A.—3b

12

you think we can do for you, as in the direction of providing proper schools, or whether you would prefer to be left as you are, or what you think should be done in the interests of your children. Then, if there are any matters affecting your land that you wish to speak about, or any other questions that you consider of importance to you, we shall be glad to hear what you have to say regarding them, and when we return to New Zealand we shall be able to tell the Premier and the Cabinet, and the other members of Parliament, the impressions we have formed through visiting the islands. Now, with regard to any local Ordinances that your Island Council passes, I should like you to realise that you are in the same position as we are in New Zealand. And, therefore, whenever your Council passes an Ordinance, the proper course is to forward it through Colonel Gudgeon. He will send it on to me, and I will refer it to Cabinet, who will see that it is in accordance with what you intend and what you require. It will then be transmitted to the Governor for his approval. This is placing you in exactly the same position as our County Councils in New Zealand. When they send information by the various members of Parliament to the House of Eepresentatives, and a law is passed by that House, we send it to the Upper House. If, after going through the measure, the members of the Upper House approve of it, they pass it, and it is then sent on to the Governor. When the Governor has signed it it becomes law, and we have it made public; but you must understand that it is not law until the Governor has actually signed it, and your Ordinances, when they come to New Zealand, have to go through a similar course before they can be gazetted. After being gazetted they are law, and you administer the law. Now, on behalf of all my friends who have accompanied me, and form the party that is here to-day, I want to thank you very cordially for the kind way in which you have met us. We are very pleased to meet you all, and see you looking so well, the bonny children, the pretty girls, and the strong men, all apparently in the pink of good health. I can assure you that we shall carry back with us to New Zealand very pleasant memories of our visit to Mangaia. Hon. members : Hear, hear. Tamangaru : I represent the King and the Governors that are gathered together here on this island. I wish to tell you of certain trouble that cropped up here on the 19th March last. This is the trouble. It is working on the roads. I went and told all the people through the settlement the wishes of the Council. It was agreed by the Council that it should be three days a month, and I went and told all the people so. The people insulted me, saying we should alter the time, as it was not according to the law. It was said it should be one day a month, and that this Council was a bad one. And they all said similarly. They will not agree to work three days a month, and they made a trouble about it. The Europeans also said one day a month was quite sufficient, and would not agree to three days a month. And they gave up that idea, and did not go on with the three days. The Council would like to ask for some money for that work, say, £500. Hon. Mr. Mills (to Mr. Proctor) : What work does he mean, making a road, or what? Do they wish to make the road in good condition from one end of the island to the other, a road right round the island, similar to Earotonga ? Tamangaru : Yes, we want a good road. Hon. Mr. Mills : How much money did you say—£soo ? Tamangaru: Yes. Hon. Mr. Mills : Is that all about roads ? Tamangaru : That is all about the roads. Hon. Mr. Mills : I think my friends in the Council must have been under some misapprehension with regard to the law, because, from what I recollect of your law, it only provides that the Natives shall work for nothing eight days in one year. So that those in authority need to be very careful in reading over the law before they send out a message asking the people to perform any work. We in New Zealand always obey the law, but we do not like doing anything the law does not require us to do, in the way of work especially. But I should not think those who reside on the island would disobey any orders issued by the Council if they were legal. The Council must be careful to see that their law has been assented to by the Governor, and then let the information be spread abroad amongst those who have to live under these Ordinances. Now, with regard to providing a certain sum of money, I give no promise of that here to-day, but I will submit your request to Cabinet on my return. If the Cabinet agree to provide anything towards making your road on this island, the amount will then have to be placed on the estimates, and brought forward in Parliament, and the members here will be able to give some information to those others who have not visited the islands with us. Mangaia is a good distance from Earotonga, and probably it would be as well to have some one here to assist matters —to have what we call a Eesident Agent living here and assisting the Council in their good work. Because, although you may not have dealt entirely with New Zealand, still we are anxious for all of these islands to be more closely connected with us in our business and trade relations. As our productions increase every year, many things are now made in New Zealand that we formerly had to import. Any goods of any kind that are free in New Zealand will be free to you all here, that is as far as Customs are concerned, and lam speaking just now as the Minister in charge of the Customs. I want you also to realise that you must gain considerably by having a quicker and more ready communication with New Zealand. I think I have dealt with both the points mentioned. If there are any other questions you would like to ask, I shall be glad to answer them. Tamangaru : Here is another matter : we wish that the laws made by the Council be sent direct to New Zealand to be signed by the Governor, and then returned to Mangaia. Hon. Mr. Mills: In reply to that, of course, until some other arrangements are made we must recognise, and you must recognise, the constitutional authority at Earotonga. I have conversed with Colonel Gudgeon about this matter, and he has no personal feeling in wanting you to send your Ordinances to Earotonga if something better can be arranged. But you will understand that