COOK ISLANDS TRADE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume 49, Issue 7764, 5 August 1921, Page 4

COOK ISLANDS TRADE

FEELING THE DEPRESSION

A plainer at Rarotonga writes to a relative in Masicrton as follows: Here, like everywhere else, we are feeling the depression. Never before was trade so bad. This state cf affairs is chiefly due to the fact that wc cannot ship our produce. In addition, the price of copra is low, so there is very little money circnlatintr- The new Resident Commissioner, Mr. .1. G. \V. Hewitt, is quite a suce, ss and likes him. H:- found an empty treasury, so there is no money for anything. Our roads are in a deplorable stale. Mr. Hewitt will visit New Zealand shortly to try to raise money to carry on with. There exists a very bad feeling bet went the whites and the Maoris which will take years to remove, so the new Commissioner lias some grave difficulties to overcome. Government money' has been lent freely to natives all over the group. One wonders how and when it will be repaid. There is plenty of labour offering just now, but when the Union Steam Ship Company won’t carry your fruit what is the use of planting. We can only hope- for belter times soon.