7

A.-^3

Native Land Court, Rarotonga. During the year 1922 the Court held sittings at Rarotonga and Mauke, when the following workwas done :— Rarotonga. —Succession orders made, 24; partition orders made, 5; amendments of title, 7: adoption orders, 4; confirmation orders, 2: total, 42. Cases adjourned, 10; eases dismissed, 1.".; adoptions dismissed, 3 : total, 26. Total fees imposed for new work, £18 12s. ; fees collected (paid) during year, £44 lis. Mauke. —Partition orders made, 35 ; succession orders made, 42 ; amendments of title, 27 ; confirmation orders, 9; adoption orders, 12; miscellaneous, 2: total, 127. Cases dismissed, 68. Total fees imposed for new work, £95 19s. ; payments remitted by Resident Agent to Treasurer at Rarotonga on account of new fees paid, £65 7s. : balance of fe;es emtstanding, £30 12s. Native Land Court. An important sitting of this Court was held at the Island of Mauke during July and August of last year, when several years' accumulation of work was dealt with. Amongst other cases, the ownership e>f the large and important Makatea Block was settled, shares fixed, and partitions effected. Titles to the lands on which are erected the Administration Offices, Resident Agent's residence, and the school, and to some reserves for roads, &c, were completed and transferred to the Crown. Sittings were also held at Rarotonga in June and September. The; Registrar's report is attached hereto : — " Statement of Fees outstanding. " Rarotonga — £ s. d. £ s. d. Court fees .. .. .. .. .. .. 287 3 3 Adoption fees .. .. .. .. .. 15 2 0 302 5 3 " Aitutaki— Court-Jees .. .. .. .. .. .. 326 10 9 • Adoption fees .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 12 0 329 2 9 " Mangaia—Court fee .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 " Atiu—Court fees .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 95 5 0 " Mauke— Court fees .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 12 0 Adoption fees .. .. . .. .. .. 210 0 33 2 0 £760 13 0 " On the 10th April last the head Native Clerk and Interpreter, Parekore Makimou, died, thus throwing the full weight of the work of the Courts upon me. I beg to place on record the fullest appreciation of the services rendered to the Courts by the late Parekore Makimou during the last eighteen years. " We have in training in the Court offices one of the scholarship boys from St. Stephen's College, (Apetai Paaro), who is proving worthy of permanent appointment as assistant clerk. He is painstaking, a good worker, and very intelligent. " I also beg to place on record the valuable assistance' rendered to the Court offices by Mr. R. C. Wade, European Chief of Police, wdio has been most energetic and thorough in collecting and accounting for fines paid to him. To him is due the credit that the outstanding fines in the High Court have been considerably reduced. AH High Court lines are now paid through the Chief oi Police." Wireless. We; are indebted to the New Zealand Government for its continued assistance in connection with the wireless station at Rarotonga, and particularly for last year's vote of Id,5(H) towards the' cost of installing a, wireless telephone at Aitutaki. When the latter work' is being carried out it is heiped that the power of the I ransmitting-apparatus at the' parent station in Rarotonga can be sufficiently increased to enable us to get direct, Morse communication at all times with a New Zealand station, thereby' avoiding the expense', and possibility of delay, in sending through Apia as at present. Shipping Lights. The powerful oil-lamp which was obtained some years ago and not erected for some unknown reason is being converted into an electric lamp of 40 candle-power. It is proposed to erect it on the wireless mast at a height of about 145 ft. above' sea-level, thus giving a visibility of fifteen miles at least,. Through the' Union Steamship Company we have also obtained suit able lights for Aitutaki, Mauke. \tiu, and Mangaia, and these will be erected as soon as opportunity offers. They wdl be a, great convenience to vessels approaching these islands at night, or laying off and on. Native Fruit Comvanv. This company, referred to in the' last annual report, is still being carried on under the supervision of Mr. Reid. Last season the membership totalled 240. and the exports were Oranges. 2,567 eases ; bananas. 3,428 eases : tomatoes. 221 cases. The' net proceeds amounted to £2.281 Bs. 2(1., representing 7s. I.ld. per ease (net) for oranges and bananas, and 6s. sd. per case (net) for tomatoes. The membership for this season is about 360.