A.—3.

No. 100. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 4th January, 1906. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th November, relative to the No. 94 question of dealing with waste lands of the Group. I hope you will be successful in having this important matter effectively dealt with by means of an Ordinance of the Federal Council, and I shall await your further report on the matter when it has been brought before that body. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 101. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 4th January, 1906. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th October, reporting on the No. 76. progress of road-work in Niue during the quarter ending the 30th September last. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Niue. C. H. Mills.

No. 102. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 4th January, 1906. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th November, reporting on your No. 89, visit to Rakahariga in connection with the work of the Land Titles Court. I agree with you that the results of the sittings of the Court there are entirely satisfactory. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 103. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 4th January, 1906. I forward herewith a copy of regulations, which have been signed by the Governor, prescribing the mode of making and assessing compensation claims under subsection (8) of section 3 of " The Cook and other Islands Government Act Amendment Act, 1904." An alteration has been made by the Solicitor-General in section 3, the effect of which is that the assessors have no power to fix the amoiint of compensation payable. Dr. Fitchett was of the opinion that as the assessors might be Natives this power should be reserved for the Court. Kindly have these regulations published in the Cook Islands Gazette. I have &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

Enclosure. Plunket, Governor. Whereas by section three of " The Cook and other Islands Government Act Amendment Act, 1904 " (hereinafter called "the said Act "), it is enacted that the Governor may from time to time make regulations prescribing the mode of making and assessing compensation claims (as in the said section mentioned), and generally whatever he thinks necessary in order to give full effect to the said section: Now, therefore, His Excellency the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, in exercise of the power and authority conferred by the said section of the said Act, and of all other powers enabling him in this behalf, doth hereby make the regulations following: — 1. In any case where land is taken under the said section, the Resident Commissioner may appoint a fit and proper person as an assessor for the Crown, and the claimant may also appoint a fit and proper person as an assessor for him. 2. Every such appointment shall be notified in writing by the appointer to the Registrar before the date specified in the notice given under subsection (4) of the said section three, or such later date as the Court may allow. 3. The two assessors so appointed shall sit with the Court (but not as members of the Court) for the purpose of assisting the Court in the matter of determining the compensation payable in respect of the land taken: Provided always that the Court shall itself determine the amount of compensation, and its decision shall be final. 4. Every assessor shall be entitled to a fee for each day upon which he attends a sitting of the Court in respect of the claim, the amount of such fee to be fixed by the Court. 5. The Court shall fix and determine the amount of the costs of inquiry, both as to ownership and compensation, in each case, and shall direct by whom such costs or any part thereof ("including the fees for assessors as above provided) shall be paid.

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