Cook Islands
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
Notes
(From Our Own Correspondent.) RAROTONGA, September 30.
THE death occurred here on Septem ber 20 of Rongomatane Matai Ariki of Atiu, caused by an accidental fall from the balcony of Makeanu Tinirau Ariki’s palace. He was found about 3 a.m. lying on the ground with his neck broken. At the time, he was on a visit, in charge of the Atiu Sport Team.
He had succeeded to the title of Ariki only a few months ago and the Aituans will greatly feel the loss, as in him they had a wise and skilfull leader. The late Mataio had been a quartermaster sergeant with the Raro tongan Contingent in Egypt during the Great War.
The burial took place on September in the Ariki graveyard, alongside Makeanui’s palace, with military hon ours. It is of interest that the wife of Rongomatane Mataio Ariki is the present Ngamaru Ariki of Atiu, and that a previous Ngamaru Ariki, who was married to Queen Makea of Raro tonga, is buried in the same grave yard as Mataio.
Rongomatane Ariki is a name held in high regard throughout the Cook Group, as it was the Rongomatane Ariki of 1823 who gave that pioneer missionary, Rev. John Williams, the sailing directions which enabled him to discover Rarotonga. The mission aries were then settled at Aitutaki.
That the sport of bowls has become extremely popular in this island com munity was demonstrated on Septem ber 20, when the Resident Commis sioner, Judge H. F. Ayson, officially opened the new bowling green in the presence of a large gathering of Euro peans.
The Resident Commissioner, Judge H. P. Ayson, who had spent some months in New Zealand and who had the good fortune to cancel his pass age by the ill-fated Tahiti, arrived from New Zealand by the Makura on September 17 and has resumed his official duties.
Judge H. Carr, of the New Zealand Native Land Court, who had been re lieving the Resident Commissioner, went on by the Makura to Tahiti and spent a month’s vacation there before returning to New Zealand. Owing to the loss of the Tahiti, there was no steamer to New Zealand in September.