Cook Is. Hearing To Begin Today

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31075, 2 June 1966, Page 3

Cook Is. Hearing To Begin Today

(New Zealand Press Association) RAROTONGA, June 1. Charges against a Cook Islands Minister, Mr R. J. Dashwood, and the manager of the Rarotonga Hotel (Mr A. C. Dawson) will be heard tomorrow before Chief Judge Fraser in the High Court at Rarotonga.

Mr Dashwood has resigned from the Cabinet and the Legislative Assembly, in which he held the seat for the island of Mauke.

He held the portfolios of Police, Works and Survey, Post Office. Printing Office, labour and the Rarotonga Hotel.

He has been charged with acts of official corruption. Mr Dawson has been suspended and charged alternatively with theft and receiving stolen goods. Mr Dashwood was charged after an inquiry and report by the Cook Islands Advo-cate-General, Mr E. J. V. Dyson, of Auckland, who flew to Rarotonga last week at the request of the Cabinet. The inquiry was called after the anonymous circulation in Rarotonga, and to some persons in New Zealand, of photostat copies of a number of documents.

The Cook Islands Deputy Premier, Dr. Manea Tamarua. who is also Minister of Agriculture and Health, resigned

from the Cabinet before Mr Dyson arrived. He disagreed with the Government’s handling of the matter.

Dr. Tamarua retains his seat in the Assembly and membership in the Cook Islands Party. An Auckland newspaper reported today that the inquiry was into allegations concerning dealings in some commemorative island coins, believed to have been sold in Australia. The Premier (Mr Albert Henry) said a commission of inquiry would be appointed, with the powers and status of a court. The members of the commission and its terms of reference would be decided soon.