Copra Troubl[?]
pp. 66-67 · Read in the full issue
On Manuae
From Johnny Frisbie and Ci Hebenstreit, in Rarotonga.
As if lower prices anc creased competition are enough to worry Cook Is] copra growers, there is also difficulty of getting the stu market.
TU.KE the example of the isla A Manuae, a 1,500-acre atoll 124 miles north-east of Rarotong; voted exclusively to the raisir coconut trees.
It is currently leased by the Islands Co-Op in the hopes of t ing the once profitable plant back into the black. If the ca: March 11, 1962, is any indicatioi road back to prosperity may hard one indeed.
Manuae was brushed by a 1 cane the latter part of February the New Zealand government aj to send the 3,000 ton Moana on a special one-day trip to the ] visited atoll with supplies for th resident workers and to pick up 50 tons of copra ready. It was first time the ship had called at tiny island. It is not likely tc so again.
Many Troubles
The trouble started when Moana Roa arrived two hours due to a loading delay on Raroto In addition, the natives of Mai seemed surprised to see the heave-to off the reef. Their radio giving them trouble and when ship didn’t arrive at dawn, they sumed she wasn’t coming that The island’s one truck was not n to operate. There was dirt in petrol.
However, when the loading eve ally got underway, it soon bee apparent the island was understal The men not only had to get copra to the beach by manual lat but also load the lighters and t man them across the reef and ou the Moana Roa riding a qua mile off-shore.
It was backbreaking work and slow. The two lighters could a no more than two or three tons e trip as the reef passage in place; only a foot deep.
Matters were proceeding slo when the only powered lighter of two broke down with a full load
middle of the channel, and stuck the rocks. The chain drive had ren.
PIM correspondent was aboard he time and had to jump over side to help push the ship back hore, where a bicycle chain was ly found (by dusk) to get the ; operating again. [eantime, the only copra loaded e from the solitary double-oared boat carrying two tons each rly round trip. It was a losing le against time as the Moana was committed to sail back to atonga at nightfall. The passengers i returned, some drenched by the and the Moana Roa closed the ;h with only about 24 tons loaded he 50 available. ; had been a frustrating time for ■yone except the passengers, who t ashore as guests of the Co irative to explore this seldom ;ed atoll.
Ir. Thompson collected palm leaf pies for the Agricultural Depart it; Mr. Beatty installed a rain ge for the weather bureau; Mr. O. e, the Cook Islands’ Resident nmissioner, made a brief official lection of the plantation and then red to the lagoon to join the rest the passengers who were busy png man-trap clams to take back Tesh seafood-starved Rarotonga, ind what of the rest of the copra in Manuae? It will have to await Co-Operative’s boat Dobiri now New Zealand. )bservers feel a good deal of able would have been avoided had re been a plantation manager in dence on Manuae to prepare for visit. It now seems probable that Cl Co-op will install a manager its first opportunity. -le must not forget to take along lew bicycle chain!