Tracking the Orange to Its Lair N.Z
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Its Lair N.Z. Parliamentarians’ Sunshine Cruise in Cook Is.
FWTHE New Zealand Parliamentary party, which recently travelled to Rarotonga at the New Zealand taxpayers’ expense to inquire into the conditions of the orange trade between the Cook Islands and New Zealand, appear to be enjoying themselves thoroughly.
As has been pointed out already in this journal, there was not the slightest need for this expedition. All the necessary in formation, and the evidence of the recent Parliamentary inquiry, already was in the hands of the Wellington departments, and it was a certainty, before the delega tion sailed, that the Dominion’s new Socialist Government will take control of the orange export trade, out of the hands of the agents and traders. However, three (more or less) deserving politicians were able to get away on a “sunshine cruise.”
A radio despatch from Rarotonga, in naive and charming terms, was published in the New Zealand newspapers on August 4. It reported that the mission was car rying out its inquiries thoroughly, indus triously, painstakingly, and tactfully; that the party had aroused so much ad miration among Rarotongan residents that the thing was positively “embarras sing,” and that the tour threatened to become “a complete success.” It had been decided that this splendid job of work could not be properly rounded off unless the party saw more of the beautiful Cook Islands, so they were on the point of de
parture for Aitutaki, Mangaia, Atiu, and Mauke, by the new Union liner Matua , which had arrived most opportunely.
A Slight Digestive Disorder
The despatch concludes on this happy and ingenuous note: “All the members of the delegation are well, with the exception of Mr. C. L. Hun ter, who has had a slight digestive dis order. Mr. S. G. Holland is keeping fit and is a prime favourite with all the chil dren on the island, “Mr. J. Robertson, chairman, on whom the heavy end of the work has fallen, is setting a good pace for his colleagues, and has done much by his tactful speech making, etc., to make the inquiry a suc cess.
“Mr. S. J. Smith, Secretary of the Cook Islands Department, a well-known figure in Rarotonga, accompanied the delegation in its activities and was responsible for carrying out most of the arrangements ”