The Cook Islands

Ancient Customs Revived at Native Crowning Ceremony

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rarotonga, April 27.

THE installation of Vaikai Kainuku as chief of the Ngantangiia village took place recently.

Ngantangiia is credited wjth the dis tinction of being the actual spot from which the canoes departed from Raro tonga, which resulted in the landing of the handful of Polynesian people in New Zealand, to establish the great Maori race.

A large number of Europeans were invited to be present at the crowning.

In honour of the occasion the Com missioner, at 10 o’clock, called it “a day” for all Government offices.

The proceedings were marked with the etiquette of the native people and the courtesy for which the Polynesians are noted.

The chief’s attendants, dressed in their ancient native costumes, struck a note of old tribal times. The chief himself threw aside his European gar ments and appeared in a ceremonial robe fashioned in native style. The garment—of a somewhat Magyar cut —was made from the bark of the bread-fruit tree beaten out to the thickness of brown paper, and notched at the edges and ornamented with small square holes neatly snipped out in a manner resembling somewhat cross-word puzzle designs. A spangle of small yellow beads thrown across his shoulders and chest and with his ornamental spear grasped in his right hand, the chief came forward to the sacred ground to be crowned with the simple garland of leaves, the lawful assurance of his title.

Thanks were expressed by the Resi dent Commissioner for the privilege given to Europeans to be present at the function. Reference was made to the long title (700 years) and to the assurance given that the privileges at tached to the rank would be fully recognised by the New Zealand Gov ernment.

Speed Boating

An item of some interest locally was the appearance in the lagoon of a motor speed-boat. With the idea of fulfilling a desire to circumnavigate the island at high speed, Mr. J. McFar

lane, of Ohio, Cincinatti, transported his speed-boat to Rarotonga in a broken-down state. Due to the absorp tion of moisture, the parts could not be screwed together until complete shrinkage to their original state had taken place. After one or two trial spins the owner opened out the engine headed for the open sea, and circled the island—a distance of perhaps 30 miles. The stunt was not without risk—a breakdown in the works and the craft would have been hurled on the reef. Mr. McFarlane is the first person to tackle such a proposition here.

Postal Charges

Disappointment is felt here at the severity of the new postal charges, which were introduced on 1st March.

The restriction on the weight of par cels to 11 lb., combined with the in creased rate for postage, is a complete knock-out to the posting of fruit from the island in cases as hitherto.

It is understood that steps have been taken by the local administration to see what can be done to improve matters.

Prominent Government

Official Retires

The services of a valuable officer of the administration have been lost by the retirement on superannuation of Mr. Reid, Director of Agriculture and the Chief Public Works Officer of the Group. Solid pioneering work has been done by Mr. Reid during his 20 years’ service here. Apart from his practical work on water supply, road ing, fruit grading and packing, etc., Mr. Reid has handed out to the plant ers, both European and Native, handy pieces of knowledge on matters per taining to local agriculture. In the matter of proper grading and packing of fruit for export, it is a terrific job to implant into the native mind the importance to him in the long run of these measures: but Mr. Reid, backed by the administration, has made great headway here in the direction of the successful marketing of perishable exports from the island.