BRITISH PROTECTORATE AT RAROTONGA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 305, 6 October 1888, Page 4

BRITISH PROTECTORATE AT RAROTONGA.

The Acting - Consul at Rarotongo' Mi' li. Exham, i-eceived authority by the Richmond to proclaim a British Protectorate over Rarotonga and all islands of the Hervey Group, and the proper flag was hoisted at ,12 o'clock on the day the steamer left. His instructions were to recognise the authority of the three queens of the group and also to recognise the chiefs there. The inhabitants wore notified that the ceremony would take place at noon on the 20th inst. and the principal chiefs irom all parts of the group assembled at Queen Makea's residence. The following proclamation was then read both in English and in the native language and it was affixed to the Queen's flagstaff : — " Proclamation, -By virtu re of instructions received from Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, contained in a despatch from Sir James Prenclergasb, Deputy Governor of New Zealand, dated at Government House, New Zealand, the 16th August, 1888, I hereby declare that Her Britannic Majesty's Government has this day a°sumed a protectrate over the group of islands known as the Hervey (or Cook's) Group, situated in the South Pacific Ooean between 18deg. and 22deg. south latitude, and 156deg. and 160deg. west longitude, and that the following islands are included in such protectorate : — Rarotonga, Mangaia, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mauki, Mitiero, Manuai, and all the small islands or islets depending upon them. ' Dated at H. B. M. Consulate, Rarotonga, this 20th day September, 1888. — Richard Exiiam, H.B.M. Consul. God save the Queen." The three great chiefs were then presented with a British flag, which they were authorised to hoist on their flagstafls, and they were informed that under fehe protection of this flag they would be in no way molested or interfered with by foreign warships. The British Consul was to have left Rarobonga on the following Friday by the schooner Sandfly in order to proclaim the protectorate in all the other islands.

A FATAL SHIPWRECK. Tho British ship, Derby Park, Captain Rothery, a new steel vessel of 1,200 tons from Port Townsend to Melbourne, with 1,000,000 feet lumber was totally wrecked at Penryhn Island about 20th July last. The captain's wife was unhappily drowned, all the rest reaching Papeeti in safety, and were forwarded to San Francisco by the British Consul, C. A. A. Talbot, Esq. The Insurances are unknown.

MISCELLANEOUS. Trade in Apia is in a depressed condition in consequense of the unsettled state of native affairs. Owing to the hurricane which visited Rarotonga in January last, trade is in a backward state. The native plantations nothavingrecovered,thepopulationwereunforbunately short of food. Things, however, give promise of renewed prosperity during the ensuing; season. The new duties of 50 per cent., imposed by the Tahitian authorities, on all goods other than those of French origin or manufacture, has been disallowed by the French National Government, and the old duties have been reverted to. This will be good news for New Zealand traders, who would, otherwise, have practically been shut out. The English yacht Nianza, was at Tahiti when the Richmond left, and her owner talked about coming on to New Zealand, via Samoa. H.M.s. Egeria was in Tonga when the Richmond left, and she was to have left for Auckland about the end of November.

THE RAIATEA AFFAIR. There was no change in the position of affairs at Raiatea. According to latest advices per Richmond tho natives were still on the hil]s, and nothing new of any importance had cropped up since our previous account of the disturbance was received.