the Cooks

Notes Made Here and There in

By James P.

Shortall

Education —one of the most discussed subjects to-day in the Cook Islands. Some see it as the panacea of all ills; some see it as far otherwise.

THE Administration has a con siderable programme of edu cational development in hand or projected and materials are al ready being assembled for the con struction of the long-awaited Tere ora Training College. But while work goes ahead, it is very evident that there is a great deal of inde cision behind the scenes in New Zealand and in the Rarotonga edu cation office.

There are those in the Group who feel that better educational facili ties will solve the problem of emi gration and contribute greatly towards the development of the Cook Islands. Others think that the very reverse will be the case, and that the exodus will be accentuated by the better-educated islanders looking to the wider horizons.

The difference between Maori and European scales of salary paid in Cook Is., is causing great dis content in the Group, and in the Education Department perhaps more than in any other Government Department. Recently the first fully-trained Cook Islands-born teacher to attain a teacher’s C-Cer tificate in New Zealand, applied for a Cook Islands position which was advertised. He was employed in a New Zealand school, on European rates, with other New Zealand teachers. The Cook Is. job was advertised at European rates of salary.

The Education Department at Rarotonga supported his applica tion, but the Administration de cided, however, that it would be im possible to appoint this local-born man at the European rate of salary, even though he was fully qualified, because he would there upon become senior to a number of local Maori teachers who had been in the service a great many years and had, in fact, taught the man applying for the position.

To pay this young man a Euro pean salary would be to cause a general upheaval—at least, that was said to be the Administration’s at titude, though others felt that the older, unqualified men would not take that attitude at all. They would say good luck to this young teacher who had been given oppor tunities that had never come their way.

The applicant was then offered a salary of less than half of what he had been receiving in New Zea land but because he felt that it was his duty to return to the Cooks, and

perhaps because he hopes that his acceptance will bring the matter to a head, he has accepted the appointment.

It is clear that, unless New Zealand decides to pay equal salary for equal qualifications in the Cooks, there will never be any headway towards a truly Cook Islands Admin-

istration by Cook Islanders. A de cision will have to be made very soon, for already scholarship students, sent to New Zealand at the country’s expense, are refusing to return on completion of studies.

How can they be expected to re turn to a lower standard of living when there are plenty of positions available in New Zealand?

Sixteen Maori teachers with over ten years’ service resigned from the Cook Is. Education Department in the past 12 months—to take jobs at higher salary with local em ployers, or to go to various non teaching jobs in New Zealand.

Two officers of the New Zealand Public Service Commissioner’s staff were visiting Rarotonga in June to discuss these matters. (Over)

The Question-Mark

In Coralite

POSSIBLY the most criticised man in the Cook Islands to-day is Mr. Win. Ryan, the energetic Works Chief, who has made his mark on the Cook Islands land scape during his term of office.

Most criticised of all is his huge Public Works Depot at Arorangi, several miles from the main settle ment on Rarotonga. Whether the size of this establishment is justified, and whether Mr. Ryan made the decisions in regard to its size, are subjects that find ready discussion along the Rarotonga waterfront.

But behind the scenes a much bigger battle is being fought.

Mr. Ryan is unshakably convinced that coral lime cement is the answer to Cook Islands building require ments. He has coined the word “coralite” for this material.

However, the New Zealand Min istry of Works, which acts as con sultant to Island Territories De partment on all major construc tional matters, having given coralite

The attractive new four-roomed Nikao School, Rarotonga, the most modern school in the Cooks. Eventually it will accommodate 120-140 children, but is be ing used partly as a teachers’ training college until the long projected Tereora Training College is built. Cost of school was £ NZ8.3OO.

exhaustive scientific tests, is equally convinced that it cannot put its OK to this material for large buildings.

Mr. Ryan claims that churches which have stood the test of hurri canes for the past century were built of coralite. MOW says not so —the old churches were built largely of coral blocks and large pieces of coral, not the pulverised material now used. MOW is wait ing for a hurricane to see what hap

pens to Mr. Ryan’s Public Works Depot.

