7

A.—3

Any person who shall infringe the provisions of this section shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds sterling. 3. Immediately after the date on which this Act shall come into operation the Collector of Customs may take possession of all the intoxicating liquor on the Island of Rarotonga, and may pay such compensation to the owners thereof as shall be arranged between the said owners on the one part and the Collector of Customs, acting for aud on behalf of the Federal Government: Provided always that any person being in possession of liquor as aforesaid may re-export all or any of the liquor if they object to the compensation offered : Provided also that the Collector' of Customs may refuse to take over any liquor which in his opinion is unsaleable. 4. This Act shall be brought into operation by Proclamation in the Cook Islands Gazette. Such Proclamation shall be signed by the Chief of the Government, and shall name the day on which the Act shall come into force, and thereupon every Act dealing with the liquor question, whether such Act be a Federal statute or an Act of the Rarotonga Council, shall be deemed to be repealed. 5. In order to give due effect to this Act the Chief of the Government may issue regulations and do all things necessary to guard the interests of the people of the Cook Islands, and shall report to the Federal Parliament the steps t_cen and the profits made in each year. 6. The Chief of the Government shall proclaim some place in the vicinity of the wharf as a public bar, and may appoint a man of good character to sell beer, spirits, wine, or other intoxicating drinks on behalf of the Government. 7. It shall not be lawful to sell or give spirits to any Maori except by written order of the surgeon or honorary surgeon of the Cook Islands Hospital. Any person infringing the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds sterling : Provided always that the Maori inhabitants of the Cook Islands may be allowed a limited quantity of beer or wine each day, such limit to be defined by regulation. 8. All offences under this Act may be punished by imprisonment with hard labour in default of payment of fine; and all penalties under this Act shall be recovered in the High Court. 9. A prohibition order may be granted by the High Court against any person, whether Maori or foreigner, upon cause being shown. 10. The Chief Judge of the High Court may order a portion of any penalty recovered under this Act to be disposed of in such manner as the interests of the Federation may demand. 11. Any person who shall distill or manufacture any intoxicating drink other than orange beer shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding one hundred pounds, or, in default, twelve months with hard labour. Passed. Te Ariki Tapu Rangi, Chairman to Cook Islands Parliament. Approved. Makea, Ariki, Chief of the Federal Government. Approved. To come into force on a day to be fixed by the Chief of the Federal Government.—W. E. Gudgeon, British Resident. The Residency, Ist August, 1899.

No. 3, 1899. —Marriage and Divorce Act, 1899. Whereas it is desirable that there thall be one uniform law throughout the Federation of the Cook Islands in order to regulate marriage and divorce. Be it enacted by the Parliament of the Cook Islands, with the consent of the British Besident:— 1. The Short Title of this Act shall be " The Marriage and Divorce Act, 1899." 2. Every minister of religion who proposes to act under this statute shall register his name, the religious denomination to which he belongs, and his place of abode, and no person who is not so registered shall be legally capable of performing the marriage ceremony within the limits of this Federation. 3. Public notice shall be given in church of the intention of each couple to marry, and not less than three clear days shall intervene between such notice and the performance of the ceremony. 4. Except with the consent of parents or guardians, no man shall be capable of entering into the bonds of matrimony unless he shall be of the full age of twenty-one years, and no woman under the age of eighteen years. 5. Persons who shall desire to be married by a minister registered under this Act shall make a declaration to the following effect: That they are of legal age; that they knew of no legal objection to their marriage; that they are entering into the bonds of matrimony of their own free will and consent; and, if under age, that they have obtained the consent of parents or guardians. 6. No objection to a marriage shall be valid except that of the parents if alive, or, in the case of their death, that of the nearest of kin or guardian who may have taken care of the child : Provided always that in the case of an adopted child whose parents are dead the Metua Angi shall take the place of the deceased parents. 7. No woman shall be legally capable of entering into the bonds of matrimony unless she shall have obtained the age of fifteen years. 8. Persons of the native race who have immigrated from islands outside the Federation, and who allege that that they have been married in other places, and desire to have such marriage recognised within this group, may make a declaration before a European minister of