Resident Commissioner

in Cook Is.

Appointment of Mr. S. J. Smith

MR. S. J. SMITH, who has been

iTI Secretary of the Cook Islands

Department, in New Zealand, since

1928, has been appointed Resident

Commissioner in the Cook Islands,

to succeed Judge H. F. Ay son,

retired.

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, May 19.

TT would be difficult to imagine a hap * pier choice than that of Mr. S. J.

Smith. He is no stranger to the people of the group, and he has had a long record of tropical service. This com menced in 1914 when, as a member of the Samoan Occupying Force, he was seconded for duty as secretary to the Samoan Administration under Military Occupation. He continued in this capa city for several years, and then* returned to New Zealand and became second-in charge of the Dept, of External Affairs.

He took charge of the C.I. Department in 1928.

The choice is appropriate because, under the new Fruit Control Regulations, a very considerable degree of authority is vested in the Resident Commissioner, and Mr. Smith, as secretary for the C.I.

Dept., has played the leading part, not only in framing the regulations, but in the gigantic task of bringing them to fruition. It mav be said that for years direct supervised control of the local fruit trade has been his special objective —although it was not until the present Government came to power that he was able to see his ambition realised.

Mr. Smith starts with a clear fie’d. V “control” does not turn out a success under his guidance, then it mav safely be assumed that it will never do so.