94 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



and a garden overseer. An uncertain number of villages 

 sometimes few, sometimes many are grouped together under 

 the buli of the district, who once a month assembles all 

 his town chiefs, and discusses with them, in the Bose ni 

 Tikina, or district council, the affairs of his own district. 

 These district councils nominate the chiefs of towns, whom 

 they may also suspend from office. They discuss and regulate 

 all local matters, such as the cleansing and scavenging of 

 villages, the management of animals belonging to the different 

 communities, as distinguished from individual property, the 

 keeping open and maintenance of roads and bridges, the 

 control of public bathing-places, The council also superintends 

 the payment, out of local rates, of the village constables. In a 

 similar manner the buli districts are grouped under the 

 headship of a greater chief, the Roko Tui, each of whom 

 twice a year assembles the lulls of his province in the Bose 

 vaka Yasana, or provincial council, where the local affairs 

 of the province are discussed and settled, by which local rates 

 are imposed, and to which each buli makes a detailed report of 

 the condition of his own district. 



This organisation is purely native, and of spontaneous 

 growth. To it has now been added a meeting annually of the 

 Roko Tuis and the Governor. This Bose vaka Turanga, or Great 

 Council, is also attended by the native stipendiary magistrates, 

 and by two bulls from each province, chosen by the Bose vaka 

 Yasana. At it each Roko Tui in turn makes a detailed report 

 of the state of his province, and suggestions are offered as to 

 executive and legislative measures which it is thought desirable 

 by those assembled that the Government should adopt. The 

 suggestions made by the Bose vaka Turanga have received, 

 and I think merited, the warm commendation of Her Majesty's 



