Background To The Cook Islands
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
Pfff Cook Group comprises 15 islands which are spread over 850.000 square miles of ocean, but have a total land area of only about 9 .0 /A uar f ™ iles - Population at the census in September, 1961 was 18,369 of whom 385 were Europeans.
While some of the larger islands, such as Rarotonga and Mangaia are reasonably fertile, many of the smaller ones are not, and there are no mineral resources of any significance.
Most of the Cooks were declared to be under British protection in October, 1888, and the Hervey Group the following year. New Zealand then became responsible for their administration. The Islands formally became part of the Dominion of New Zealand on June 11, 1901.
The Islands’ Legislative Council was enlarged to a Legislative As sembly in 1958, and present membership is 26, comprising 14 members elected under universal suffrage from the various islands, seven elected by the Island Councils of Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia and Rarotonga' one elected by European electors, and four official members. The Resident Commissioner is president.
In i 9 J^ P c ° rtS into the Cooks were valued at £NZ937,273 and exports £NZ710,563. Mam exports were citrus to New Zealand. Revenue and expenditure for 1961-62 was: Revenue £521,420, NZ grant £627 841 • expenditure £1,093,731. The NZ grant for 1963 is £BO9 000 ’ ’