ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 265, 7 November 1919, Page 9

ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

POSITION AT RABOTONGA. STATEMENT BY TRADERS. SOME OF NATIVES SAID TO BE OUT/ OF HAND.

Matters relating to trade with Rarotonga are not by any means satisfactory so far as the merchants of Auck-

iana ana the traders of liarotonga are concerned. During the past few months i a great deal of correspondence hae passed between the two places, and the matter has been referred to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce with a view to seeing if something cannot 'be done to ■better the conditions complained of. Having this object in view, the president (Mr. M. M. McCallum) telegraphed to the Government aeking that the scope of the Earotongan Commission be widened to embrace every phase of administration, and co enable some permanent adjustment of disaffection to -be assured. Alluding to the matter this morning, Mr. McCallum eaid he had received a long list of complaints from the whole of the white traders of Rarotonga, who alleged that the administra- j tion wae unsound. The matter had been before the Chamber for some time, but in view of the visit to the island of his Excellency the Governor-General and ' Dr. Pomarc nothing further had 'been | done at the time. Apparently no i action had bee_n taken as the result of 1 the vieit, and the question was now beingTeopened. PENALISED. It was diflicult, he said, at this dis-1 tance to get an exact idea of the poai- ! tion, but merchants of Auckland were ! very anxious that the trade with this ■ city should not be retarded. The ! j steamer, the s.t>. Flora, that was plying J between here and Rarotonga was much too small for the trade, and large quantities of cargo were frequently shut out. j Aβ the result of representations made ' by the Chamber, however, a promise had been made of a more satisfactory eer-; vice. This did not do away with the ; fact that neither the merchants in ' Auckland nor the white tradera at Rarotonga were satisfied with the ad- : ministration. The present administra- j tor held that when lie took charge the j natives were 'being exploited, but this i was denied by the traders, who hold, on ! the other hand, that they wore being penalised in favour of the natives. j INDENTURED LABOUR. j The Chamber was also of the opinion ' that the Government should do more to | foster the trade with Samoa, as ever < since the military occupation Auckland I had been losing ibueincsd that was being j diverted to America, which, it was i alleged, was the result of the military! administration. They had been in- j [ formed on the best authority that the j j plantations at Samoa, formerly held by the Germans, -would never be profitably ! worked till indentured lalbour was per- i mitted again. The Samoans would not ! work, and consequently it was necessary ' to obtain labour from other sources, j Prior to the war it had been possible to j obtain indentured labour - from China ' and India, at n cost of f 1 per month, ! and under this system the plantations could be profitably worked. There had : been a tendency on the part of the i military administration to repatriate | this labour, and. as a result, it was now ; a very difficult matter to get labour to work the plantations. UNSATISFACTORY ADMJNISTR.A TION! A well known trader speaking ;n the 1 question yesterday said the traders'! point of view was that the administration of the Cook Group wag unsatisfactory, and that the publio inquiry by commission should be vested I with full powers to hear evidence! on oath, and to call for any documen-' tary evidence that might be necessary. The traders had made definite chargee against the administration, and as they petitioned for a very full inquiry it was obvious that they were quite certain that they would be able to substantiate these charges. One of the main causes of complaint was the commercial activity of the Commissioner himself, who had made a public statement to the natives that a combine existed between the traders, that there was a copra ring and also a fruit ring, and that the natives in consequence wero not receiv- i ing a fair price for their products.' Such utterances were viewed by the traders with the gravest alarm, and representations were made to tho Chamber of Commerce fully 'twelve months ago that these dangerous statements to the natives would be productive of veryj ecrious results. PREDICTIONS VERIFIED. Their predictions unfortunately were verified by events in March last when the returned eoldiers, aesisted and poasibly inetiga'ted by the natives, took . complete charge of the island for a time. llt was probably due to the loyalty of. the European residents who were en-! rolled as special constables to protect the Government gaol and bond stores; that the natives decided to desist from • rioting. Though, of course, they were I protecting their own property the action I of the Europeans was neverthelesshighly commendable in view of the feeling that existed, and should be convincing evidence that they are loyal supporters of law and order. FEELING NOT GENERAL. It was to be noted that this racial feeling was not general, and that the best of feeling existed between the majority of the sound natives and the Europeans, but with a native population it . was only natural that if there was an outbreak between them and the Europeans they would side with their own people, [ though having no personal feeling in the I matter, as, like the Scottish people, they are very clannish. COURTING PUBLICITY. i It was significant, the speaker said, that whereas the traders were courting publicity the Administration and the ■ Government of New Zealand had up till j now done their utmost to'prevent an inquiry. The Minister for the Islands was ! charged by the traders with having made the grossest misstatements regarding the disaffection in the Cook Islands. In addition to the complaints of the traders other sections of the community >had very I serious grievances, and it was hoped | that the Commission to be sent down I would have full power to inquire into j the whole position. EIGHT OUT OF HAND. As showing the state of affairs on the island, an extract from a letter received ' in Auckland by the last mail was quoted. ! The letter states: "The attention of the j Government should be called to affairs here. The sergeant of police is leaving, and he is in a position to verify complaints if he wishes to. All Europeans are agreed that a section of the natives are right out of hand, and unless we have some sort of change in administration, a. strong Commissioner, and an increased force of white police, develop-

