A.—4

68

Cook Islands. 1. Arrangements should be made in the fruit season for steamers to call regularly at islands other than Rarotonga. 2. The question of carrying Cook Islands fruit on the New Zealand railways at the same rate as fruit grown in New Zealand is of importance. 3. More attention should be given to a strict enforcement of the regulations for keeping plantations and orchards clean and free from noxious weeds. 4. Outside Rarotonga, where supervision is done by an agricultural expert, Native committees should take the matter in hand. In any case, the Resident Agent should visit all plantations and orchards once a year at least. 5. Agricultural subjects should be emphasized to a greater extent than they are now in the State schools, and education should to a large extent be centred thereon. 6. If a tropical branch of the Agricultural Department were inaugurated it would be of material assistance to the expert in Rarotonga. It would be advisable if, as suggested for Samoa, the agricultural expert in the Cook Islands were, through the Administrator, under the New Zealand Department. 7. It was suggested that the fencing laws, or a modification of them, should be introduced into the Group. 8. The sale of intoxicating liquor, except for medicinal, sacramental, or manufacturing purposes, should be prohibited. 9. To encourage the export of copra to Great Britain or her dependencies your Government should consider the question of increasing the export tax on all copra shipped to foreign countries. 10. A provision should be made that all mail-steamers subsidized by your Government calling at Rarotonga en route to San Francisco should reserve cargospace up to 100 tons. 11. New Zealand exporters and manufacturers should make themselves acquainted with the requirements of the Group, and so maintain and extend the existing trade ; moreover, everything possible should be done to replace the American trade in piece-goods, drapery, drugs, and hardware, which is increasing, by similar goods of British manufacture. Niue. 1. A better schooner service should be obtained ; if this is impossible, or if the subsidy demanded is too great, your Government should itself purchase a suitable auxiliary schooner and run it. 2. The export of copra should be made a State monopoly, and the export duty should be increased on all copra shipped to foreign countries. Panama-hat making by the Natives should receive every encouragement. 3. Agricultural education should be emphasized in all State schools. 4. The sale of intoxicating liquors, except for medicinal, sacramental, or manufacturing purposes, should be prohibited. 5. Labour contracts with Niueans for work on other islands should be prohibited. We have the honour to be. Your obedient servants, George Elliot, Chairman. W. R. Pearson, Member. Thos. Wilson, Member.

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