A.—3

82

The mail will probably leave to-morrow, and I have to request that you will send me as quickly as possible a proper document, signed not only by yourself but the other signatories, for record here. I have, &c, Mr. C. Kohn, Rarotonga. Frederick J. Moss, British Resident.

Sib, — Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 17th September, 1897. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this day, and, in accordance with same, beg to enclose an original copy, as desired by you. I have, &c, C. Kohn, Managing Agent, Cook Islands Trading F. J. Moss, Esq., British Resident, Rarotonga. Company (Limited).

Sib, — Cook Islands: British Residency, Rarotonga, 18th September, 1897. I have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the petition from yourself and others to His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand asking for the appointment of a Royal Commission, &c. On reperusal of your letter to me yesterday, I find that you are also sending a copy direct to His Excellency, whom I have therefore informed of the fact, and that I hold here the copy which you have sent to me for His Excellency's instructions therefore. I have, &c, Mr. C. Kohn, Rarotonga. • Fbederick J. Moss, British Resident.

Sir, — Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 6th November, 1897. On the 17th September last I sent you a letter, enclosing a document signed by myself and others, and addressed to His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand. In my letter to you I requested you to forward the same to His Excellency in your official capacity of British Resident at the earliest opportunity, also that a copy would be forwarded by me to His Excellency. It now appears that you did not forward the document as requested. Taking your action in this matter, I can only presume that you deliberately kept back the original document, well knowing that His Excellency would not recognise any document unless forwarded through the proper channel—■ namely, the British Resident. I have, &c, C. Kohn, Managing Agent, Cook Islands Trading Company (Limited). P. J. Moss, Esq., British Resident, Rarotonga.

Sm, — Cook Islands : British Residency, Rarotonga, 6th November, 1897. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this date. I have, &c, Mr. C. Kohn, Rarotonga. Fbedeeick J. Moss, British Resident.

[For petition of .0. Kohn and others, see Enclosure to No. 12, on page 10.]

Sic, — Rarotonga. 26th August, 1897. We, the undersigned, respectfully inform you that it is our intention to lay before the Cook Islands Parlia, ment the following statements, viz.:— 1. While there is not an English currency in Earotonga, that we are compelled to pay our import duties in English money, thereby giving to one business house, that of Messrs. Donald and Edenborough, who are the Government cashiers, the advantage over all other business houses, in their having the use of that money. 2. That the Post Office and Bond still remain part of the premises of Messrs. Donald and Edenborough, in spite of an Act of Parliament passed for their removal long ago ; and, also, that there is a door between the Bond and the premises of Messrs. Donald and Edenborough. 3. That we can have no faith in the accuracy of the public accounts, nor in the legality of documents signed by the present Government Auditor, on the following grounds: (1) That the Government Auditor has been permitted to audit his own accounts ; (2) that the Government Auditor is living in Rarotonga under a different name to the one he went under before coming to these islands. Wμ. Taylob. C. Kohn. To P. J. Moss, Esq., British Resident. E. Piltz.

Rarotonga, 10th November, 1897.