A.—3

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The Cook Islands Land-titles Court. Sir, — Registrar's Office, Rarotonga, Ist April, 1912. 1 have the honour to report on the work of the Land-titles Court for the year ending 31st March, 1912. Fees. The fees outstanding on the 31st March, 1911, amounted to £493 Is. 6d. Since that date the fees imposed have amounted to £47 75., making a total, with fees outstanding, of £540 Bs. 6d. During the year the sum of £116 4s. 6d. has been collected as follows : — £ a. d. Rarotonga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 74 12 6 Aitutaki .. .. .. .. .. 10 0 0 Mauke .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 10 0 Registrar's Office fees .. .. .. .. .. ~ 31 2 0 £116 4 6 This amount of £116 4s. 6d., plus 15s. overpaid, has been paid into the Treasury to the credit of general revenue. The fees outstanding on 31st March, 1912, amount to £424 45., as follows : — £ s. d. Rarotonga .. .. .. .. .. .. 210 3 0 Aitutaki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 2 6 Mauke .. .. .. .. .. .. 165 15 0 Rakahanga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 3 6 Mangaia .. .. "'.. .. .. .. .. 550 Mitiaro .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 550 Atiu .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 15 0 Manihiki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 15 0 £424 4 0 The total amount of fees paid into the Treasury since the inception of the Court amounts to £3,704 14s. lid. Sittings of the Court. During the year sittings of the Court were held at Rarotonga on ten days, the orders made being as follows : Succession, 34 ; confirmation of alienation, 3 ; partition, 2 ; investigation of title, 1 ; compensation claim, 1. New Applications. The following applications were lodged in the Registrar's Office during the year : — Rarotonga : Investigation of title, 4 ; partition, 4 ; appointment of successors, 6 ; confirmation of alienation, 5 ; amendment of title, 3. Aitutaki: Investigation of title, 34 ; partition, 12 ; confirmation of alienation, 4 ; exchange,!. Atiu : Investigation of title, 8. Mauke : Appointment of successors, 2. There are numerous applications for investigation of title, partition, confirmation of alienation, &c, lodged in previous years which have not yet been dealt with by the Court, but now that a Judge of the Native Land Court of New Zealand has been specially deputed by the New Zealand Government, at the request of the Cook Islands Administration, to continue the work of the Cook Islands Land-titles Court, and such Judge (Judge McCormick) has already arrived and is engaged in the work, the present year should see the greater portion of the lodged applications, which mostly concern Rarotonga and Aitutaki, dealt with and the work of the Court brought up to date. Issue of Titles. The Survey Office has completed the title plans of the lands at Mauke and Rakahanga which have passed through the Court. During the year forty-three Native titles were issued at Rarotonga, seventeen at Aitutaki, and fourteen at Mauke. The number of Native titles issued to date at Rarotonga and Aitutaki is as follows : Rarotonga, 760 ; Aitutaki, 292. The balance of perfected titles at Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mauke, and Rakahanga are available for issue to the owners on payment of outstanding fees due thereon. I have, &c, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. E. Blame, Registrar.

Sir, — Rarotonga, 16th April, 1912. I enclose herewith particulars of vital statistics (births, deaths, and marriages) for the year 1911 in respect of the Islands of Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, Penrhyn, Manihiki, and Rakahanga. Returns for other islands are not yet to hand. I have, &c, E. Blame, The Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga. Registrar, High Court.