V.—Local Industry and Trade.

There are besides a large number of retail establishments, kept by French or Chinese, about a dozen public-houses or cafés, and several clubs, or "Cercles," the leading commercial one being "Le Cercle Civil de l'Union." The market-place, in the centre of the town, is a large building with a raised floor, the sides being page 44 open all round. It is used chiefly by native and Chinese dealers for the sale of fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, etc.; and business commences at four in the morning, when by the light of numerous small lamps a scene of no ordinary animation may be witnessed. Traders are pretty heavily taxed. They have to pay, like the rest of the residents of Papeete, a poll-tax of 20 francs a year, a property tax of 1 to 4 per cent, on the annual rental of their buildings, and a road tax of 12 francs per annum. In addition the following licence fees are exacted :—Merchants, wholesale and retail, who own vessels, 500 francs per annum; do., not owning vessels, 250 francs; do., trading in Papeete alone and not selling liquors, 125 francs; do., outside Papeete, 50 francs. Manufacturers have to pay an annual licence fee of 25 francs, and hawkers 100 francs. Lawyers, solicitors, and notaries pay 300 francs per annum; commission agents, 500 francs; valuers, 200 francs; bailiffs, 100 francs; and physicians, 50 francs. The licence for a public-house is 3000 francs or £120 a year. Business at Tahiti appeared to be in a healthy state—there being none of that cutting competition complained of at Apia. Two large new buildings for business purposes were in course of erection at Papeete—one being a handsome brick store of two stories high for Messrs. Crawford and Co., the American firm, who have also a branch at Apia.

On the island of Raiatea, the chief trading house is that of Capt. Higgins, who is known as "the King of Raiatea "The German house in Tahiti has also a branch there, and Messrs. Donald and Edenborough, of Auckland, have a store on that island. At Papeete the last-named firm's business is managed by an agent, Mr. Coppenrath. There is, I believe, an opening at Papeete for a good practical tailor, there being no civilian tailor on the island. Complaints are made against the only chemist in the place, and an opposition establishment would receive support.