MAUI POMARE RETURNS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25377, 27 December 1947, Page 6

MAUI POMARE RETURNS

UNREST IN COOK ISLANDS

FOOD BROUGHT BACK FROM 4ITUTAKI (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Dec. 26. Friction between workers of the Cook Islands’ Progressive Association and members of the Governmentsponsored Cook Islands’ Workers* Union about the supply of labour to shipping seriously affected the recent voyage of the Government motor-ves-sel Maui Pomare to the group. On her return to Auckland to-day, it was reported that the Maui Pomare was idle for 10 days at Rarotonga, and was not worked at all at Aitutaki. The motor-vessel reached Rarotonga from Auckland on December 2. Since the formation of the union earlier this year, the ship had been supplied with equal numbers of men by the association and the union. On this voyage, however, the association demanded the right to supply and nominate all workers for the ship. This was not acceptable, and the Maui Pomare was declared black. Rough weather forced the ship to put to sea from the roadstead several times. Alter a wait of 10 days, during which repeated calls were made for labour, the union supplied a full muster of workers. At Aitutaki, the next port of call, the Cook Islands’ Progressive Association, in sympathy with its members at Rarotonga, refused to work the Maui Pomare, and the .ship was dispatched, leaving 117 tons" of copra and. 500 boxes of mangoes unloaded. Her consignment for Aitutaki of 100 tons of foodstuffs has been Drought back to Auckland. The Maui Pomare called at Apia for water, end was placed under strict quarantine because of the New Zealand infantile paralysis outbreak. No doctor or pilot boarded the vessel, and when a water barge came alongside no physical contact was made. After loading copra at Niue Island, the motor-vessel completed the round voyage to Auckland. News of the arrest of a number of men at Manihiki after waterfront disorder reached the Maui Pomare, which does not visit that port. It was stated that at the time the resident agent was attending a conference at Rarotonga, and that no European official remained. The men were put under temporary arrest to restore order when association and union members were fighting on the beach. Advice received by the ship supported the explanation given by the Prime Minister (Mr P. FraserL