Nothing may happen—but the coralite tests give no cause for optimism. Coralite may be, pos sibly is, much cheaper building medium than the approved con crete blocks. But proof is still re quired as to costs.

Also criticised is the recently com pleted Official Secretary’s residence which, according to Mr. Ryan’s

figures, cost £7,364, made in his cora lite. (Photo of this house appeare< page 67, July PIM). It has a floo area of 2,700 square feet. Coo Islanders feel that this was a grea waste of money.

The Administration’s view is tha the Secretary—second in import ance to the Resident Commissione —should have a better-than-aver age house. It was built of coralit without MOW approval. Time wil

AT LEFT: The MAUI POMARE lies off shore at one of the Cook Lower Group Islands loading oranges from surf boats.

RIGHT: The call of the MAUI POMARE at one of the Cook outer islands is

always an occasion for feasting, welcom ing home, or farewelling friends. In this photo, taken at Mauke are, left to right, Mrs. Sarauela Ariki, wife of a local chief; Mrs. John Webb, wife of the Resident

Agent; a nursing sister; Dr. Romans Chief Medical Officer; Resident Agent John Webb (nearest camera); Dr. Cunt ningham of California; and anothe; hospital sister.

■tell whether the expense was justi fied.

An average residence in coralite —as roomy and well laid out a house as anyone could ask for and built to a standard MOW plan costs about £l/10/- per square foot on Mr. Ryan’s figures—this is about half the cost, per ft. of the Official Secretary’s house (A 15square house would cost only £2,200 —which is cheap indeed). Concrete block construction costs more than twice as much.

Coralite cement, says Mr. Ryan, can be produced at £3 per ton in Rarotonga; imported cement costs about £2l per ton.

One senses that Ministry of Works in New Zealand is looked on almost as Public Enemy No. 1 in Cook Islands Administration circles —a deliberate obstructor in their inex

pensive-building programme.

Meanwhile, in spite of the 35,000 square feet, £37,000 Depot facilities, it has been necessary to call in an outside contractor from New Zealand to undertake the compli cated job of building the new freezer and fruit cool-store at Rarotonga. The contracting firm, Norman Calwell & Co., of Christchurch, are pushing ahead with the project at a great rate.

The freezer section, for storage of imported foodstuffs, will cost about £32,000 and will be completed in a few months. A separate contract will be let for the adjoining cooler, which is estimated to cost £116,000.

A cool-store for Rarotonga has been talked about for the last 30 years; now at last it is in sight.

Cheap Fertiliser For

Fish Poisoning

ONE of the services attached to the Administration Fruit Scheme (see July PIM) is to make fertiliser available to Maori citrus plot-owners at a reasonable price.

At first, little fertiliser was dis posed of. Apart from the average plot-owner being too tired to use it, few had any faith in the growth promoting properties of the stuff.

They just had not seen it before.

Now, however, its potentialities are beginning to be appreciated. It’s wonderful stuff, they say—for fish poisoning!

A bag of it dumped in a small stream will provide a feast of fresh water shrimps and nato —and speed up the total destruction of fish re sources at Rarotonga, of course.

Poisonous plants and dynamite are also playing their full part in this destruction.

The annual shoals of ature that used to invade the reef waters along the foreshore at Avarua and Avatiu have almost disappeared over the past four years, and there appears to be no effort on the part of Administration or people to wards fish conservation. Although

the law has its remedies there is believed never to have been a con viction brought against a fish poisoner or dynamiter.

Who Makes The Profit

Out Of Oranges?

WHY are we receiving only 15/for a case of oranges when they are being sold in New Zealand for over £3” i* a Question constantly asked by Maori citrus growers in the Cooks. Many growers are convinced that “the Govern ment” is making a profit at the expense of the producers.

