(or begging)

Who's ashamed of borrowing (or begging) these days?

The Cook Islands Government budgets to spend $7,137,769 in 1973, with $5,125,275 to be raised intern ally, and the remainder to come from loans and grants from New Zealand.

The Cooks, as a member of the Asian Development Bank, has access to cheap money. Speeches from the official side of the House of As sembly during the budget debate suggested advantage would be taken of this, in addition to raising loans in New Zealand. New Zealand, has offered, in 1973, to grant all loans for specific projects, and substantial technical assistance.

The Premier, Mr Albert Henry, explained during the debate, that New Zealand, supported by Australia, had applied to the Asian Develop ment Bank for the Cook Islands to be a member.

“New Zealand says we are self governing and have the right to borrow for ourselves,” Mr Henry said. “The interest on a loan from the Asian Development Bank is about 1 i per cent for 30 years and New Zealand will guarantee our loan. If we are wrong, New Zealand is wrong.

Don’t blame me, blame New Zea land. They think it is best for us.”

The Minister of Finance, Mr G. A.

Henry, said the last year had been one of consolidation. Now, to build reserves, all departments were asked to limit expenditure and make an all-out effort to collect outstanding debts.

Dr T, Davis, Leader of the Op position, accused the government of having, in the past, wasted money on ill-advised projects. A feature of the current budget was that it was a good cover-up story. On the credit side was the income from the Philatelic Bureau and one other source, but the House was not told how much was raised from those sources.

Dr Davis said many Cook Islanders overseas would not admit they were Cook Islanders as they were laughed at because of the government’s poor financial image. He thought the new source of loan money was a new way to get into more financial dif-

Acuities. Why was it necessary to go to the Asian Development Bank?

Was it because nearer sources were unwilling to lend more money because loans had not been repaid?

The only way to get out of financial difficulties was to increase exports and promote new exports. People should be discouraged from going to NZ. Perhaps they wouldn’t, if there were jobs for them in the Cook Islands.

The government must stop vic timising people. Because of victimisa tion after the 1972 elections, people filled the aircraft for New Zealand.

Patriotism should be promoted, and, borrowing a phrase of the late President Kennedy, he said it must be promoted so that people would ask what they could do for their country, not what the country could do for them.

Dr Davis said productivity from the land must be raised, and ship ping services improved. A promised two-weekly shipping service was more like a two-monthly service.

Mr V. Tangatapoto, Atiu, asked for a water supply for his island as the people there paid tax, like any body else. Mr Pomani Tangata, also from Atiu, said the government had done nothing to encourage people to stay in the Cook Islands, instead of going to NZ. He was also surprised

that cabbages were being imported, when the people were capable of growing their own.

Mr Pokino Aberahama, Mangaia, said he felt NZ would increase grants if affairs were managed properly, A projected 15 per cent increase in the salaries of civil servants was not enough in light of the cost of living.

The number of people engaged in agriculture had decreased since self government because of the way the government handled the matter.

Mr Tangaroa Tangaroa, Penrhyn, suggested the government encourage farmers by granting them a bonus, Mr Ngatupuna Matepi, Mangaia, said appropriation money should be divided equally among all islands, ac cording to the population. The money to run the Lorena came from all islands, yet only the people of Raro tonga and Aitutaki benefited from the Lorena service.

The Finance Minister said that before 1965, the Cook Islands had only $85,000 in the Treasury. Internal revenue had increased by 136 per cent since then. One would have to travel a long way to find a country which had accomplished as much as the Cook Islands with their limited resources.

He said he did not believe there were any Cook Islanders who were ashamed of being Cook Islanders.

Once more the Renee River near Santo in the New Hebrides can be crossed in comfort and in safety via this new bridge which was opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, by the wives of the British and French district agents, Mrs Turner and Mrs Valentini. Built by the Citra Construction Company of Noumea in New Caledonia and designed by Wilton and Bell, Dobbie and Partners, consulting engineers, of Sydney, the bridge replaces a badly battered, low-level concrete bridge at which nature had two attempts at destruction. It was badly damaged and closed to traffic as a result of the November, 1971, earthquake and then washed away by floods created by cyclone Wendy in 1972. A ferry service has functioned for nearly a year.

Wilton and Bell, Dobbie and Partners were consulting engineers for the new Vila wharf.