Cook Islands Notes

Many Residents Leave for N.Z.

From Our Own Correspondent.

RAROTONGA, December 11.

NUMEROUS privately arranged farewell parties are taking place on the eve of the departure by the R.M.S. Monowai of a number of residents for New Zealand.

The majority will return to Rarotonga in February and March next year. Two of the local school teachers, Miss M. Mooney and Mr. C. Taverner, intend to proceed to New Zealand for their vacation.

Amongst those leaving to resume permanent residence in the Dominion is Mr. S. Hegin botham, superintendent of the wireless sta tion, with his wife and child. Mr. Heginbotham has spent over five years at Raro tonga and leaves behind him a good record of service to the inhabitants of these islands.

The local chief, Ariki, Makea Tinirau, also leaves for New Zealand by the Monowai.

Armistice Day Celebrations.

Armistice day was observed as a special holiday at Rarotonga. The Rev. Bond James and his newly appointed assistant, the Rev.

Cater, conducted a service at the London Mission Church. Returned soldiers of the Cook Islands Pioneer Battalion paraded in uniform.

Also a troop of native Girl Guides attended in regimental dress. Later the units marched to the memorial outside the Administrative Building. Overnight native women had en closed portion Of the grass plot surrounding the monument with ropes of flowers the sweetly scented Frangi pani. The enclosure was also decorated with streamers of flowers strung from the top of the monument to each corner of the barrier. Two minutes’ silence was observed, the only sound heard being the subdued roar and crunching of breakers on the reef, no doubt, recalling to many of those present memories of the firing line in France and on other battle fronts.

The Resident Commissioner, Judge Ayson, accompanied by the chief Ariki, Makea Tini hau, and members of the Island Council, each placed a wreath at the foot of the monu ment in honour of the dead who enlisted from amongst the native race here. Many of those present bore evidence in their grey hair of the passing of the years since they first stood with bare head before the small granite column erected on the narrow, well kept, grass plot outside the Administrative Offices.

The school concert, long looked forward to by the native boys and girls, took place recently. Tremendous applause greeted the Hula Hula dance.

Several of the boys, playing leading parts, threw in lively oddments off their own bat, to the dismay of the teachers and the delight of everyone present. A ballet, headed by Miss Ada Savage, introduced a Hollywood touch to the performance. The school children carried through their individual parts with vigour and confidence and threw themselves whole-heartedly into the various items, whether vocal parts or gymnastic turns.