Curio Prosperity
pp. 37-38 · Read in the full issue
Remarkable Figures Shown in Cook Islands 1945 Report
From Our Own Correspondent
Rarotonga, Aug. 19.
SINCE their discovery by Europeans, the isles of the South Seas have exercised a peculiar fascination for the peoples of the older lands of the earth. They have remained the last out posts of romance—where life moves at a quieter tempo and humans find happi ness in the simpler pursuits and plea sures of existence.
The romantic-minded have been con cerned during the last few years with the fear that the mystic isles would he robbed of the last remnants of their aura of romance by the sweeping inva sions of large bodies of troops, whether hostile or friendly, with all the para phernalia and habits of civilised life and civilised strife.
Airstrips have been (and are still being) constructed on islands and atolls formerly so remote as to remain almost fictional in the minds of city dwellers.
Now great planes hop from isle to isle in' hours, bringing them very close, in terms of time, to the capitals of the world.
BUT the* romantics may find a little reassurance in a perusal of the official Cook Islands Report for 1945 (the first to be published since 1941).
The movements of large bodies of American and British troops and seamen among the Pacific Islands has vastly in creased the public interest in them, and
done little to rob them of their roman tic appeal—if one may judge by the sale of native handicrafts.
In 1940 the Cook Islands exported native handicrafts to the value of £262.
The figure for 1944 is £41,756. Compare this with figures for the same period (1944) for citrus fruits (normally the principal export) of £26,152; tomatoes, £35,978; copra, £15,269; bananas, £1,154.
The greater part of this remarkable figure was for hula skirts and strings of shells, which have been the most popu lar souvenirs. Other items were brooches and ornaments made from pearl-shells; wood-carvings; coconut-shell ukuleles; hats and mats.
WITH regard to the other aspect—the danger of permanent disruption of island life—the resident agents of islands formerly occupied by American troops and now evacuated, report that the natives are quickly and quietly set tling back to their normal habits of life.
They appear to have gained more than they have lost. They have gained much in useful knowledge; there have been great medical and sanitary improve ments; they have certainly gained finan cially. Money has been saved against possible thinner days to come.
Native depositors have to their credit in the Cook Islands Post Office Savings Bank a total of £44,780. This may be compared with £19,006 in 1942.
Although there is still some business at present, the handicraft export trade will inevitably descend from the 1944 high, and attention must again be turned to fruit.
A considerable fall-off in the fruit trade has been unavoidable • during the war years owing to the shortage of ship
ping. Service to the Cook Group and Niue has been maintained by the NZ Government MV “Maui Pomare” and this small vessel could not possibly cope with the normal quantities of fruit offer ing during the season.
Preference has been given to oranges and a certain amount of space reserved for tomatoes which have been return ing a good price to the growers; but space has not been available for bananas, and this has naturally discouraged banana planting.
The “Maui Pomare”
THE much criticised statement of the NZ Government that the “Maui Pomare” has been operated at a loss is explained in the Cook Islands report as follows: — “(1) Fruit cargoes have a relatively low value per cubic ton, so that the income derived Iby growers from full outward cargoes does not pro duce correspondingly full cargoes of imports in return.
“(ii) The seasonal nature of the earn ings causes cargoes to be slight both ways during the residue of the year. Thus the “Maui Pomare,” while not large enough for the peak of the orange season, is not fully loaded on return voy ages or at any time during the off season.”
The “Maui Pomare” was originally put into service for the Samoa banana trade, and during the war years has been en gaged in operations very different from those for which she was intended, main taining contact between remote and widely separated islands, carrying often small cargoes over long distances. Under these circumstances it was not possible
for the vessel to be run profitably.
Nevertheless, the value of her services to the islands during the war years has been immeasurable, and is much appre ciated by residents.
WITH the cessation of hostilities the NZ Government is immediately turning its attention to improved
service for the Cook Islands, and develop ment of the fruit trade, while rumours of private interest in the shipping pos sibilities of the islands are already com ing over the coconut radio.
It can also be expected that the vastly increased interest in the, islands will mean an increased tourist trade when the seaways and airways are opened for commercial and pleasure travel.