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1894. NEW ZEALAND.

FEDERATION AND ANNEXATION: PACIFIC ISLANDS. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH RESIDENT, RAROTONGA. [In continuation of Parliamentary Paper A.-6, 1893.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency the Governor

No. 1. Mr. F. J. Moss to His Excellency the Govbenob. My Lord, — British Eesidency, Earotonga, 6th August, 1893. I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Federal Parliament remained in session till Ist August. A full report of its proceedings is now being mimographed, which is the only means of printing available, and when completed will be sent for your Excellency's information. Meanwhile I have the honour to enclose copies of the following : — 1. Act for establishing a Federal Flag. 2. Act to settle Doubts respecting certain Divorces. 3. Import Duty Amendment Act. 4. Runaway Offenders Act. 5. To regulate the Carrying of Ships' Lights. 6. Amendment Births, Marriages, and Deaths Eegistration. 7. Appropriation Act. 8. Eesolution re British Currency. 9. Eesolution re Central School for the Teaching of English. 10. Estimates of Eevenue and Expenditure for 1893-94. I have enclosed another copy of the Flag Act under separate cover, with the coloured copies of the flag, as requested by your Excellency. No. 2 was passed with the concurrence of the Eev. W. Lawrence, resident missionary, to settle certain divorces which have been somewhat irregularly made. No. 3 was passed with a view to a uniform standard for the valuation of imports. Hitherto the rate has been $5 to the pound sterling. It will hereafter be $666, which is the current local rate of exchange, and the revenue benefit proportionally. No. 4 is to secure the punishment of offenders escaping from the island on which the offence has been committed. No. 5 enforces the carrying of proper lights by native vessels, the masters of which are negligent in this respect. No. 6 merely authorises the appointment of additional Eegistrars. No. 7 appropriates the revenue for the year ending 30th June, 1894, leaving a probable surplus of $926, subject to a permanent appropriation of $800 for unforeseen contingencies. No. 8 shows the strong desire of the natives for the introduction of British currency. The change would, I fear, be beyond the present power of the Federal Government, and must be left till it is strong enough to bear at least a considerable proportion of the loss, and insure a regular supply of coin in the absence of a bank. The proceedings of the Parliament have been marked throughout by intelligence and order. The progress made by the natives in the conduct of business and in the comprehension of their I—A. 3.