COOK ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 93, 19 April 1940, Page 9

COOK ISLANDS.

PROTEST MEETING.

INCOME TAX LIABILITY.

"NATIVES UNABLE TO PAY." (From Our Own Correspondent.) RAROTONGA, April 1. A largely attended meeting was held in the courtroom, Rarotonga, to protest against the New Zealand Government's action in making the people of the islands liable for income tax as payable in New Zealand without giving them any representation or tho benefits to which a taxpayer in New Zealand is entitled.

It wa» stated that in the Cook Islands there is no widows' pension, old age pension, or, indeed, any of the advantages which taxpayers take as a matter of course.

It was also stated that in the present state of poverty of the natives not half a dozen would be liable for taxation, as in some villages the Administration had cut off the water supply to most of the houses, as the owners had been unable to pay the water rate. It was pointed out that the Act would put most of the small native storekeepers out of business, as none of them kept proper books and the majority were incapable of keeping them. They would have to pay £25 to £30 a year to get an accountant to keep books to prove that they did not earn £200 per annum. The same applied to native planters.

A strong committee of natives and Europeans was set up to draft a letter to the Commissioner of Taxes in New Zealand to be forwarded through the Island Council, and to take any further action that was thought desirable. Rarotonga in War Time.

Rarotonga under war conditions shows very little change from normal life, except that the community feels the increase in commodity and imported food prices, particularly for such lines as sugar, rice and tobacco, for the Cook Islands pay all New Zealand Customs duties, plus local ones such as a halfpenny per pound on sugar, etc., while the price paid by the New Zealand Marketing Department for the only export, fruit, remains the same.

The emergency regulations fixing prices are in force, but they cannot control the most vital item, freights, and this was the first to advance, which, of course, affects every item imported. There is a splendid orange crop, and the Cook Islands oranges are second to none in flavour and juice content, but while New Zealand is importing foreign oranges the local crop is allowed to fall and rot. So far this season the Marketing Department has not made any shipments, and local growers are not permitted to ship except through the Department. Gift to New Zealand War Funds. Immediately on the outbreak of war the Resident Commissioner, Judge Ayson, C.M.G., on behalf of the group, offered any assistance possible in men or money, and the Returned SoldiefW' Association volunteered for any duty, preferably active service, but up to date none has been accepted, and although all are willing to serve, the cost of proceeding to New Zealand—some £35—is beyond the means of most men, and there is no recruiting office in the group. The Cook Islands has nearly £2000 t>f patriotic money raised in the last war, but for some reason never expended, so immediately it was decided to send to New Zealand a sum of not less than £200 from this fund.

The natives have raised further sums in the last few months, each district doing its best, and the amount, though not largfe, probably represents a greater proportion of the givers' actual income than that contributed in most countries. So far Titikaveka has given £13, Arorangi f 10, Takitumu £10- and Tukuvaine £31.

Parliamentary Representation Wanted. The growing dissatisfaction with the way in which the New Zealand Government fails to consult the people of the Cook Islands before passing laws that vitally affect the material welfare of the group leads to the belief that unless the islands are attached to an electroate in New Zealand and have direct representation in Parliament, what was once a prosperous and contented community will become an increasing charge on the New Zealand taxpayer.

Last season thousands of cases of fruit, the only means of livelihood for most of the people now that increased freight charges have made it impossible to ship copra, went to waste and rotted on the ground for lack of interest on the part of the New Zealand Marketing Department, which took over all oranges and bananas for shipment, and then failed to provide an adequate shipping service. The situation is causing grave concern in ths islands, and an effort was made some short time ago to send a deputation to New Zealand to ask that Parliament take some action, but had to be abandoned for lack of funds.

At present the group is under a Minister of the New Zealand Cabinet who usually has too many other matters to attend to to give the necessary attention to people who have not any vote or representation. Visits of Ministers are few and far between, none having visited the group for years.