8

A.— 8

At Aitutaki and Mangaia the hills are low, and do not attract the clouds, but even there the fall has been excessive.

I have the honour to attach subreport, and statements of revenue and expenditure, exports and imports, marked respectively from A to 0. W. E. Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner.

(A.) The Cook Islands Land Titles Court, Sir, — Registrar's Office, Rarotonga, 3rd April, 1909. I have the honour to report on the work of the Cook Islands Land Titles Court for the year ending 31st March, 1909. During the year the Court held sittings on fifty-one days—viz., thirty days at Rarotonga and twenty-one days at Aitutaki. The total number of orders made at these sittings were 358, of which 202 were made at Rarotonga and 156 at Aitutaki. The Court and survey fees imposed for the year were as follows : Rarotonga, £305 ; Aitutaki, £225 15s. ; in addition to which fees were imposed in the Registrar's office amounting to £92 12s. 3d., making a total for the year of £623 7s. 3d. The fees collected during the year and paid into the Treasury were £576 16s. Id., making a total of £2,436 ss. lid. collected and paid into the Treasury since the inception of the Court. The fees outstanding on 31st March, 1909, are as follows : — £ s. d. Rarotonga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,186 12 6 Mauke .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 169 5 0 Aitutaki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 158 17 0 Rakahanga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 3 6 Mangaia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200 Mitiaro .. .. .. .. .. .. ..• 550 Atiu .. .. -.. .. .. .. .. 550 Manihiki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 015 0 £1,549 3 0 The surveys of all blocks the titles to which have been investigated by the Court have been completed, and plans of all lands are now being indorsed on the various orders of title. .Approximately, the number of blocks which have now been investigated by the Court in each island is as follows : — Rarotonga .. .. .. . . .. .. . . .. 1,066 Aitutaki .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 308 Mauke .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..168 Mangaia .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 13 Atiu .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Mitiaro .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Penrhyn .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 7 Manihiki .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 12 Rakahanga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Manuae and Teauotu.. .. . . . . .. . . .. 2 Takutea .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 1 Since the inception of the Court certificates of title numbering ninety-five have been issued to European holders of land. The adoptions registered during the year were seventy-one, making a total of 154 to date. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. E. Blame, Registrar.

■ Island. I 5 i S 1 9 .8 ■s a O u 0 1 o ft u § a Total. "E a. -1 I larotonga— Avarua.. Titikaveka .itutaki .. [angaia .. 4-77 7-53 10-02 9-02 15-43 16-39 8-81 18-87 22-26 17-79 11-81 7-80 5-70 3-63 7-91 6-48 9-10 6-79 9-98 8-17 9-98 5-80 3-13 4-23 4-71 6-10 2-15 5-36 6-86 6-45 7-28 4-48 8-41 6-37 2-46 5-36 3-61 2-20 9-60 2-98 15-52 17-19 10-45 9-08 11-77 10-16 11-29 4-17 116-64 116-20 89-65 82-92