laud and the traders of Itarotonga are concerned. During the past few months a great deal of correspondence haa paeeed between the two places, and the matter has been referred to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce with a view to seeing if something cannot 'be done to ■better the conditions complained of. Having this object in view, the president (Mr. M. M. McCallum) telegraphed to the Government asking that the scope of the Earotongan Commission be widened to embrace every phase of administration, and co enable some permanent adjustment of disaffection to -be assured. Alluding to the matter this morning, Mr. McCallum eaid he had received a long list of complaints from the whole of the white traders of Rarotonga, who alleged that the administration was unsound. The matter had been before the Chamber for some time, but in view of the visit to the island of his Excellency the Governor-General and Dr. Pomare nothing further had 'been done at the time. Apparently no action had bee_n taken as the result of the vieit, and the question was now beingTeopened. PENALISED. It was difficult, he said, at tbia distance to get an exact idea of the position, but merchants of Auckland were very anxious that the trade with this city should not be retarded. The steamer, the s.t>. Flora, that was plying between here and Rarotonga was much too small for the trade, and large quantities of cargo were frequently shut out. Aβ the result of representations made by the Chamber, however, a promise had been made of a more satisfactory eervice. This did not do away with the fact that neither thn merchants in Auckland nor the white tradera at Rarotonga were satisfied with the administration. The present administrator held that when he took charge the natives were 'being exploited, but this was denied by the traders, who hold, on the other hand, that they wore being penalised in favour of the natives. INDENTURED LABOUR. The Chamber was also of the opinion that the Government should do more to foster the trade with Samoa, as ever since the military occupation Auckland had been loeing ibueincsd that wae being diverted to America, which, it was alleged, was the result of the military administration. They had been informed on the best authority that the plantations at Samoa, formerly held by the Germans, -would never be profitably worked till indentured lalbour was permitted again. The Samoans would not work, and consequently it was necessary to obtain labour from other sources. Prior to the war it had been possible to obtain indentured labour - from China and India, at a cost of £1 per month, and under this system the plantations' could be profitably worked. There had been a tendency on the part of the military administration to repatriate this labour, and. as a result, it was now a very difficult matter to get labour to work the plantations. UNSATISFACTORY ADMINISTRATION, A well known trader speaking ;n the' question yesterday said the traders'' point of view was that the administration of the Cook Group wan unsatisfactory, and that the publio inquiry by commission should be vested ] with full powers to hear evidence! on oath, and to call for any documen-' tary evidence that might be neceseary. The traders had made definite chargce against the administration, and as they petitioned for a very full inquiry it was obvious that they were quite certain that they would be able to substantiate these charges. One of the main causes of complaint wae the commercial activity of the Commissioner 'hinrself, who had made a public statement to the natives that a combine existed between the traders, that there was a copra ring and also a fruit ring, and that the natives in consequence were- not receiv- i ing a fair price for their products, i Such utterances were viewed by the traders with the gravest alarm, and representations were made to tho Chamber of Commerce fully 'twelve months ago that these dangerous statements to the natives would be productive of veryj ecrious reeults. PREDICTIONS VERIFIED.

j mente will take place before long. Bur- ! glaries and thefts are almost daily ocI currences. Quite a number of bicycles j have been stolen, one man has been relieved of £80, while the Commissioner [has been held up on the road by natives refusing to make way for his motor. . . . Two windows of the fruit inspector's offices were broken last night."