End Of Cipa In Cook Is. Predicted

Opinion of Recent Traveller

THE following statement, published in Auckland “Star” of July 26, by an unnamed traveller confirms the opinion expressed in “PIM” during the last six or nine months:— Communist infiltration of the Cook Is lands Progressive Association had brought about the end of the Association, in the opinion of a visitor to Auckland who has spent many years in the islands.

When the Association began it was supported by many Europeans because they believed its aims were just and democratic. Later, however, sections of the Association tried to instil in the natives a suspicion and hatred of white people, and the whites withdrew their support.

The visitor said that he believed inter

ference by Auckland groups in the affairs of the Association had spelt the end of the Association, which could have brought many benefits to the natives.

New Delegation to Investigate

Conditions

SUBSEQUENTLY, a New Zealand Feder ation of Labour Delegation, consisting of Mr. W. B. Richards and Mr. K.

Baxter, proceeaeu to Rarotonga on the “Maui Pomare.” And on July 12, the Cook Islands Progressive Association in a message printed in the New Zealand press, indicated that it had had a change of heart. It was stated that, in future, it would concern itself with the welfare and economic progress of the Cook Is lands, rather than with industrial matters. This, of course, if it can be be lieved, means that the CIPA has gone into reverse and has retreated from the stand it took last year and which led to the iviarcn, 1948, fracas. On tnat occasion the CIPA had “forbidden” the working of any ships without its permission. When the “Wairuna” arrived, with much needed supplies, CIPA stated that they would neither work the ship, nor permit it to be worked. “Wairuna” subsequently went on its way without discharging. This was hailed as a CIPA victory and they pre pared to dispose of the “Wairata,” due about a week later, in the same manner.

Three days before the ship reached Raro tonga, however, a New Zealand plane ar rived and disgorged 14 New Zealand policemen. That was the end of the CIPA. They retired in disorder after making a feeble attempt to picket the wharf area with women supporters.

Albert Henry, CIPA leader, left Raro tonga at the end of March.

Growth of the CIPA

THE ideas behind' the CIPA are the same ideas that are besetting the minds of all progressive native people to-day. Largely, the unrest that exists in the Cook Islands is the result of war, and of the introduction, by American soldiers, of new concepts of life and thought and amenities. The problem is not peculiar to the Cook Islands, but is general to the whole Pacific area.

In the Cooks this natural reaction to war and the invasion of thousands of Servicemen, was aggravated by an up heaval in the economic life of the islands.

The agricultural economy upon which they had formerly existed had been dis turbed by the sudden lack of shipping, as well as by the incursion of foreign troops.

Out of the unrest in the Islands, and out of the determination of the islanders to improve their lot, there arose, in 1944, the Cook Islands Progressive Association.

It was, to a large extent, a political organ isation. with a membership of both natives and Europeans, and a head quarters at Auckland, not Rarotonga.

The CIPA claims to have the backing of 80 per cent, of the population of the Cook Islands. The New Zealand Admin istration in the Islands apparently proved slow to deal with the new spirit of the islanders, and when the association failed to get satisfaction it quickly turned to the mainland for aid.

Officials of the association back in Auckland were brought into contact with members of the New Zealand Communist Party, and soon Communists were acting as advisers. The secretary of the CIPA, Mr. Albert Henry, a Cook Island Maori, who lives at Auckland, has publicly re ferred to the assistance given to his asso ciation by Communists.

Mr. Henry was brought down to the annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Labour at Wellington in

1946. Officials of the federation, and the Government realised that steps would have to be taken quickly to counteract Communist influence, for by this time not pnly were the islanders being encouraged in demands which their economy could probably not support, but they were ask pS’liament. in the NeW Zealand . The Federation of Labour, after hear ing Mr. Henry at its 1946 conference, de cided to send a delegation to the islands.

Mr. K. McL. Baxter, secretary of the federation, and Mr. T. F. Anderson, of the Seamen’s Union at Auckland, u a veiled to Raiotonga in July of that year Mr. Henry refused to accompany the dele gation as interpreter. The headquarters of his association at Auckland would not recognise the delegation. The same action was taken by the CIPA in the islands.

Messrs. Baxter and Anderson, with the help of co-operative Europeans and natives, but entirely without that of the CIPA, toured the islands seeking support for the formation of a Cook Islands in dustrial union of workers. They declared that this union, and this union alone, would be recognised by the Government.

They finally succeeded in getting sup port for the formation of a Cook Islands industrial union of workers, with an in itial membership given at 300.

From this point the battle was joined between the CIPA and the Cook Islands authorities. It culminated in the “Wairata” incident of March this year.

Since then, according to our correspon dent in the Cooks, they have gone quietly, although they refused to work the June “Maui Pomare,” leaving it to be worked by Union labour. There was also some disturbance in Aitutaki in May, when the CIPA decided that the schooner “Tiare Taporo” could not be worked. This diffi culty was got over by sending half a dozen New Zealand police who had re mained in Rarotonga, over to Aitutaki.

The CIPA again retired and “Tiare Taporo’’ was worked by Union labour.

It remains to be seen whether, in spite of Mr. Henry’s assurances of July 12, that the CIPA will cease to meddle in politics, whether the Cook Islands situa tion will straighten itself out. Left alone there is little doubt that commonsense will prevail and that industrial matters in the Cooks will return to normal—the real industrial element in the Islands is small, at any rate. Most Islanders are concerned with agriculture in one form or another. But it is doubtful if the Comrades, once having got a toe-hold in the Group, will relinquish it without a struggle.

When it was announced that the Fed eration of Labour would send a delega tion to the Cooks, the NZ Waterside Workers’ Union announced that they also would send a delegate—a Mr. A. Drennan who happens also to be chairman of the NZ Communist Party.

A dispute immediately developed in Auckland and finally, the Federation of Labour announced that it “firmly refused to allow Mr. Drennan to accompany the delegation appointed to investigate in dustrial conditions in the Cook Islands” on the grounds that it was not in the best interests of the trade union movement that individual unions should send re presentatives.

That is how the matter still stood on August 3, when the delegation left for the Cook Islands on the “Maui Pomare.” The next move appears to be up to the Com rades.

Last year the 17,000 Indian Muslims in Fiji sent 10,000 rupees (£RB47) to aid the Pakistan refugees. This was followed by nearly £lOO to clear up the balance of the relief fund organised by the Fiji Muslim League. This year another con tribution of more than 11.000 rupees has gone to Karachi.