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A.—3

Cook Islands Administration. Vital Statistics for Year 1911.

E. Blame, Registrar, High Court.

Str,— Rarotonga, 10th April, 1912. I have the honour to submit the report on the public works for the year ended 31st March, 1912. Mangaia Reef Passage. The weather for blasting-operations was not so good this time as in 1910 ; out of the four months I was at Mangaia we were only able to work ten days on the bar or outer reef. The channel is now 450 ft. long, 40 ft. wide, and roughly 4 ft. deep. It is difficult to estimate the average depth, as the channel so far has not been properly cleaned out, which according to the original arrangement the Natives have to do free of cost. The time has now come when the Natives should use boats ; as the canoes wear out they should be replaced by boats. To show the advantage of the passage, on the 6th December, 1911, one of the largest cargoes was shipped at Mangaia, composed of about 114 tons of fruit and about 101 tons of copra, altogether about 215 tons, and some 30 or 40 tons of inward cargo landed, and this was easily put on board and cargo landed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven working-hours (allowing one hour for meal-time). This could, I believe, -easily have been done in six hours had the Natives been pushed for time. The work was done with very much lesss labour to the Natives (having the channel) than formerly when at low tide all cargo had to be carried between the shore and the reef.

Island and Village. Births. Deaths. Marriages. larotonga — Avarua jf. • Arorangij .. Titikaveka Ngatangiia Matavera .. 61 25 15 16 8 23 13 Id 12 6 13 8 LO 3 8 Total 125 64 41 Htutaki — Arutanga .. Reureu Nikaupara Amuri Vaipae Tautu 32 21 16 6 II 13 10 7 4 Total 49 47 27 Mangaia — Oneroa Tamarua .. fvirua 34 10 11 34 11 7 II 4 4 Total 55 52 19 D enrhyn — Omoka Te Tautua Molokai (lepers) 5 2 3 4' 4 3 Total 11 Manihiki Rakahanga .. 4 6 8 4 3 Total 10 12 Mauke — Oiretumu . . Kimiangatau 4 12 10 7 3 Total 17 1(1