A.—3

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3. The Licensing Officer shall provide a suitable store and office at Avatiu or Avarua for the storage of intoxicating liquor in his charge. 4. The Licensing Officer shall issue such liquor only in accordance with the provisions of this law. 5. All owners of liquor will, on or before the 10th January, 1891, make a return to the Licensing Officer of the quantities in their possession, and he will thereupon take charge thereof. 6. Where the said liquors are held in reasonable quantities at the houses of the owners for their own use, the Licensing Officer will at his discretion allow them to remain there. In all other cases he will require that they be placed in the bond or store appointed for the purpose. 7. The Licensing Officer will keep the said liquors carefully in store at the risk of the owners thereof. 8. The said owners shall have access to the store to inspect their property on any weak-day between the hours of 10 and 3, Saturdays excepted, when the hours shall be from 10 till 12. 9. No intoxicating liquor shall hereafter be sold and delivered by any one except to persons to whom a permit to purchase or receive the same shall have been granted by the Licensing Officer ; and the Licensing Officer, on delivery of any liquor so authorised, shall retain the permit and file it as a record. In the case of natives, the permit shall only be issued on th« written authority of the ruling Ariki of the district; but the foreigner shall go only to the Licensing Officer. 10. If the Licensing Officer should have reason 'o believe that permits are being improperly obtained to defeat the purposes of this law, he may decline to issvie the same till satisfied to the contrary. 11. On all intoxicating liquors within the protectorate, whether for the owner's use or for sale, the following charges shall be made by the Relieving Officer on the permit being issued by him : — Spirits of all kinds .. .. .. .. .. .. $150 per gallon. Wines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 30 Beer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-15 Six reputed quart bottles, and twelve reputed pint bottles, shall be reckoned as one gallon. 12. Any person infringing any of the provisions of this law shall be liable to a fine not exceeding |150. 13. Any person found guilty of drunkenness shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $5. 14. All fines or fees levied under this law shall be public revenue, and held at the disposal of the General Council, subject to approval by the Council of the Arikis. 15. A return of all eases adjudicated upon under this law before the British Resident shall have formally entered upon his duties in Rarotonga shall be compiled monthly and sent by the Judge for the information of His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand. 16. The friends of any person habitually getting drunk, or to whom intoxicating liquor is known to be injurious, or, failing such friends,the Licensing Officer or a policeman, may apply to the Court of the district for an order prohibiting the sale or gift of liquor to such person. Such order, if granted, shall be forthwith published, and any person disobeying it shall be punished as provided for those guilty of contempt of Court. 17. The Licensing Officer may, on information duly received., enter upon any premises and take possession of any intoxicating liquor thereon which he has reason to believe is in possession contrary to the provisions of this law. He shall then prosecute the person in whose possession it has been found, and upon such person shall rest the onus of proving that he is in lawful possession of the same. 18. All laws at present relating to the sale of or dealing with imported liquors are hereby repealed, so far as such sale or dealing is concerned, on the coming into operation of this law. Those relating to orange-beer-or other fermented liquors illegally manufactured within the protectorate will continue in full force and effect. 19. This law will come into operation on the 10th January, 1891. A Council was held on the 22nd December at Pa's, Ngatangiia (it being migratory in those days), and among other proceedings the following, with reference to the liquor law now in force, occurred:— The following laws were then duly debated and passed : No. 2 (No. 1 having been the temporary liquor law passed on the 22nd November, 1890), Making provision for upholding the law. No. 3. To regulate the meetings of the Council. No. 4. When laws are to take effect, and how to be promulgated. No. 5. Respecting fines. No. 6. Dog-tax. No. 7. Protection of imported birds. No. 8. Power of pardon. A law to regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors was then proposed and keenly debated. The question was finally put, " Shall a Bill be passed for total prohibition or for the control and restriction of the sale, as proposed in the Bill now before the Council, and prohibition be only resorted to if that Bill fails?" There voted for control and restriction in preference to prohibition : Makea, Tinomana, Pa, Karika, Kainuku, Tepou, Maovete, Takao. Mr. Gelling, the only remaining member, asked that the " Noes " should not be taken until he had an opportunity of oonsulting the foreign residents. If, as had been asserted, a majority of them were in favour of total prohibition, he should vote for it. If not, it would be better to have such a. Bill as that now before the Council. The adjournment being agreed to, the Council adjourned until Wednesday, the 24th instant, to meet at 10 a.m., at Makea's residence, Avarua. Wednesday, 2Mh December, 1890. The Council resumed at Makea's at 10 a.m. Present: Makea, Tinomana, Pa, Karika, Kainuku, Tepou, Takao, and Maovete. Ngamaru was introduced, and took his seat as Ariki of Atiu, Mauke, and Mitiaro. Prayers by Rev. J. Chalmers. Moved by Mr. Gelling, " That Mr. Rawlings be appointed interpreter for the Council." (Negatived.) Moved by Ngamaru, " That the Rev. J. Chalmers be asked to interpret again to-day." (Carried unanimously.) Resolved, That the sittings of the Council be open to the public, unless otherwise ordered. Mr. Gelling stated that he had taken the opinion of his constituents, the foreign residents, and found a great majority were against prohibition. In fact, only two were in its favour. No. 9. The liquor law, after several amendments, was then finally passed. No. 10. Quarantine law, passed. No. 11. Prohibiting furious riding or driving in the public roads, passed. Tinomana wished to have the law as to Sabbath observance made clear, and enforced. At present some obeyed and others did not, especially strangers coming by steamer, who travelled about when they landed without regard to the law. After some discussion the matter dropped. Mr. Gelling wished also to introduce a Cattle Trespass Bill, but the Council decided not to consider any other measures at the present session. Proposed by Mr. Gelling, " That Mr. Joseph Henry Gamier be appointed Licensing Officer under the liquor law ; to receive remuneration at the rate of $25 per month from the fees collected by him. Any surplus to be held as public revenue." This closed the business, and the Council adjourned.

An Old Law, of which neither Daten ob Pabticulabs oodld be ascebtained (pbinted appabently at the Mission Peess). 1. All intoxicating drinks are strictly prohibited, and any one guilty of infringing the law by giving or selling will be fined 100 dollars for every single offence. 2. Any person found the worse for drink is fined 30 dollars. 3. Boats from other settlements are not to be supplied with spirits. Masters, &c, of vessels are particularly requested not to give or sell any to them. The fine is 100 dollars.