Rarotonga's Howl: Few Berths and High Fares

Redfern, N.S.W. Enclose Id. stamp for postage.

Rarotonga’S Howl

Few Berths and High Fares From Our Own Correspondent RAROTONGA, Dec. 10.

AFTER a paean in praise of the fine appointments, speed and comfort of the Union Company’s new motor-ship Matua, Rarotongans are now indulging in a choral grievance directed against the preferential treatment which they consider has been accorded to the other ports of call on the vessel’s route.

With the cessation of the Sydney-San Francisco mail run, passenger facilities between Rarotonga and the Dominion are now restricted to the accommodation available on the Matua and, not unreasonably, residents here feel that their claims merit priority of attention.

The Matua has accommodation for 39 passengers. Of this, a certain proportion will generally be occupied by those “round trip” tourists to whom the voyage offers a programme of exceptional variety.

But —and this is where the trouble comes in—persons living in other Central Pacific Groups, wishing to cross to New Zealand, can always do so—those in Fiji by the Auckland-Honolulu mail steamers or, in the case of the Samoans, by the Government-owned Maui Pomare. Unlike the Rarotongans, they are not wholly dependent upon the Matua.

In these circumstances local opinion is incensed by the Union Company’s explanation that, owing to the majority of the berths being already reserved for Samoan, Tongan and Fijian passengers, a number of would-be travellers from here cannot be carried either on the December or January trips. In several cases this has entailed a great deal of inconvenience, some of those who had intended leaving in December being obliged to hurriedly catch the November steamer.

The situation is further aggravated by the rise in fares. A return ticket from Rarotonga to Auckland now costs a trifle less than £4O. Since the vessel carries only one class, there is no alternative— beyond remaining at home, which is what very probably will happen to many not in