A.—3

90

No. 184. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sib,— 10th May, 1904. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th April, 193/N, relative to duty charged on Natives' luggage. I gather from what you have stated that the Natives have always been given full advantage of the exemptions allowed by law, and apparently no further action in the matter is necessary. 1 have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Niue. C. H. Mills.

No; 174,

No. 185. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sir,— 11th May, 1904. I enclose herewith a Warrant, signed by His Excellency the Governor, appointing you Resident Commissioner to administer the Government in the Island of Niue, in accordance with section 4of " The Cook and other Islands Government Act Amendment Act, 190.3." I have already forwarded a copy of the New Zealand Gazette containing notice of the appointment, which, you will observe, dates from the 12th January, 1904. Cabinet has decided that from the Ist April, 1904, you will be paid salary at the rate of £300 a year. The travelling-allowance of 10s. a day which you have been receiving will cease as from the 31st March. I have, &c, C. F. Maxwell, Esq., Resident Commissioner, Niue. C. H. Mills.

No. 186. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sir,— 11th May, 1904. I am in receipt of your letter of the 25th February, 152/N, and in reply have to say that refunds should be made in respect of duty paid during the period from the 10th to the 28th December, 1903, at the rate of 3s. 6d. per pound, on the class of tobacco on which the duty has been reduced to Is. per pound. You are authorised to make the necessary refunds. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Niue. C H. Mills.

No. 145.

No. 187. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sir,— 13th May, 1904. Referring to your letter of the 4th February, relative to the duty on claret, I have now to inform you that an Order in Council has been passed, dated the 11th instant, reducing the duty to 2s. per gallon. A copy of the New Zealand Gazette containing the Order will be sent you shortly. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 137.

No. 188. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sir,— 14th May, 1904. I am in receipt of your letter of the 30th March, with reference to the Islands of Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke, in relation to the question of appointing Resident Agents. I assume you will bring up the matter of appointing an agent in Atiu as soon as you consider the time ripe for such a step. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 165.

No. 189. Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, Sir,— 21st May, 1904. The question of traders' licenses in Niue has been under consideration by Cabinet. I have not heard from you as to whether you have passed, or intend to pass, an Ordinance reviving any of the provisions of the Traders' License Act, which was repealed, so far as its application to Niue was concerned, by the Cook and other Islands Government Act Amendment Act of last session; but I think some amendments in the old Ordinance are desirable. I agree with charging fees of £10 for a wholesale and £5 for a retail license; but I do not think the fact of a man opening a branch store should necessarily constitute him a wholesale trader, making him liable to a total fee of £15. I think a license fee for a branch retail store might be issued for £2 10s., and if the trader's main store is a purely retail one his total fee would be £7 10s. I shall be glad to Lear from you On this subject. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Niue. 0. H. Mills.

No. 190. No. 152. The Hon. the Minister of Public Health. Will you please arrange for a supply of vaccine to be sent to Niue. The " Ranfurly " will probably be leaving Auckland in about a week, C. H. Mills. 21/5/04.