A.—3.

No. 138. Sir, —• Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 15th February, 1906. In connection with the census to be taken throughout the colony this year, Cabinet has decided to have one taken in the Cook and other Islands at the same time, and to appoint Mr. Percy Brown Enumerator, at a remuneration of £75 as a lump sum for the work. Will you please therefore arrange to have the census taken as early as possible, and forward returns to me? The particulars you supplied in 1902 were numbers, male and female, of adults, and children under fifteen, under ten, and under five years of age respectively, with the birthplace or nationality in each case. This information should be supplied in connection with the enumeration now proposed, and it would be well if, in addition, you could furnish particulars as to occupation, religion, degree of education, and school attendance. As, however, the amount of payment has been definitely fixed by Cabinet, I must leave it to 3WI to arrange with Mr. Brown for the fullest returns that can be supplied under the circumstances, leaving the question of details to be settled by you. I am not sure whether Mr. Brown will be able to include Niue in his returns; if not, please let me know, so that I can arrange with Mr. Maxwell to have the work done on that island. The intention, of course, is that Mr. Brown shall do the whole of the work if it is possible without exceeding the amount fixed by Cabinet. I have, &c, Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 139. . Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 16th February, 1906. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth December, enclosing a letter from the Rarotongan Fruit Committee relative to Mr. C. Bagley's criticism of the Cook Islands fruit trade. With reference to the question of protecting the Cook Islands fruit trade, Cabinet is of opinion that, as the supply will not be equal to the requirements of the colony for some time to come, it is inadvisable at present to impose a duty on outside fruit. At the same time, the Government is very anxious to offer some encouragement to Cook Islands shippers, and recognise that some material assistance is desirable. I would like you, therefore, to advise me what form, apart from a protective duty, you think this should take. It might be arranged for a bonus to be paid, or a payable price guaranteed ; or it may be found more workable and equally satisfactory if the concession took the form of a remission, wholly or in part, of the freight paid. You will understand that, while the Government is desirous of fostering the fruit trade of the islands as much as possible, the requirements of the colonj' as a whole must also be studied. Please let me have your views as early as possible. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 140. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 16th February, 1906. Referring to my letter of the 20th January, I have to inform you that the regulations under section 28 of " The Licensing Acts Amendment Act, 1904," have now been signed by His Excellency the Governor, and I forward herewith a number of printed copies extracted from the New Zealand Gazette of the loth instant. In section 6 of "The Sale of Spirituous Liquor Restriction Ordinance, 1904," passed by the Island Council of Rarotonga, it is provided that no spirituous liquor shall be sold or given to any native Polynesian, &c. No reference is made to fermented liquors, and as this section of the Ordinance remains in force so far as gifts are concerned, I shall be glad to know whether you have been giving effect to the provision of the section as it stands, or have been interpreting the term " spirituous liquor " in the wider sense of " alcoholic liquor." I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. C. H. Mills.

No. 121

Enclosure. Regulations under Section 28 of " The Licensing Acts Amendment Act, 1904," relating to the Cook and other Islands. Plunket, Governor. In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section twenty-eight of " The Licensing Acts Amendment Act, 1904," and of all other powers and authorities enabling him in this behalf, His Excellency the Governor of the Colonjiof New Zealand doth hereby make the regulations set forth in the schedule hereto for the purpose of securing the proper administration of sections nineteen to twenty-seven of that Act, relating to liquor in the Cook and other Islands therein referred to.

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