"Unsatisfactory"

Rarotongan Food Production

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, April 11.

IN view of the unsatisfactory state of food production in Rarotonga, the Island Council has decided to revive the old law regarding the planting of domestic crops. This compels each family to plant a certain amount of food each year.

At a meeting of the Council on Feb ruary 4th concern was expressed at the lack of food planting on the island since the hurricane last year. For several months after the hurricane the people were occupied in repairing or re-building their homes. Then the hula skirt in dustry got into full swing, and most of the island busied itself with this work to the detriment of crop cultivation.

The prices of kumaras and taro, which used to be 1/- and 2/- per kit, respec tively, has risen to 2/- and 4/- in Avarua.

The people in Avarua now rush the buggies coming in from the outer villages with native foods.

The “wandering pig” problem was also tackled by the Council, which proposes to enforce a local ordinance requiring all pigs to be in pens or styes by August 1.

Hitherto pigs have been a menace to plantations or were tethered by means of a rope attached to the 16g of the un fortunate animal. If this new law is enforced a real step towards increased planting will have been made.

Assistance for the reparation of banana, plantations after the recent hurricane was also considered. A recommendation (sub sequently approved) was made to the New Zealand Government.

A COMMITTEE has been set up to delve into the vexed question of citrus re-planting, which has made very slow progress, due mainlv to the fact that the basis of the Administration’s re-planting scheme is not broad enough to cope with the land title problem.

Hitherto only sole owners of a section of land have been allowed assistance under the scheme, but as most native lands are held bv the family and not by the in dividual, only 45 growers have been able to take advantage of the scheme during the past four years. .

It is evident that whereas land is still held communally, initiative has become, most definitely, individual. As it is highly improbable that the Rarotongan Maoris could, even if they wished to. revert to their original basis of communal production it follows that a:n adjustment of the system of land tenure to suit changed conditions must take place be fore real development of the agricultural resources of the island can be under taken.