Rarotonga's War Service
p. 68 · Read in the full issue
Rarotonga, Oct. 30.
fIIHE Rarotonga Defence Force paraded J. for the last time on October 10 before the Administration buildings, in a brief official stand-down ceremony.
The Resident Commissioner, Mr. W.
Tailby, complimented the men on the part they had played.
The force was Organised in 1940 for local defence, and consisted of 100 men (Maoris) with three NZ sergeant-instruc tors. Captain R. M. L. Gladney, a veteran of the last war, settled in Raro tonga as a planter, was appointed com manding officer. An efficieht quarter master was provided by QM Sgt. Karika, who returned from war with a DCM and who, in private life, is Makea Karika Ariki. Captain Gladney left Rarotonga in August to be, Resident Agent in Penrhyn, and Lieut. G. Shaw took charge.
Equipment included machine-guns and mortars, mounted in emplacements com manding the harbours. Look-out posts were established on mountain-tops round the island. There were a number of “alerts” in the early days of the Pacific war, but no serious incident disturbed the peace of this fortunate island.
The NZ Government decided, for various reasons, not to enlist natives from the Cook Islands for overseas ser vice in World War 11. The majority of able-bodied men throughout the Group were most anxious to enlist, and clamoured for a long time. Their pri mary motive probably was the eternal Polynesian wanderlust, rather than patriotism. .
However, there were many Cook Islanders in New Zealand, sons of lead ing native families and Euronesian sons of white residents, and these enlisted in the NZ Services. Many distinguished themselves. Ten Rarotongan boys served in the Air Force.