The Cooks

A Free-Lance Trader In

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Dec. 10

AN interesting venture has been made by Captain D. Cambridge, formerly skipper of the Cl schooner “Tiar'e Taporo”, who has re-appeared now in the Cook Islands with his own small schooner, “Taipi”, as a free-lance trader.

Bought in Suva and re-named in the Rarotongan language, the sturdy little ship, with no auxiliary engine, has already sailed immense distances among these far-flung islands, picking up many odd commissions and freights in com petition with the larger schooners.

The “Taipi”, after landing a cargo of arrowroot and mangoes from Aitutaki, was to leave Rarotonga for Honolulu, via Aitutaki, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Suwar row, Puka Puka, Christmas and other

islands. A large assortment of shell necklaces, fine mats and other Islands articles was to be loaded, en route, for the Hawaiian tourist trade, even pos sibly for transhipment to USA. But the Japanese war may alter all this.

In April, after the South Pacific hur ricane season is over, the “Taipi” is scheduled back in the Cook Islands. Her cargo may then be anything—from salted fish from lonely Palmerston Island to barrels of sand from Timbuctoo.

Mr. A. Andrews, manager of the Union S. S. Co. Ltd., Apia, Western Samoa, was in New Zealand last month on leave. Mr.

B. Russell acted as Apia manager during his absence.

Mr. Nura Khan, a Fiji-born Indian who had been associated with Stinson’s photo graphic studios in Suva for many years, died at Lautoka recently, aged 49. He was a prominent member of the Fiji Muslim League.

Mr. Henry J. Stevenson resigned re cently from the New Guinea Police Force.

Mr. A. A. Bloxham, who has been sta tioned for some time at Salamaua, New Guinea, has been transferred to Lae, where he will hold the office of ADO.