Shipping.

Strikes Affect Cook Is.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rarotonga, July 20.

OWING to the laying-up of the R.M.S.

Maunganui for overhaul there was no inward steamer service from New Zea land to the Cook Islands during May.

Additional supplies of meat, butter, and vegetables for the Government freezer to tide over the month of May had been brought by the Makura in April.

On June 10, the Karetu left Auckland for the Cook Group, and it was antici

pated that the Makura would follow on the 12th on her voyage to San Francisco.

At the last minute a dispute arose with the cooks and stewards aboard the Makura, which caused the Union Com pany to cancel the trip.

It was naturally thought that the Ad ministration being thus deprived of its month’s provision by the Makura, might have had to resort to a form of war rationing, but the Administration was not caught empty-handed. It was able to meet all food requirements.

The persistent maritime dispute on the Californian coast has slightly affected the Cook Islands. The Wairuna, which was due to call at some of the islands of the Group made a delayed clearance from the American coast, and was obliged to aban don her proposed call here.

The absence of outward sailings from the Cook Islands is always much more severely felt than inward calls, because of the loss of fruit shipments.