THE RAROTONGAN POSITION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 189, 11 August 1919, Page 10

THE RAROTONGAN POSITION.

VERY GENERAL DI. SATISFACTION. I Various long-standing grievances' nmong the traders of Rarotonga aud the Cook Islands have now reached their culminating point, and the traders are. agitating for an inquiry into the Commissioner's interference with trade and various other actions which it is as- j sorted have aroused a bad feeling be- . tween natives and Europeans. Ihe grievances are non-political, and entirely of a commercial nature.

The main complaint is that the Commissioner is constantly creating an impression among the natives that they were being exploited by the European, trailers, and thus causing friction be- | tween natives and whites. These arc j combated by the traders, who in turn j launch allegation- of extravagance j against the present administration. They . s"ate that for the years prior to this regime the administration has been j entirely self-supporting, in addition to havim. a "hurricane fund"' of several thousand pounds lodged in New Zealand at a fixed deposit. It is now neces- . sary for the administration to draw on the New Zealand Treasury f.r a. large annual sum. The traders claim that money lias been wasted, and too large a percentage of the revenue collected iv the whole group spent in Rarotonga. The export tax of £1 per ton on copra is objected to. This was levied without any reference whatever to the local Council, and was passed in New Zealand by an Order-in-Couneil. The idea of the tax is regarded as being aimed at the traders, but the real victim is the producer. Last November first representations were made to the Government through the Chamber of Commerce, but the Government desired that the matter be held over until the Imperial question of Samoa was settled. The traders were consequently forced to swallow their injuries until the conference arrived at, its decision, but now every means is, being taken to get a full hearing for the; various matters. The statement made by the Resident Commissioner to liH' Excellency the Governor on his recent visit, that tenders were always called in i New Zealand for supplies of over --2."i in; value, and the lowest tender always re-. ceived the order, is called into question. In connection with the fruit and general] trade interest?; of the Croup. Mr. A. Donald, of the firm of A. B. Donald. Ltd..' stated this morning: "The Resident Com-j missioner is taking advantage of his position under the Government to encourage trade according to his own lights, and j the planters think it scarcely fair toi have the Government competing against; them. Apart from his actions, there is. not much enoouragenlent being given to the Island trade just now. l-'or instance, the Kas. m Pacific steamer Flora, a vessel some thirty years old. takes eight | or nine days over the Island trip, whereas the Talune does it in five and a-linlf days. Rarotongan oranges have no gre-it' keening qualities, and three days in the -bold of the ship makes a 2r0.1t difference j To the state in which the fruit arrives! liere. Again', she is unable to carry the quantity of fruit available for export, 1 the remainder of which is allowed to rot. This, of course, tends to keep the fruit' dear."' j