Cook Island Goal Frustration Denied

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30212, 17 August 1963, Page 14

Cook Island Goal Frustration Denied

(New Zealana press Association*

WELLINGTON. August 16. “The suggestion that New Zealand is seeking to frustrate the political aspirations of the Cook Islands is. of course, the opposite of the truth,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) today. He was commenting on the petitions criticising tlie Government’s policy presented to the United Nations committee on colonialism from two European residents of the Cook Islands.

“The Minister of Island Territories will in due course comment in detail on the allegations made in the petitions,” said Mr Holyoake “and the Cook Islands Assembly will undoubtedly have views on the suggestion that it is ‘an intimidated puppet organisation.’ “At this stage I should merely like to point out that constitutional development has been proceeding steadily in the Cook Islands for more than 15 years, and the New Zealand Government has stressed that it is anxious to give the Islanders as much self-government as they want.” He said the elected members of the Assembly resolved last year that maxi-

mum self-government while retaining New Zealand citizenship was the aim of the people of the Cook Islands, not full independence. Copies of the petition were on their way to Rarotonga by sea, an official of the Island Territories Department said. The petitioners alleged that New Zealand was keeping the Cook Islanders in ignorance in order that independence for the islands could be delayed.