Rarotonga and Cyclone

Tense Waiting

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Jan. 8.

ON NEW Year’s Eve, a report reached Tlarotonga that a tropical cyclone had struck Penrhyn and Manihiki Islands, in the Northern Cook Group, and had done considerable damage.

The Apia meteorological station re ported a southward path, probably sweeping round to strike Rarotonga, and when the new station on Palmerston Island wirelessed that a hurricane was approaching that island, this theory seemed more than likely correct.

The Union Steam Ship Company’s launches and lighters in the harbour at Avarua, which had already been pulled down in readiness for a ship’s arrival, were hastily hauled up again by volunteer gangs on New Year’s Day and placed well inland, past the Administration offices.

One had already been slightly damaged by the now turbulent sea.

A hot, oppressive stillness and increas ingly high seas warned of worse to come, and all the machinery arranged under the Government Emergency Scheme came into operation. Runners from the Boys’ Brigade stood by, Europeans re ported to the main offiQes of the Ad ministration, and owners of houses on the beach side of the main road moved their belongings inland.

After two days, however, the sky ap peared to clear and the seas diminished in size, until, on the 3rd, the danger was deemed over. On the morning of tne 4th, there was a high gale, with heavy seas.

It will be severe, indeed, if Rarotonga, which has only just recovered from the terrific hurricane of early 1935, is struck again. The orange crop, again heavy this season, would become a total loss, and the excessive sea spray would destroy most of the island’s food crops.

Young Rarotongans, however, do not worry much. Every cloud has a silver lining. The heavy seas make excellent surfing across the lagoon.