Peace , Prosperity and More Ships

for the Cook Isl, 1949

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, May 1.

RAROTONGA’S 1949 shipping season has opened with every prospect of its being a more prosperous one. The Government, as promised, is providing more shipping; and a hurricane season which brought plenty of rain and sun shine without destructive high winds, has assured a good crop of citrus fruit throughout the Lower Cook Group.

The Northern Islands, too, are getting their share of prosperity by the continu ing demand, at good prices, for their copra and pearl shell.

The “Maui Pomare” completed her first run in April, lifting 8,724 cases of oranges from Mangaia and Mauke; and 3,388 cases of tangerines, grapefruit, lemons and limes from Rarotonga. A few days later the SS “Waitomo” loaded, at Rarotonga, 11,768 cases of oranges and 1,440 cases of tangerines, grapefruit and limes, also some tomatoes. This was the largest single shipment of fruit from Rarotonga since 1937.

Another record shipment will be lifted by the “Waitemata” at the end of May.

The Department of Agriculture estimates that this will be Rarotonga’s best sea son for many years.

The diversion, to the Cooks, of the Union Steamship Company’s Trans pacific freighters is proving of great value in helping to relieve the shortage of direct shipping facilities.

BESIDES improvements in overseas shipping, this season sees an increase in inter-island communications.

Three small motor-vessels will shortly be operating in the Group.

Following the loss of the schooner, “Tahitienne,” Mr. D. C. Brown chartered from Suva the converted Fairmile launch, “Mahurangi,” for use in collecting copra and pearl shell from the Northern Islands.

The “Mahurangi’s” first trip to Manihiki,

as reported in May “PIM,” was somewhat adventurous and the SS “Waitemata,” which was bound for Rarotonga, was di verted to go to her assistance.

At the time of writing, the “Mahurangi” is at sea again on a voyage to Manihiki, Penrhyn and Pukapuka. The vessel is providing excitement for the isolated in habitants of the Northern Atolls, in the form of sound pictures shown on a port able 16 mm. projector. The Pukapukans as their first movie show will be an event really worth watching.

Mr. Brown says that the inclusion of a 16 mm. projector in the “Mahurangi’s” equipment is making his ship a very popular one in the Northern Islands.

Among other things, he finds it effective in speeding up loading operations. The dictum of “no pictures until the work is finished,” is producing record-breaking efforts at ship loading at those atolls where work is usually long-winded.

The much debated plan of providing a Fairmile launch for Administrative and medical service in the Cook Islands has at last been discarded in favour of a more suitable type of vessel, and the stout little double-ended motorship, “Ranui,” has been chosen for this purpose.

Island Territories Department has taken over the “Ranui” from the Meteorological Department which has been using the ship for servicing the weather stations at Sunday Island, Campbell Island and other outlying posts. The vessel is at present being overhauled before enter ing service in the Cook Islands.

Whether she can remain in the Group all the year round is, as yet, undecided, owing to the difficulties of a safe anchor age during severe weather.

THE firm of A. B. Donald Ltd., principal traders in the Group, has released details of their addition to the new era of motorised shipping in the Cook Islands. A suitable vessel of recent con struction has been procured from Singa pore and will shortly arrive in Auckland where a few alterations will be made. She is expected here within two months.

In Auckland the ship will be rechris tened the “Charlotte Donald.” It is a twin-screw Diesel ship, length 125 feet, beam 24 feet, loaded draught 12i feet, cruising speed 7 to 8 knots, capacity 300 tons. There will be comfortable cabin accommodation for passengers and the management believes that the vessel will provide the best inter-island freight and passenger service the Cook Islands have ever known.

The firm’s schooner, “Tiape Taporo,” which arrived back in Rarotonga early April, after overhaul in Auckland, will probably be transferred to Tahitian waters at the end of the present season.

The introduction of better shipping facilities within the Group is a matter for considerable satisfaction, and from a practical standpoint there is no doubt that the day of the sailing schooner is done. Nevertheless, there is a general regret in Rarotonga at the thought of the passing of the old “Tiare Taporo.”

The famous schooner and its equally famous skipper, Andy Thomson, are our last link with the romance of the old South Seas. We have not yet heard what is to happen to Our Andy. We cannot picture him pacing the bridge of a miDtor ship, his weather-tanned chest constricted by a brass-buttoned tunic. Perhaps he will just sit quietly on his verandah and tell us stories of the good old days when ships were ships and sailors were sailors.