RAPID GROWTH OF POPULATION

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22309, 25 January 1938, Page 11

RAPID GROWTH OF POPULATION

PROGRESS OF THE COOK ISLANDS MORE SHIPPING FACILITIES SAID TO BE NEEDED (fftSM SMOCUTIO* T*L»OIWjO AUCKLAND, January 24. The Resident Commissioner for the Cook Islands (Mr S. J. Smith) arrived by the Matua to-day on an official visit. He will leave for Wellington by air to-day, returning to the Islands on the next trip of the Matua. Mr Smith said that no greater tribute could be paid to New Zealand’s administration than to say that whereas a few decades ago Cook Islanders were regarded as a dying race, last year’s census disclosed that not less than 30.8 per cent, of the people were under the age of 10 years, and 53 per cent, under the age of 20. Economic conditions arising from the rapid increase in the population made it imperative that the trade of the territory should be correspondingly expanded, and to this end Government control of the orange industry had been a step of the greatest importance to the territory. The greatest obstacle, however, was the inadequacy of the shipping facilities. Last year many more cases of oranges were wasted than were shipped, and apprehension was expressed that the same position might arise during the coming export season.