Cook Islands.
p. 43 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent.
Rarotonga, July 17.
TWO of our Administrative staff are at present on furlough: Mr. J. H.
Wright, of the Treasury Office, and Miss D. Kingsbury, European assistant in the post office. Mr. Wright went over to Sydney four months ago and from there proceeded to the Philippines, thence to Hong Kong, Canton, and back to Sydney.
On Saturday, June 3, Judge Ayson sailed by the schooner “Tiare Taporo” for our three northern islands, Penrhyn, Rakahanga and Manihiki. Manihiki is 650 miles north of Rarotonga, and Raka hanga and Penrhyn 674 and 737 miles re spectively. Those islands are, as yet, com pletely cut off from the outside world, as they have no means of communicat ing with Rarotonga by wireless.
We had H.M.S. “Veronica” with us from July 5 to 7 inclusive, under the
command of Captain Jackson. The pleasure of the ship’s stay at Rarotonga was spoilt by the weather which, on one occasion, compelled the vessel to lift anchor and stand further out to sea for a few hours. Both the officers and the men were entertained ashore at dances and with motor drives about the island. The vessel proceeded to Mangaia and there, too, she had a worrying time with the weather. From Mangaia the “Veronica” proceeded to Atiu and Mauke.
At Atiu she merely dropped mails, but at Mauke it is understood a short stay was made to allow a visit ashore. The sloop’s itinerary includes Papeete, Raia tea, Penrhyn (possibly Manihiki), Niue an the island of Pukapuka.
Orange growers at Rarotonga have been favoured this year with a second crop closely following the first crop, and pickings of the second crop constitute part of the shipment for the “Makura”, which goes forward to Wellington on July 17. Space for 8,000 cases has been reserved, together with about 1,000 cases of tomatoes and a small quantity of mandarins. Oranges from Atiu, Mauke, Aitutaki and Mangaia are being lifted by the three trans-Pacific cargo vessels “Waikawa,” “Waihemo” and “Hauraki,” which call at the Cook Group between mail-boats, and land the fruit at Auck land.