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months, and Makea tells me that she will now put all of her lands through the Court in self-defence. The very large increase in the work will compel me to take on another boy in the Survey Office as a draughtsman at £25 per annum; and I may report that the boy, Henry Williams, our first cadet, has been a pronounced success. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington.

No. 162. Sir,— Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 30th March, 1905.. . In reply to your letter No. 49 of the 3rd instant, I have the honour to forward attached a copy of the Statute of Rarotonga. I do not know why this statute or that of Atiu was not printed in the Appendices to the Journals of the House, but such, I find, is the case. I regret that I can only find one copy at present. It was intended that there should be only one statute for the Cook Group embodying all of the least objectionable of the old mission laws, but the local jealousies broke the measure up into four statutes —Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, and Atiu and dependent islands. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. - The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington.

No. 155,

Enclosure. No. 14.—Statute of Rarotonga, 1899. Whereas by Order in Council dated the 22nd day of April, 1899, Lieut-Colonel W. E. Gudgeon, British Resident, was authorised to revise the laws of Mangaia and other islands for the approval of the Federal Parliament. Be it enacted by the Federal Parliament of the Cook Islands, with the consent of the British Resident. 1. The Short Title of this Act shall be " The Statute of Rarotonga, 1899." 2. From and after the passing of this Act it shall not be lawful to prosecute any person for any one of the following acts: — (a.) Consulting a sorcerer; (b.) Being pregnant as an unmarried woman; (c.) Card-playing; (d.) Placing one's arm round a woman, even though the offender have no torch in the other hand; (c.) Trading with an European without permission; (/.) Tattooing or being tattooed; (g.) Going from one village to another on the Sabbath; (h.j Taking an unmarried woman inland; (i.). Crying over a dead woman, even though not related to her. offences against the person.3. Any man committing adultery with a married woman may, on conviction, be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars, and, in default of payment, may be sentenced to not more than two months' hard labour on the public roads: Provided always that the Judge, in his discretion, may sentence the offender to sixty days' hard labour without the option of a fine. That the Judges may order that a portion of the fine be paid to the injured husband or wife. 4. No person shall be punished for an act of fornication with an unmarried woman above the age of fifteen years; but any man carnally knowing any girl under the age of fifteen years and above the age of twelve years shall be liable to a fine of not more than ten dollars. Any man carnally knowing or attempting to know any girl under the age of twelve years shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall be committed for trial before the High Court. 5. Any person who shall have carnal connection with a female by force or against her will, and any one who shall attempt to have such connection by force, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall be committed for trial before the High Court. No female under the age of twelve years shall be capable of giving her consent to such carnal connection, and no man shall plead such consent: Provided always that no one shall be convicted of the crime of rape on the unsupported testimony of the girl. 6 Any person convicted of the crime of incest may be fined not exceeding twenty dollars, and in addition to such fine may be sentenced to not exceeding two months' hard labour on the public roads. . 7. Any person convicted of slandering his neighbour may be fined not exceeding ten dollars. 8 Any person bearing false witness'in the District Courts of Rarotonga with intent to injure any man or woman may be fined not exceeding twenty dollars, and in addition to such fine may be'sentenced to not exceeding thirty days' hard labour on the public roads. 9 Whosoever shall assault any police officer or member of the Government with his fists shall he liable to a fine of not exceeding ten dollars, and whosoever shall use a stick in an assault under this section shall be liable to be fined not exceeding twenty dollars.