ANNEXATION OF COOK ISLANDS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 September 1901, Page 3

ANNEXATION OF COOK ISLANDS.

The Laws of the Islands.

(our pahliambntaty bepobtee.)

Wellington, September 23. The extension of the boundaries of 1 New Zealand by the inclusion of the Cook Islands was before the House yesterday in the form of a Bill to provide temporarily for the Government of those new possessions. The measure is to he deemed to have come into force on June 11th, 1901, the day on which the proclamation was issued.

Local laws and usages are to continue and the Governor of New Zealand is empowered to gradually bring our laws into operation in the Islands,

The Courts of Justice are continued and provision is made for appeal from the decisions of the High Court of Islands to the Supreme Court of New Zealand and thence to the Appeal Court. Appeals to the Supreme Court may be heard in New Zealand, or by a judge sitting at Earatonga. The Governor is further empowered to appoint a Eesident Commissioner to administer the Government in the Islands and the, present representative of the New Zealand Government is to be deemed to be the Eesident Commissioner appointed under the Act and present officials are to be continued in office. The Governor may also appoint a tribunal for ascertaining titles to land.

The Federal Parliament and the Native Councils are to continue in existence under a new title and are empowered to make ordinances which will not have effect until assented to by the Resident Commissioner.

Authority is given to the Federal Court to levy and collect customs duties, but there is to be no duty on goods passing between New Zealand and the Islands and a drawback is to be paid where such duty has been collected. Crown lands in the Islands may be set apart for Imperial or Colonial naval or military defence.