37

A.—3

since out arrival here. I have asked Mr. Reid, of the Department of Agriculture, to report on the plantation which adjoins the residence. Some of the land is very good, and I suggest that when all the schools are working this should be the centre for teaching elementary agriculture, and that the teacher appointed to this school should be specially qualified to take this subject for the older boys. I also suggest that Ngatangiia be the centre for technical work. There would be no difficulty in getting the boys to the different centres for special work, as the parents are quite willing to provide conveyances. Ngatangiia. I. visited Ngatangiia on the 28th February. The residence is uearing completion, and the, people are anxious for the school to start as soon as possible. Thej-e will probably be considerably over two hundred ohildren, as the school draws from Titikaveka and Matavera, as well as from Ngatangiia. Avarua. The Mataiapos and Chiefs of Avarua are now unanimous in their desire for a school. Their offer of land for school and residence is herewith enclosed. The Mataiapos, who are the trustees of the old sohool building, cannot dispose of it absolutely, as it was left to the people of Avarua in trust by the late Queen Makea. They say that the letter sent to the Department by Mr. Hall offering the school was written without their knowledge or consent. They assure me they are anxious to do all in their power to comply with tho Department's wishes and to hasten the opening of the school. It is estimated that there are upwards of four hundred children of school age. The two sites offered are excellently situated and suitable in every way. Mangaia. The offer to build a school and residence and to pay a contribution of £1 per annum for each scholar is all the Mangaia people-can afford. I understand that in addition to the above they are asked to give 100 acres as an education endowment. This, they say, is impossible, as their estates are all small. 1 think these people are deserving of every consideration. When forwarding the material for Ngatangiia School, please add an extra case of slates, as there are none in stock. I should also like a quantity of wall-pictures for the schools. H. Rogers, Superintendent^ofjEducation.

NIUE ISLAND. REPORT OF RESIDENT COMMISSIONER. Sir, — Niue Island Administration, Niue, 19th April, 1915. I have the honour to forward herewith my report for the year ended 31st March, 1915, together with Statement of Revenue, Statement of Expenditure (with substatements C, D, E, and F), Statement of Liquor Account, Return of Imports, and Return of Exports. I have, &c, 11. Cornwall, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. the Minister, Cook and other Islands Administration, Wellington. FI Nan c E. The receipts derived from all sources amounted to £1.957 13s. Bd., and the expenditure to £2,323 Bs. 6d. As compared with the year 1913-14 the receipts show a falling-off of £533 18s. Bd. The expenditure was £365 14s. lOd. more than the receipts, but £744 18s. 10d. less than the expenditure for the previous year. The outbreak of war, and the consequent dislocation of trade, and the serious fall in the price of copra has affected the revenue to a great extent. The balance at credit of the Administration on the 31st March, 1915, amounted to £907 Is. 4d. The expenditure may be classified as follows : — £ s . d. General administration, including school and medical service .. 1,737 12 1 Public-works expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 585 16 5 £2,323 8 6 Full particulars of the receipts and expenditure will be found in Statements A and B and the supporting statements herewith. A statement showing the estimated expenditure for the year 1915-16 is appended hereto. Trade. The total value of the imports for the year 1.914 was £11,200, and the exports £9,503, the value of the total trade being £20,703. These figures do not compare favourably with those for preyious years, the decline being wholly due Io the disturbance to trade caused by the war.