A.—3a

12

4. Schoolhouse, Settlement of Avarua. —The following entry appears in the minute-book of the Land Titles Court, Rarotonga, No. 4, page 67 : " Whereas the Resident Missionary of the L.M.S. is anxious that his position in the schoolhouse should be defined, it is now agreed that this house is the property of Makea Ariki, the Arikis, Mataiapos, Rangatiras, and people of Avarua. Ihe London Mission to have the right to teach all things religious and secular in the school, and any question as to the right of others to teach in the house in question to be left to Makea Ariki. —Read out and assented to by Makea-and all the people in the Court. —W. E. Gudgeon." I think I am right in saying that, with the exception of the Tereora School, all the school buildings throughout the Islands have been built by and at the expense of the Natives. At Tereora the mission was aided to the extent of about £200 by outside subscriptions. E. Blaine, Registrar, Land Titles Court.

Sir, — Cook Islands Administration, Rarotonga, 22nd November, 1912. Supplementary to my report of the 7th instant:— Sales op Liquors. I omitted to state that I considered the forms of authority which were in use were too general in terms, and with the concurrence of the Chief Medical Officer and the Collector of Customs I have substituted a form in more specific terms. I think this leaves no room for any inadvertence or carelessness or misconception as to what I consider the Act to mean. I must confess that I am not altogether clear as to what the proviso to paragraph (2) of section 277 really means, but after consideration I take it to be governed by paragraph (1). I attach copies of superseded forms and the one I substituted. [Form now in use.] The officer appointed to sell liquor in terms of section 277, the Licensing Act, 1908. I certify that, has been under medical treatment by me for ' and I prescribe for his [her] use. Dated this day of , 191 . [Superseded.] To the Collector of Customs. I recommend you to issue a permit to for bottles of for medicinal purposes. Rarotonga, ,191 Permission granted. Collector of Customs. [Superseded .] Cook Islands Administration. Liquor Permit. I hereby grant permission to to purchase . bottle of for medicinal purposes. meuicinai Rarotonga, , 191 . \i„„ .-. 6 ' . Medical Officer. Land. It has occurred to me that you may have expected me to say something on the subject whether land was available for European settlement. This has been fully reported on previously but it can do no harm to give my own views. l ""v' I stated in my report of the 7th instant that there was no room for any considerable influx of Europeans. I believe that to be indisputable. I will give my reasons briefly — Rarotonga the island which presents by far the greatest attractions to the would-be settler by reason of its superior fertility and accessibility, contains 16,500 acres. Of this some f 0)0 acres are mountains, steep and rocky, and of little use for cultivation. Nearly 2 000 aces have already been acquired by Europeans, leaving therefore between 10,000 and 11 000 acres In support a population of about 2,500 Natives. Obviously there is little room fl w It is true that a great deal of. the land is capable of hig& cultivation td Zs ofductiveness, but most of it is producing something, and the Natives are planting to some extent, though perhaps not always to the best advantage. Small areas may from time to time