Here is the cost of structure, as supplied by the Department of Agriculture on a U bushel, 70 lb case of ordinary oranges:

The orchardist receives 15/- for the contents of the case. Handling from orchard to ship’s hold adds 11/8 to the cost to the consumer— the case alone costs 6/8 and other items are labour, cartage, debutton ing gassing, packing, inspection. shed levy (for maintenance of packing shed and equip ment), manure levy, fruit control levy, re serve fund—making the FOB pr i C e to the fruit importers 26/8 per case Then comes freight to New Zea land> wharfage, inspection, cartage, supervision charge, bringing the pric ,e up to £l/14/7 delivered to the a “ ™ arts - M f Here they aie sold to the re tailers. The auction mart collects

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fcts percentage, and the retailer, who is said to work on an 80 per cent, mark-up for perishable fruit, col lects the remainder of the £3-odd.

Fruit retailing looks profitable this way—but there can be heavy losses and in the trade an 80 per cent, mark-up is considered a fair thing. Certainly the New Zealand Government is not making a penny on the deal —and is advancing all the capital required by the industry, an estimated £133,000 in orchards over the next seven years, plus the :new cool store estimated to cost £116,000, which will operate in con junction with the new domestic freezer which is costing £32,000.

If there is any complaining to be done, it seems that the New Zealand taxpayer has first priority.

[Efficiency On A

S. Seas Island

SOME interesting details of Manuae Island were brought into Rarotonga by Captain Andy Thompson, of Charlotte Donald.

Manuae, an atoll, is owned by an Aitutaki family and leased to a Sydney man. Managing it is Mr.

Carlo Andersen, a Danish engineer, who has been resident in the Cooks

for a good many years. Carlo is a man who is very thorough in every thing he does and he has some advanced ideas.

The Manuae coconut plantations are of the self-sown variety, the palms close together and with plenty of normal atoll undergrowth.

Carlo is taking the drastic measure of cutting out a heavy percentage of palms and completely clearing the undergrowth.

With copra at its present price, the onlookers winced every time they saw a palm fall, but Carlo is convinced that the treatment will more than pay off in the long run.

Everyone hopes he is right.

Meanwhile the place is being run with a military precision.

Everything is spic-and-span. The 30 labourers are well housed; there is a new tennis court and electric light. The island has undergone a complete transformation.

Carlo is in radio-telephone con tact with Rarotonga every day—the radio equipment, having come out of the wrecked Alexander on Aitutaki reef. The population rises and goes to bed at the sound of the gong. Landing on the island, even for round-trippers, is by per mit only. A most efficiently run South Sea island!

A Wanderer

At Anchor

THE prettiest district of Raro tonga is on the Ngatangiia- Muri coast, with its lovely en closed lagoon, sandy beach, and string of tiny islands out on the edge of the reef.

Mr. John Blakelock, of Suva, has

built himself a week-end home on the smallest island, whence he can retire for a day or two when he brings Dick Brown’s Rannah to her home port after a trip round the Group.

The islet was an ancient burial ground and, as such, no Islander will live on it. Blakelock was warned that it was haunted; he would hear meanings and screams at night; stones would be hurled at him by the tupapau living there.

And that was exactly what hap pened. The meanings and screams were traced to birds, which roost there. The hurled stones were a tougher proposition, but it appears that after a hot, sunny day the stones were naturally very warm.

This may be followed by a very cool night, especially in the winter months. The sudden cooling prob ably causes the stones to fracture.

Anyway, that is the present theory, and the Blakelocks are sleeping peacefully on it while the stones pop and fly about harmlessly.

Blakelock seems to have settled in the Cooks after years of wander ing around the world in such famous craft as the luxury yachts White Shadow and Kaimiloa. He worked for Zane Grey aboard his Fisher man, Tahiti, in the 1930’s—and he sailed back and forth across the Pacific in the old Beulah, which used to pick up copra in the Line Islands.

He was associated with the Tahiti

rum-running trade in its hey-day It is whispered that he has his eye on a shore job in Rarolonga.

Hollowing approval of the Board of Education, a college is to be established in Fiji to train Catholic teachers for mission schools in Tonga, Samoa and other south-west Pacific areas.

tl Mr. Don Greenough, of Guadal canal Trading Company, was passenger for Sydney by the M Muliama which left Honiara, BSIB on June 27. He will make his horn in Australia. He has been engage; for the past six years in the re habitation of the Company’s copr plantations, and leaves behind mam friends in the BSIP.