Efforts To Settle Cook Islands

Restlessness

But Meddling of Auckland Association Encourages Wharf Trouble in Rarotonga

{From a New Zealand Correspondent)

MANY words were spilled in the Cook Islands during the recent visit of Mr. A. G. Osborne, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the New Zealand Prime Minister; and a great many more after Mr. Osborne had returned to the Dominion.

It now remains to be seen if any of the words will be translated into deeds at some not-too-distant date.

Mr. Osborne went to the Cooks to dis cuss the future welfare of the Islanders and more particularly to consider how best to provide for a new constitution that would give the Group more repre sentation. He did not discuss the de mands of Rarotonga waterside workers for an increase in wages. This is to be settled by Mr. J. A. Gilmour (of the NZ Industrial Court) who was due to arrive in Rarotonga on May 24.

During his 10 days’ visit to Rarotonga, Mr. Osborne urged upon the people the desirability of becoming self-supporting.

He said that the Government could not do it all and that the Cook Islanders themselves must take more responsi bility upon themselves. To this end comes the new proposal for a Legislative Coun cil.

The question of representation and fuller control of their own affairs has been agitating the minds of Cook Is landers for some time. One suggestion was that they should have a member of Parliament; another that they should have a member who would act in an ad visory capacity and have no vote (pre sumably to escape the taxation bugbear).

The idea of a Legislative Council, how ever, with a small majority of official members, was ultimately accepted by the various island councils who met Mr.

Osborne. It now remains for the New Zealand Government to approve of the suggestion.

At the conclusion of his visit Mr.

Osborne said that he was returing to New Zealand with the knowledge that there were still many problems to be solved, but although he “observed some feeling of unsettlement” among the younger people, the majority seemed bright and happy.

IN comparison with the rest of the troubled world, the Cook Islands is probably a haven of peace. There is, however, as Mr. Osborne recognises, a certain restlessness —particularly among the wharf labourers who are demanding an increase of 2/- per day.

The wharf labourers struck in January, but were finally persuaded to load the “Maui Pomare” by the trading firms who agreed to pay the 2/- extra pay de manded. The ridiculous situation has

been permitted to linger on since then and in their demands the Maori water siders have been encouraged by the so called Cook Islands Progressive Associa tion, which functions in Auckland, and presumes to direct the affairs of the Cooks from that distance.

This Association, which has been re peatedly snubbed by the New Zealand Government, and disowned by the arikis and island councils of the Cooks, still manages to exist, and the uterances of its members are occasionally given promi nence in the New Zealand press. It ap pears to serve no useful purpose and its activities to date bear a striking resem blance to the Red pressure-groups that flourish in the democracies of Australia and New Zealand.

There was some doubt about the sail ing of the “Maui Pomare” in late May because of the latest development of the Rarotonga wharf trouble. A spokesman for the Progressive Association said in Auckland that an “ultimatum” that the waterside workers in Rarotonga had pre sented to the New Zealand Government had expired on May 15. Their demands had not been met, therefore, they had refused to work, and the sailing of the “Maui Pomare” from Auckland had been delayed.