Plans To Give Cook Islanders Greater Share In Government

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27426, 12 August 1954, Page 5

Plans To Give Cook Islanders Greater Share In Government

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

RAROTONGA, August 10. The Minister of Island Territories (Mr T. C. Webb) -told the Legislative Council of the Cook Islands today that the New Zealand Government wished to see the people of this scattered group having a greater say in the control of their own affairs, but it would not be wise, he added, to proceed on these lines too swiftly. The people, he suggested, could not be expected at this stage to be able to control their own affairs, and he predicted there would always be diffi’culties because of the scattered nature of the island group in the establishment of full self-government. Mr Webb said he was not sure that the people would ever want complete self-government. It was too early to say what system would be evolved, but it might be that at some stage, the Cook Islands would have a seat, at least as observers, in the New Zealand Parliament.

One of the main purposes of the mission which he headed, Mr Webb added, was to explore'the possibilitv of increasing the participation of Cook Islanders in the government of their own territory. But that thought, he said, had not been prompted by the recent complaints of the islands’ Mr Webb outlined steps designed to give Cook Islanders a greater say in their own government and ones which he suggested should lead to a better appreciation of the motives behind the Administration’s policy. Such understanding, he said, could do much to offset and make unnecessary the accusations of wasteful expenditure levelled against the Administration. During his 90-minute speech, Mr Webb did not touch on the issue of whether New Zealand income tax laws should be applied in the Cook group. A remit from the Rarotongan Island Council seeking support for its stand in urging the Government to abolish

application of this tax here is before the council, and Mr Webb said he would withhold any comment till the council had considered the question later this week. For the same reason he would refrain from putting forward his views on the shipping and communication problems facing the islands, he said. The Minister said that in his opinion, the Cook Islands ■ today were at the “adolescent stage,” while New Zealand might be termed a “wise, fond, but not over-indulgent parent.” He continued: “It is true to say that economic and social advancement cannot go forward to the extent they should, unless associated with political advancement.”

He said it was proposed that the island councils, which he likened to New Zealand municipal authorities, should have greater authority, but with that authority, responsibility would be ‘ ‘thrust on them.” To bring this about, approval had recently been given for reallocation of certain local taxes from the central treasury to the island councils to be spent as thought best. The island councils, subject to approval from the Resident Commissioner, were also to be given authority to raise funds for local purposes through the imposition of export levies. The Government, following the policy of helping those who helped themselves, had agreed to subsidise certain -funds raised by the island councils, Mr Webb said.

It was important, however, when concentrating more authority and responsibility on the island councils not to overlook the communicating link in island affairs—the Legislative Council. The proposal here was to extend the field in which the central authority would be able to legislate on its own, he said. Mr Webb said members of the delegation would also want to report back to New Zealand on the money being spent here.