COOK ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 162, 9 July 1907, Page 7

COOK ISLANDS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) RAROTONGA, June 26. The Resident Commissioner, Colone] Uudgeon, who left Rarotonga on the 7th iiay by the John Williams for Ms annual visit to the islands of the Cook eronp and _ the Northern Islands, returned on the oth Jane. The Resident Commissioner states that he first visited Mangaia, where he found that more qniet now existed amongst those natives who had formerly been averse to the Resident Agent, at that island. Major Large. Two Europeons, James Gtover and M. Cafirey, had, however, in many instances been breaking the law, for which they were fined by Col. Gndgeou, as Chief Judge of the High Court. Mangaia has greatly progressed In late years, and now exports about 200 tons of fniit and produce to New Zealand eyery mouth. At Mauke there were many land disputes awaiting settlement, and they will be heard by the Land Titles Court next month. At Mitiaro the people were making good progress with their roads and cocoanut plantations. At Atiu the Resident Commissioner appointed a leading native named T/takea as judge for the island in place of the late A. yon Nagel, who died last January- At Aitntaki the concrete tanks for the conservation of water had been finished. In the Northern Islands, at Manihiki and Rakahanga, all was found satisfactory, but at Penxhyn disputes had taken place between the people of the two settlements of Omoka and Tetautua concerning the ownership of certain cocoanut islets. This matter was brought before the High Court, which ordered that the land in question should be placed in the hands of trustees for a year pending a final decision as to the true owners. The islands of Puiapuka and Palmerston were also visited, and everything there found satisfactory. Mr Savage, Government interpreter, accompanied Colonel Gudgeon on the trip. EUROPEAN REPRESENTATION. Last May a petition, signed by most of the Europeans resident in Rarotonga, was forwarded to the Minister for the Islands asking that it should be arranged that they should have a representative on the Native Council. It was pointed out in the petition that a considerable amount of capital was now invested by Europeans resident iv the Islands, both in trade and agriculture, and it was desired that Europeans should have some voice In the Coun(ii which enacted laws affecting them. A reply to the petition has just been received through the Resident Commissioner, iv which the Minister states that he sympathises with the desire of European residents to acquire tome share in government, but that he is not aware that they suffer any special disabilities under the present system. The Minister also points out that when the Cook Group was ceded to Britain, one of the conditions of the cession was that the then existing Parliament should be abolished and should ne replaced by a Council of Arikis. It was evident, that the introduction Into the Council of a European representative would materially affect the condition laid down at tuo time of the cession. For these and other reasons, the Minister states, he regrets that he is unable at the present time to comply with the wishes of the petitioners.

The reply of the Minister has caused great annoyance to the European residents. It is pointed out that it is not the Arikis" Connt-il referred to by the Minister, and which is now called the Federal Council, in which it is desired to have a repre sentativp. but the Rarotonga Island Council, which is partly an elective body, and which was constituted by sectton 6 of "The Took and Other Islands Government Act. 1P04." enacted by the New Zealand Parliament. In the local Rarotonga Council Act of 1592. which was repealed in ISOO. it was provided that foreign residents should have a representative In the Rarotonga Council, but for some reason it appears that such a representative was never elected. It is felt by the Europeons, who now number over 100, and who pay a large proportion of taxes, that they should have, in accordance with British ideas, a voice in the expenditure of Government funds and in the making of local laws. The matter will probably be brought before the New Zealand Parl'ament during the present session.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHOONER. The Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly arrived here from Auckland and Nine on the 13th June. On her way from Nine the vessel called at Palmerston Island, where she loaded 55,000 feet timber from the wreck of the Thistle. The schooner left Rarotonza again and returned on the 23th June, having Lα the meanwhile visited Aitotaki, Manuae. and Atln. The Countess will leave Rarotonga about the 2nd July for the Islands of the Cnok Group, Nine, Penrhyn, and Maiden leland, for which latter she will take about 100 men under engagement to Messrs Grlce. Sumner and Co., and bring back from Maiden Island about the same number of men whose term has expired. Should the vessel have not been sold by the New Zealand Government. It has been arranged that she shall make another trip from Auckland to Raxotonga abont the beginning of September, a full cargo having been offered. THE TAREKAREKA. The tarekareka. or dancing festival, which was to have taken place on the 19th June, has been postponed until the 27th June, as it wae found that holding the dance on the former date would interfere with the getting together of the fruit cargo by the outgoing steamer. Many people question the advisability of holding these dances as an annual affair, as for months prior to the same being held the natives are busy practising their dances, thus causing them to neglect their plantations and other work, such as the making of copra, gathering coffee, etc. For the present dance, in addition to the inhabitants of Rarotonga itself, there are now here eighty Mangaians. who have been away from their own island for over a month, and one hundred and fifty Atinans. who have just arrived by the Government steamer. All the visitors have for the most part to be fed by their friend 6in Earotonga. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. The London Missionary Society's steamer, John Williams, arrived from Penrhyn and the Northern Islands on the sth June, and left on the 7th Jnne for Nine, Samoa, etc.

Miss Rnylp. who had been headmistress to the London Missionary Society's boarding school at Aitataki. since its inception 111 1902. died at Rarotonga in June. The deceased lady was born at Aitutaki. and was the daughter of the Rev. Mr Eoyle. who was misionary at that island for about thirty years, having arrived there in the y&ar 1537.

The schooner Vaite arrived from Palmerston Island on tee 16th June, bringing about 38.000 feet of timber from the wreck of the Thistle. The Vaite left for Penrhyn and the Northern Islands on the 22nd June.

The weather for the past month has been estremely wet and cold, interfering with the making of copra and the ripening of hananas for shipment. The total rainfall for the past six months amounts to 60 inches, as against an average of 47.25 Inches for the same period during the last ten years.