Notes from the Cook Islands

constant watchfulness can do no harm.

Notes From The Cook

ISLANDS From Our Own Correspondent RAROTONGA, Dec. 10. /CLAIMS arising out of the fruit abandoned last September at Atiu and Mauke, when the Matua was obliged to return hurriedly to New Zealand without visiting those islands, have been settled reasonably, and even generously, by the trading firms concerned.

Fruit in the outer islands is bought strictly subject to shipment. Thus, in the present case, the traders would have been well within their legal rights in refusing all or any payment to the local growers who, had their fruit been shipped, would have been entitled to receive 2/- per case.

As it is, the traders have offered payment at the rate of 1/- for the fruit, plus cost of cartage and other labour charges. In addition, a number of growers have obtained employment in emptying the abandoned cases into the sea.

According to information supplied by the two companies involved, direct losses amount to well over £l,OOO, being at the rate of 3/9 a case, of which the Auckland Fruit Merchants have borne a share to the extent of 2/- per case.

Penrhyn And Manihiki

After five weeks’ absence in the Northern Group, the Resident Commissioner recently returned to Rarotonga by the Tiare Taporo.

Judge Ayson reports that sites for the new leper isolation camp and wireless station in Penrhyn have been selected and that work on them will begin immediately.

At Manihiki the erection of the wireless station will be in the hands of Mr. L. H.

Trenn, who has just taken up his duties as Resident Agent there.

“Anti-Cohabitation"

Unofficially reported was a statement by one of the schooner’s crew to the effect that a body, representative of local church interests, approached Judge Ayson with a view to securing for Penrhyn similar anti-cohabitation” laws as now exist in some of the Lower Group islands.

If this was so, it is to be hoped that a careful enquiry will be made, to ascertain whether the desire for such a law is unanimous, or simply the wish of a small but organised minority.

Two Parties Of Eighty

During November two large teres, or parties of visitors, reached Rarotonga.

Each consisting of approximately equal numbers they were, however, both in their objective and behaviour the antithesis of one another.

Eighty-six young Aitutakians, members of the C.l.’s Sports Association, arrived almost simultaneously with eighty sober Seventh Day Adventists—representatives from that denomination’s churches throughout the Group. To house them, an enormous kikau or palm-thatch tabernacle had been erected at Titikaveka and, during the ensuing week, services were held in this thrice daily, interspersed with illustrated lectures and other serious entertainment—since all forms of dancing, a great deal of food and most sports are actively discouraged.

Meanwhile, each district vied with its neighbours in welcoming the Aitutaki visitors who, after playing matches during the day, feasted and danced at night.

The Sports Party returned home last Saturday with the very material satisfaction of having beaten their hosts in both the Rugby Football and Cricket Test Matches.

An Artist At Work

Visitors to Rarotonga will no longer be able to complain that our lovely views can only be carried away in photographic form. Mr. “Alepha” Ulfsby, a young Norwegian with seven years’ experience as a trader in the Group, is now devoting his full-time to water-colour paintings of local scenery.

His work is characterised by a distinction of detail and a veracity of colouring which come as a pleasing relief after the

Lea & Perrins' 7T C Jti

LEA & PERRINS' H.P. Sauce Each Cake is Enclosed, by special process, in air-tight tin, and is warranted to keep its condition for a considerable period “blaub and daub” surrealists whose conception of a South Sea Island often ap-