Condition Of

Cook Islands

Statements Challenged

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In your issue of April there is an article with reference to “Notable Men of the Pacific.” I desire to chal lenge your statements about the suc cess of the more recent administra tions.

The Cook Islands have steadily been going back, and are now in a poor economic condition. It is true, the world-wide trade depression is felt here, but it is not fair to blame that for the present condition, which has been gradually coming for the last nine years.

The orange industry, which is one of the mainstays, is in a deplorable condition. There is not one decent plantation on the Islands. The trees are subject to blights and diseases and are neither pruned, sprayed or culti vated adequately—in fact, are growing wild in an utterly neglected condition.

This can be borne out by anyone see ing for themselves. A great deal is made out of the improvement in pack ing and grading this last few years.

But what good will that be in a very short time, if the plantations are al lowed to remain in such a neglected state. What would happen to the New Zealand meat export trade, even if its meat was well dressed and landed in England in good condition, if the breed of its cattle was neglected, and likewise the pastures?

It is so with the Cook Islands orange trade, for it is fast going out, due, in my opinion, to the Administration not seeing that the plantations are kept in good order.

The Cook Islands have been asleep, while Australia has been gaining the New Zealand trade. Now that Aus tralia has it, the Administration are beginning to wake up. and put their house in order. But only at one end — the other is let go.

If the Cook Islands are “one of the best governed territories in the Pac ific,” it does not say much for some of the others. What about Tonga? Tonga can boast of a credit bank balance, whereas the Cook Islands are a drain on the New Zealand taxpayers to the tune of over £30,000 per year. Can this be called good Government, where the lands are fertile and everything grows in abundance?

It is not a great many months since the natives sent a largely-signed pub lic petition to the Minister for the Cook Islands, in New Zealand, asking him to appoint Judge Carr, of Gisborne N.Z., as Commissioner, in place of Judge Ayson. This petition was signed bv four of the Islands Councillors, two of whom are big chiefs.

The time is long past when a com plete economic survey and private en quiry on all matters nertainihg to these islands should be undertaken by a body of honest, competent, business men, on behalf of the New Zealand taxpayer, who has to find such a large sum of money each year.

I am, etc.,

Islands Facts.

Rarotonga, May 24.

Mr. G. H. Murray, Director of Agri culture in New Guinea, paid a visit to Canberra recently, prior to proceeding abroad on furlough, and discussed vari ous matters with Dr. Tillyard and Dr.

Dickson, of the Scientific and Indus trial Research Institute. Mr. Murray, who was in the Papuan service before taking up the position he holds in the Mandated Territory, proposes to spend most of his leave in increasing his knowledge in his particular sphere of duty. To this end he intends to visit the West Indies and discuss problems relating to tropical agriculture with the authorities there, and he will also see a number of scientific people in England in regard to agricultural mat ters generally.

Mr. W. A. Newman has resumed duty as Administrator of Nauru, after spend ing three months’ leave in Australia.

Mr. Gable, who was acting as Admin istrator during Mr. Newman’s absence from Nauru, has returned to Australia.

He was formerly private secretary to Mr. Beasley when the latter was a member of the Scullin Cabinet.

Mr. F. H. Harvey, an Australian planter in the New Hebrides, has been awarded by the French Government a silver honour medal of the first-class for brave conduct (“belles actions”) for his services in saving life during the volcanic eruption at Ambrym.