting their families by stowing away on board of trading schooners, and it is expedient that some restraint should be placed on the visits of such women to trading schooners : From and after the passing of this Ordinance it shall not be lawful for any woman to visit a trading schooner or other vessel unless provided with a pass signed by the Resident Magistrate of the Island. Any master or officer in charge of a vessel who shall permit a woman to come on board such vessel shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding two pounds sterling. Any woman offending under this section shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding ten shillings ; and any person who shall aid or abet her in breaking the provisions of this section shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of twenty shillings, and in default of payment twenty days' hard labour.

No. 24. Sic, — British Residency, Earotonga, 31st July, 1902. I have the honour to forward, attached, a petition from the Europeans of Rarotonga, representing fairly the disadvantages under which this place labours in having no hotel or other place in which tourists or travellers generally can find accommodation. I have no doubt whatever that Rarotonga would become a favourite health resort for the winter if moderate accommodation could be provided, but, as things now are, such persons are compelled to pass on to Tahiti. Makea and. the Maoris generally would be glad to sign this petition if I could intimate my approval of the same, but this I hesitate to do until I know how far my action would be approved by you. You will notice that the Rev. Mr. Lawrence approves, with the qualification that the sale of liquor should be under Government control. If this means that we are to accept the Gothenburg system, pure and simple, then there can never be an hotel, for we have not the funds to start the establishment, nor a reliable man to conduct it. If, however, it means that the hotel is to be conducted under the supervision of the Government, and the barman appointed by the Government, in order to obtain strict attention to the rules forbidding the sale of spirits to the Natives, then I think the system would work in a very satisfactory manner, arid would be of the greatest possible advantage to both Europeans and Natives. Under any circumstances, nothing could be worse than the present system, which for the last ten years has tended to demoralise the whole population. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, The Right Hon. the Premier, New Zealand. Resident Commissioner.

Enclosure. The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. This petition, from the Europeans and Arikis of Rarotonga, showeth,— That, in their opinion, the time has now come that a well-conducted hotel should be established on the island for the following reasons : — (a.) That there is no house or hotel for the accommodation of travellers or visitors to the island. (b.) That occasionally drunkenness occurs, and it is very difficult to trace where the liquor was obtained, which would not be the case were only one hotel to be established here, under proper supervision.