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Officer, as the Niue Natives —unlike the Natives in many of the Pacific Islands—do not believe in taking anything for nothing. That being so, I think that if the New Zealand Government is willing to contribute towards the salary of a permanent Medical Officer there would not be much difficulty in getting the Island Council to also contribute. These contributions, coupled with the fees likely to-be received from the Natives and a subsidy from the white settlers, would probably amount to a sum sufficient to induce a medical man to settle here. I have, &c, H. Cornwall, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. the Minister in Charge, Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington.

Enclosure. Sir,— H.B.M.'s Agency and Consulate, Tonga, 26th May, 1908. I regret that my absence from Tonga has not allowed me to answer your letter of the 2nd January last, asking whether the Tongan Government would be disposed to allow one of its Medical Officers to visit Niue now and again. 2. I placed your letter before the Premier and the Senior Medical Officer of Tonga, and am requested to say that the medical staff of Tonga consists of three doctors, and it would be impossible for any one of them to leave their districts and hospitals for the time required to visit Niue. I have, &c, H. Cornwall, Esq., Resident Commissioner, Niue. Hamilton Hunter.

No. 45. Sir, — Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington, 26th August, 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th July last, stating that the Tongan Government cannot allow one of its Medical Officers to make visits to Niue Island, and asking whether the New Zealand Government will contribute towards the salary of a permanent Medical Officer. In reply, I have to inform you that I am prepared to recommend this Government to contribute towards title salary of a Medical Officer, but I should like to have some further information as to what amount the Niue Island Government would be able to pay towards the doctor's salary, and also as to the fees which it would be proposed to charge the Natives and the probable amount likely to be received, and what would be likely to be the amount received from private practice with the Europeans. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Niue. Jas. McGowan.

No. 46. Sir, — Niue Island Administration, Niue, 4th November, 1908. Adverting to your letter of the 26th August, on the subject of the appointment of a permanent Medical Officer for Niue, I have the honour to inform you that the matter will be discussed at the next meeting of the Niue Island Council, and I will inform you by the earliest opportunity of the decisions arrived at. As the Niue Administration, in the event of a permanent Medical Officer being appointed, will have to acquire a small piece of land, and erect a residence thereon, I think it would be as well to let the matter stand in abeyance for a few months, until the school and other projected works are completed. In the meantime I will obtain all the information possible on the subject. I have, &c, H. Cornwall, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. the Minister in Charge, Cook and other Islands, Wellington.

_ ... : .- ;. I i ! NIUE ISLAND ORDINANCES. ' ' No. 47. Sir, — Niue Island Administration, Niue, 7th September, 1908. I have the honour to forward herewith two Ordinances passed by the Niue Island Council, entitled respectively " The Niue Island Trade Regulation Ordinance, 1908," and " The Niue Island Native Meetings Regulation Ordinance, 1908." With respect to the first-named Ordinance, the clauses which seek to prohibit the manufacture of copra from young or immature cocoanuts were rendered necessary owing to the evil practice adopted by the Natives during recent years of making copra from young nuts. It was found that the Niue copra did not realise as high a price as the produce of most -of the neighbouring islands, owing to the low percentage of oil that it contained.