High-Grade Manganese
p. 103 · Read in the full issue
On Mangaia
THE Cook Islands Annual Report for the year ended March 31, 1952, tells of the discovery of a high grade manganese ore deposit on Mangaia, southern-most of the Cook Islands. ( Minerals have been known to exist on Mangaia for years, but any attempt to exploit the deposits has been prevented by land difficulties.
Last year Mr. W. Mcßirney, a well-known Cook Islands resident, visited New Zealand in an effort to promote interest in the deposits, but the Report states that the “deposits :annot be exploited until the land on vhich investigations were made has >een converted from Customary to Native freehold land by judicial act if the Native Land Court. As yet here is no investigated land in dangaia.”
Such investigations are exceeding y protracted and it appears that, hort of the Government taking over □ch land, the extent of the deposits dll not be known in the near future. >n the other hand, the Administra on could, on its own behalf, pro ved with such investigations if they ished, and settle the matter of titles i due course.