COOK ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 235, 4 October 1937, Page 9

COOK ISLANDS.

CONTROL OF FRUIT. SCHOOL INSPECTOR'S TOUR. PROGRESS IX EDUCATION. A bright outlook for the future of the Government fruit control system practised in Barotonga and the belief that its limits will soon be extended to embrace other varieties than oranges, is held by Mr. D. G. Ball, of the Education Department, Wellington, who returned this morning by the Matua from a two months' inspection of Cook Islands schools. While opposition had been met in certain quartern early in proceedings the year had proved a satisfactory one for those associated with the industry. "I will say thus, however," added Mr. Ball, "the islands orange trade definitely needs better shipping conditions. In the outer island of the group I drove over oranges because there was not adequate transport for them." The islands were a rich orchard which ought to be developed to the fullest and it did not seem right that one could have fine fruit there just for the picking from heavily-laden trees while they cost threepence each in Wellington.

Under the guidance of the Besident Commissioner, Mr. S. J. Smith, the Agricultural Department had been stiffened up and a trained fruit expert had been brought from Jamaica. Although it was four years since a departmental inspection had been made of island education facilities, Mr. Ball was very pleased with conditions, especially as a new syllabus of instruction was introduced some 18 months ago. The idea of native education in the Cook Group was to keep intact the native culture, and while the pupils were given instruction in English, stress was laid on their own language, crafts and songs.

"The New Zealand Government has every reason to be very pleased with education in the group; it is well advanced as compared with other islands," he said. Mr. Ball acted chiefly in an advisory capacity but while there graded teachers.