They'll Work Towards

Self - government

From a Rarotonga Correspondent The Cook Islands’ new Executive Committee, which is the forerunner to Cabinet Government in the Cooks, is widely representative.

THE Executive Committee was elected by the Legislative As sembly by secret ballot after the NZ Islands Minister, Mr. Gotz, in July, had outlined a plan to give the Cooks self-government without the group having to cut its links with NZ.

The Executive Committee will be a standing committee of the As sembly which will deal with policy, finance and development. It replaces the old standing committee on finance, which did not have any say in development and policy.

This year for the first time the Cooks has control of the budget, in cluding NZ subsidies (although it cannot control Public Service salaries and allowances, which are still a matter for the Public Service Com mission).

Members of the new Executive Committee are Mr. D. C. Brown (Rarotonga), Teariki Tuavera (Raro tonga), Tangaroa Tangaroa (Penrhyn), Vainerere (Atiu), William Estall (Aitutaki), L. Bailey (Euro pean member), Ngatupuna Matepi (Mangaia). These were elected by the Assembly, but in addition, at the Assembly’s request, two official members were appointed—the Gov ernment Secretary, Mr. L. Pitt, and the Treasurer, Mr. T. Perry. Chair man is the Resident Commissioner, Mr. A. O. Dare, who has no deliberative vote.

The plan for internal self-govern ment, the principle of which has been tacitly accepted by the Assembly, is to be raised in the United Nations by NZ, which will submit proposals setting out the remaining steps to be taken towards self-government.

Following this it is expected that a plebiscite will be arranged to see if the plan is acceptable to the people.

Meanwhile, a common roll will be established.

By mid-August there had been no announcement of the next move by NZ to put the plan into operation.