Historic Occasion in the Cook Islands in 1900
p. 43 · Read in the full issue
T'HIS interesting old photograph was discovered in Rarotonga recently by Judge H. F. Ay son, C.M.G., retiring Resident Commis sioner, in the Cook Is ands, when he was packing his bags for his return to New Zealand.
It provides a pic torial record of the historic ceremony wh.ch took place in Rarotonga in Octo ber, 1900, when the Cook Islands were formally handed over to the administration of New Zealand.
Prior to that (from October, 1888) the group was under British protection, and British author ity was represented by a Resident who was paid by New Zealand.
In 1900, the group became a dependency of New Zealand, and
since has been governed by a Resident Commissioner, appointed by New Zea land.
In the foreground of the photograph, from left to right, are: Makea. the
chief Ariki (usually known as “Queen Makea”), who had just handed over the sovereignty of the Cook Islands to New Zealand, in return for British protection: Lord Ranfurly, then Governor of New
Zealand, receiving the Territory on be half of the British Crown and New Zea land; and (in the white helmet) Colonel W. E. Gudgeon, then British Resident, and afterwards Resident Commissioner.