CIPA Against Workers'

Union in Rarotonga Alleges Compulsory Unionism For Natives

rERE apparently has been no truce between New Zealand - sponsored, regular Unionism, and the Cook Islands Progressive Association. The CIPA, which is alleged to be communist dominated, has its headquarters in Auck land.

Public Works Department, aerodrome and Department of Agriculture employees met in Rarotonga (Cook Islands) on April 23, and formed a Cook Islands Workers’ Union. Later they approached the Resident Commissioner and requested that he ask the New Zealand Gov ernment to enact the necessary legislation to enable them to register it.

Discussing the formation of this union, Mr. Fraser, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, said that this in no way forced unionism on the natives of the Cook Islands—as had been asserted by Mr. A.

Henry, secretary of the Cook Islands Pro gressive Association in Auckland.

Mr. Fraser said that at the forthcoming conference of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, a draft conven tion will be considered concerning the rights of employers and employees in non metropolitan territories to set up organi sations. The New Zealand Government subscribed to the principles laid down in the proposed convention and in enabling a trade union to be formed in the Cook Islands was simply putting its views into effect.

Mr. Henry alleged that the formation of the union in Rarotonga was a Gov ernment attempt to cripple the Cook Islands Progressive Association.