A.—3.

No. 93. g IH) Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 7th November, 1905. In reply to your letter No. 275, of the 16th September, I have the honour to inform you that I have instructed Captain Nagle to assume jurisdiction over the Penrhyn Courts, and allow no decision to be given in any case without his concurrence and in his presence. I have also directed him to allow the present Judges to sit with him, but that he will gradually assume all their functions. I have already instructed our Agent at Palmerston to carry out the elections for the Island Council in accordance with the provisions of section 6 of the Act of 1904. I have, &c, W. E. GUDGEON^ Resident Commissioner. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington. .

No. 65.

No. 94. g IE Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 10th November, 1905. With reference to your letter No. 234, of the 24th October, 1 have the honour to inform you that I have called together the Council to meet on the 11th instant to discuss the advisability of dealing with the waste lands of the Group in a comprehensive manner—that is, in placing all such lands in the hands of the Council by giving the administrative officer of the local Administration power to carry out any resolution of the Council requiring him to lease and sublet any lands that may be offered to the Government. If I can induce the Council to pass an Ordinance of this nature I will have it done lmmeIt may be that it will not now affect the Islands of Rarotonga, Aitutaki, and Mangaia, but there is much waste land both at Atiu and M.auke which may be utilised. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington.

No. 85.

No. 95. y IR Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 14th November, 1905. I have the honour to forward a letter from the Rev. Mr. Hutchin, in which he forwards a resolution of the directors of the London Mission with reference to the island schools.. In reply, I have informed him that Cabinet has decided to take no action at present in the matter of education. I have also intimated to him that under no possible circumstances could I recommend that the mission should be allowed to interfere in the education of the children, inasmuch as sectarian bitterness would immediately result, and in these small islands such a state of things would be most lamentable. I honestly believe that we cannot do better than leave matters as they now stand. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. C. H. Mills, Minister administering the Islands, Wellington.

Enclosure. „ _ Rarotonga, 9th November, 1905. I beg to forward for your consideration the following resolution of the directors of the London Missionary Society concerning the educational work carried on by our pastors in the various villages of these islands, and also concerning the Tereora Boarding-school. The resolution is as °T< S That in tlle event o f t he New Zealand Government undertaking the charge of secular education in the Cook Islands, the society will be prepared to withdraw from this branch of its work, and to hand over the Tereora School to the Government with such safeguards for religious teaching as may be found to be desirable." -- '■■ Will you please bring this resolution before the notice of the New Zealand Government? In the careful, consideration which you and the New Zealand Government are necessarily giving to the question of such importance, we are sure that you will be glad to be acquainted with the views of the London Missionary Society. I have, Secretary of the Cook Islands District Committee of the London Missionary Society. Lieut.-Colonel Gudgeon, C.M.G., Resident Commissioner, Cook Islands.

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