COOK ISLANDS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15339, 24 July 1915, Page 5

COOK ISLANDS.

BILL BBFOKE THE HOUSE. ItEVIKAV OF THE ADMINISTRATION. (ABEII-CED PR*3S ASSOCIATION WORT.) WELLINGTON, July 23. In the Hous-* ot Representative-*- this afternoon, on the motion to go into committer- on the Cook Islands Bill, Mr Glover condemned tne administration oi' tho i.dand_Mr Isitt raid he wanted to know whether the'petition, of the natives on, the subje-'i of lempcranco legislation had been considered by Cabinet. Had the land legislation been, as promised by tho Governor, submitted to tho .Vrikis? Had the wireless station, so j necessary to assist the natives in the fruit trade, boeu erected:- And what] was being done to check the social evil j now so prevalent in the islands, and j which was decimating the people!- j Dr. Newman said he regretted that j the Government was doing nothing to save the island people irom extinction. The official report was dismal reading, and was one of tho most damning documents ever laid before tho House. Sir Joseph Ward ssaid it should be on c | of tho first duties of tho Government to see that the state of things referred to by the member for Christ-church North was brought to an end. Tho Bill was largely a consolidating one. and in that sense he had no objection to it, but unless certain amendments wero made an anomaly wns going to be created in connexion with our divorce laws. Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman said he had some amendment;- prepared. Sir Joseph AVard said ho was glad to havo that assurance, because in NewZealand fure years' residence was necessary before a divorce could be obtained", but only two years was necessary in the Cook Islands, under the Bill. ' The Hon. Dr. Pomare: That will be wiped out by amendments. Sir Joseph Ward, continuing, said ho was pleased to hear that, and if tho power of the High Court of P»arotonga in dealing with divorco was limited to natives h© would do all in his power to put tho Bill through. Mr Her'dmau said it wa* proposed to prevent Europeans applying for a divorco in the islands; they would have to come and make their applications beforo the New Zealand Courts. In reply to Mr Isitt, *Mr Herdman said great difficulty had been experienced in getting medical men to go and exile themselves on a Pacific island, but he agreed that tho timo had como when the whole question would havo to be attacked in a systematic manner. The Hon. Dr. Pomare combated tho •-ontontion that no proper instruction had been given tho natives in agriculture. There had been no neglect in this matter. The agitation regarding the prevalence of disease in the islands was greatly exaggerated. There had been a wrong diagnosis of tho disease, and the health of the people was bettor now than ever it had been. With regard to temperance lec*<?lation, he had never promieed more than to consider that question when legislation was before tho House. Tho land legislation had been, as promised, laid before the Arikis, and he nad received their criticism. Ho denied that the products of the islands had decreased. Tho revenue had inerased in lato years from £8000 to £14,000, and export- alone over the wholo of tho islands had increased by 100 per cent. Provision was made in the Bill for the construction of roads. The wireless station was a big matter, and "could not be constructed out of island revenue; New Zealand would Have-to do it. Since tbo medical oven had boon afc tho islands .-. the social evil had greatly diminished.; it was now practically cleaned up. The Houso then went into committee on the Bill, and had passed 276 clauses "when tho House rose at 5.30 p.m. ' '■"'."*'' On the House resuming in the evening, at Clause 531 of the Bill, Mr Hordman moved an amendment, the effect of which, was to limit the right to petition the High Court'in a divorce to a native or an Asiatic. This was agreed to. At Clause 53d tho right to dissolve a European marriage was taken away from the High Court. Clause 561, having reference to illogitiniato children not resident in tho Cook Islands, was struck out. Clause 607 was amendod so as to provide regulations for tho importation of liquor by the Resident Commissioner for public purposes. In reply to Mr Isitt, Dr. Pomaro explained that no natives Arere- supplied with liquor on the island of Niuo. Only the Europeans wore supplied, and their supply was -under control. Tho reason that natives had asked for total prohibition was beca_se. if they could not get liquor they did not like to see tho European-- getting it. Mr Isitt pointed out that there wero • only -G Europeans on the island, whilo there wero 4000 natives. Surely, the Parliament of New Zealand was not going to disregard the appeal of these people, particularly when it was remembered what havoc had ,been made among native peoples by our "lirewater." Dr. Pomare said if the House would pass the Bill as it was ho would communicate with . tbe Europeans on the island of Niuo and see what they thought of prohibition. The Bill could be amended nc_t session. He -understood that the request of tho natives in-regard to prohibition was mado more as a joko than anything olao. Mr AVright said he feared tbe natives were being supplied with liquor sent in for the white people. Dr. Pomare said the natives wore better protected than the Maori was in New Zealand. Mr Newman said it was unmistak ablo that an enormous amount of drunkenness was going, on in Rarotonga. The Minister should bo tho first to take, step- to protect his own people. Mr Glover protested that it was impossible to do away'villi ''bush beer," and consequently with drunkenness, unless every orange, every banana, and every pineapple in the islands v-"as destroyed. - ... Air Isitt said he wt.s satisfied with the Minister's to consult the neoole of Nine. ' At 9.0 p.m. the Bid was reported to the House from committee. The Houso rose at H.lO p.m. until Tuesday.