Cook Islands May Have Coalition Govt.

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30725, 14 April 1965, Page 12

Cook Islands May Have Coalition Govt.

(By a N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent/

Interest is rapidly increasing among Cook Islanders and New Zealanders over the possible result of this month’s islands elections for a new Legislative Assembly.

Until earlier this year, political observers believed there was a strong chance the Assembly majority would be won by the vigorous Cook Islands Party. But they now think the elections could re-

suit in a coalition government. The elections to be held throughtout the islands on April 20 will be the islanders’ first step toward internal self-government. Until now the islands have been a dependency of New Zealand. The final step in gaining self-government will fall to the new Legislative Assembly. It has to adopt an 88-clause constitution at its first session late in May. The reason for the belief a coalition government is most likely to result from the elections stems from the basic political attitude of the Cook Islanders themselves. As one New Zealand Island Territories spokesman put it: “Every Polynesian is a born politician and the Cook Islanders are becoming more and more aware of the fact that they can put the man'of their choice in the Assembly.” Initially the Cook Islands Party—headed by Mr Albert Henry— appeared to have strong support when it began canvassing last year. The C.I.P. was quickly off the mark in mobilising its political machinery and until earlier this year, appeared to have a chance of carrying the election. The party—one of four—is also believed to be nominating the strongest team of Assembly candidates. But no precise figures are available.

But the Party concept—until recently seldom put into vigorous practice—is becoming increasingly prominent in the islands. Cook Islanders are identifying themselves more and more with common causes.

An Island Territories Department spokesman explained that until recent years politics had existed in the Cooks mainly on a parochial level.

“Throughout the islanders’ long history, elections have only interested them in so far as they affected the selection of village or individual island leaders,” he said.

It is for this reason that political observers feel the islands’ first national government will be a coalition. They feel all four political parties —C.I.P., Labour, Independent, and United—will gain substantial support as the islanders identify themselves with the party policies. 66 Candidates A total of 66 candidates will contest the-elections, but as party affiliations are not yet concrete, it is too early to denote how many candidates are being nominated by each party. Many candidates favour one party, by whom they have been nominated, but are inclined to the policies of another. Their views have yet to be reconciled. There will be 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly, and 8000 Cook Islanders—all over 18 years of age and resident in the islands for at least one year—will be entitled to vote.

To date, only two manifestos and a party pamphlet have been released—but all three put forward conflicting views over the principle of full internal self-government. The Cook Islands Party accepts self-government and supports the islands’ continued association with New Zealand.

The Independant group wants further talks to be held between the New Zealand Government and members of the Legislative Assembly before ratifying the constitution and accepting self-government.

It believes integration with New Zealand—rather than self-government— could hold more merits for the Cook Islanders, if integration resulted in “substantial child, sickness, unemployment and old-age pension” benefits. The party pamphlet—put out by Mr Stuart Kingan (United Party)—is perhaps the most unorthodox in its. views. It does not champion either self-government or integration as clear alternatives, but dwells on the

effects integration would have on the islands.

Mr Kingan—a public ser-vant-claims there is no political party in the islands which has developed any clear-cut line of action in opposition to any other political group. He says: “In the Cook Islands, strange parties appear to be forming—parties in which planters, labourers, traders and beachcombers get all mixed up.” Mr Kingan believes that in many developing countries, the party system has resulted in the growth of a large number of parties and a subsequent minority government. He says that after the ensuing political instability in these countries, the whole system has collapsed and a dictatorship or a oneparty state has emerged.. “Here in the Cook Islands we cannot afford to have a government that will collapse. We have seen too much of dictatorship in the past—and in the future we want to see stable government carried out by the best Cook Islanders we can elect.”

Mr Kingan also comments that “at this stage, the introduction of the system of political parties in the islands” is not. in his opinion, a good move. Major Points

Though the United party pamphlet does not set out any election promises, the two party manifestos make the following major points: The Cook Islands Party: if it becomes the Government, would set up district councils—corresponding to the present island councils — to give increased opportunities to local communities to take part in government and to have greater responsibilities in running the affairs of their districts. It would establish a new economic development department to work in close consultation with an economic council (consisting of traders, producers and wage and salary workers), in an effort to raise living standards and gain economic independence for the islands. The present immigration policy and legislation would be looked into with a view to allowing more freedom of travel to the Cook Islands for New Zealand citizens.

The islands newspaper (“Cook Islands News”) and Radio Cook Islands would be incorporated in a new information centre.

It would set up a welfare and probationary service to advise the justiciary. Facilities would be planned in an effort to encourage young Cook Islanders to stay in the Islands.

The Independent group; if it becomes the government, would promote a more vigorous attitude and policy towards the “lagging” economic development of the islands. It would fight for an Improved health service and aim at reducing education costs without adversely affecting the standard of education. More housing loans would be offered and a government housing scheme would be investigated. An effective price control tribunal would be established to cover building materials, foodstuffs, and clothing. It would introduce old-age pensions, make a start on introducing direct social benefits when finance became available, and would hope to include some form of child and sickness benefits.