Judge Ayson

C.I. Resident Commissioner To Return to N.Z. Shortly

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Apr. 8

AT a meeting of the Rarotonga Island Council on March 19. Judge H. F.

Ayson, C.M.G., announced that he would shortly relinquish the post of Resident Commissioner in the Cook Islands.

“When I became Resident Commis sioner in 1922, I was on loan from the Bench of the Native Land Court of New Zealand, which is my permanent office,” he said. “Owing to pending changes in regard to the judges of the N.Z. Land Court, I find it necessary, in my own interests, to return to the Land Court in N.Z. on promotion.

“When I was recently in N.Z., I dis cussed the matter fully with the Prime Minister, who is also Minister for the Cook Is., and Minister of Native Affairs.

I am therefore expecting to return to N.Z. about the end of June,” he con cluded.

Judge Ayson first came to the Group in 1916 as Judge of the Native Land Court. In 1922 he succeeded Mr. F. W.

Platts as Resident Commissioner, combin ing in himself the triple position of Commissioner, Judge of the Land Court, and also of the Supreme Court.

At .present Mr. Ayson is not definite as to the exact date of his departure, nor has the name of his successor yet been made public. Rumour has already ac corded the position to half-a-dozen per sons ranging from Judge Carr, of the N.Z. Land Court, down to the Labour members of the Parliamentary Committee which visited the Group last July.

Mr. H. Priest, journalist and author,

who has devoted special study to native life on several South Sea islands, arrived

at Wellington by the Mataroa recently

to spend a month in New Zealand gather ing material about the Maori race.