UNHAPPY ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1207, 16 August 1911, Page 6

UNHAPPY ISLANDS.

RAROTONGAN EVILS. HEALTH .ADMINISTRATION: CRITI- ' CI.SED. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. NATIVES A PREY TO DISEASE. Mr. Jas. Allen, the member for Bruce, drew attention in tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon to tho state of the "Natives of tho Cook Islands who ere said to be left almost uncared for, a prey to various diseases. Mr. Allen was enabled to deal with the subject yesterday when tho Nativo Affairs Committee presented a report recommending for tho favourable consideration of the Government tho petition of Tinoinana Ariki and othors.-ofEarotonga, asking that the nied- ■ ical officer in charge (Dr. Chesson) should 1)0 removed and that Dr. Dawson, late medical officer, should bo reinstated. It canio out in ihe discussion which followed that Dr. Uhesson has now resigned and been replaced, by Dr. Percival. A. Neglected Responsibility, ilr. Jas. Allen (Bruce) said the Houso iras not doing its duty in regard to tho health of tho Natives in the Cook Islands. New Zealand had taken up this responsibility very lightly. He had thought that the" Minister (Sir James Carroll) would have visited the Islands ero this and' it was a; matter for regret that lie had not done so. Mr. Allen said his experience told him that the Natives wero degenerating and had taken in a number. of tho Evils of civilisation. Some difference, ho understood, had occurred between tho medical men there. The Government officer at' Earotonga, he had heard, was not popular with the Natives, ■ and as. a consequence they wero ■ not Rotting the services they ought to bo getting at tho Hospital. Things were.not satisfactory at Rarotonga, and conditions wore ten thousand times worse in tho outlying islands. All kinds of sickness were rampant, and diseases wero springing up w.hich had been imported from Tahiti. It was incumbent on Parliament to take sonic steps in pursuance of its duty in respect of these Islands. Parliament had not done its duty even to tho Maoris in New Zealand. The population of this country enjoyed the benefits which had followed upon the institution of the Public Health Department, and ■it should also have jurisdiction i over: the . Cook Islands. It would mean more money, of course, but the country.; had assumed the ■ responsibility, and should , carry it out. Some Publio Health officer should go down to Earotouga, and , also visit' tho outlying islands. Upon; one island named Alanihiki the condition of affairs was- simply shocking. Ihe Minister seemed to bo looking too lightly upon his responsibility nnd duty towards theso Natives. The petition which had been reported on was for tho removal of Dr. Chesson and the ment'_of Dr. Dawson. He understood that Dr. Cbosson had lately resigned, and that Dr.- Percival was now in charge. It was to Dr. Chesson that ho had reforred in. saying that the Natives were not using the hospital, and had soino feeling -against the doctor. Ho hoped that Dr. Porcival was doing his duty, and that tho Natives were accepting tho services provided for the sake of their health.

Out,of.Sight Out of Mind. ; \ "I wish," said Mr. Allen, "that Parliament would, take a littlo more notice' of these peop!e,,Oivho are no.t here immediately under our eye. We have no right to take all the benefits ourselves that lave resulted from the' institution of the Public Health Department, and let theso pooplo. degenerate for want -of-supervi-sion. If tho Cook Island Natives had continued to live in their opsu huts they would have been far healthier than they now were, living in semi-modernised huts. Iho Isativo habitations had no drainage, and lung disease was growing up. Anv member who visited tho Islands would bo shocked to see what was Ming on. He was sorrr that the Committee had not "">/«> available tho evidence brought behoW r, o r' n ° iUg3: '■ Wo ad nothing to get Mr. Allen said that,- woe'. exactly "thV K oU l bl °- \hi °?e'went <lown to tie Is? lands and there was no information. No : •Minister had gono down nor had his ExWi eD S ¥ Bover , llOT - H the Minister had gone down and seen things 'foi hin, self members would have been able to s&iste^iig.r l qucstion him tlemaTt leSpoDSible <**■ . Mr. Allen: That is .true, but he'is not here. He sends Ins report, but no one can examine him upon his report. Mr. Allen wged members to look with a little more anxiety upon theso Islands. The Whole. Trouble, Mr It. A. Wright (Wellington South, said he was epute awavo that tho Native 1 Affairs Committee conld not have, brought in any other report... It had.not been in a position to make full investigation becauso the petitioners had not Ijeen able to come down and givo evidence: Tho whole ll°Y>]° *» f H«s ho could find out was that the natives had .become attached to i)r. Duwsorf, a medical man, formerly in charge. As a result of this feeling of attachment they, refused to take their cases to any other man appointed by the Government. So far as he. knew, Dr: Percival had not ,boc'n much more successful than his predecessor. .That.was.nothing against the doctor. The Natives had absolutely declined to give their allegiance to anyone other than Dr. Dnwson.- Tho solution of the difficulty would be to renppoint Dr. Dawson, in whom the Natives Boomed to feel every confidence. So long ns there was another doctor thoro for the Government, ami Dr. Dawson remained on his own account, there would bo trouble. Mr. Wright stated that a lagoon at Bnrotongii was said to be n hotbed of diseases, which wore carried abroad by mosquitoes. The Minister should visit the place and let the mosquitoes bito him lie would then perhaps take action, to have the lagoon removed.

Mr. J..F. Arnold .(Dunedin Central)said it must be recognised "that the administration of the Islands was most unsatisfactory. ' i ■ • . ■ llr. Pople: "Would you like another trip/ Mr. Arnold said it was- absolutely essential that either an official or a Ministerial head should visit tho Islands, and represent the House and the country as between the'official who had been down and the people. If an official, as he was likely to do, made mistakes' fit tlu> beginning, of his administration ho could not overtake them afterwards. It was very necessary that there should lie someone who understood the position in thfj Islands, and could be questioned. Ihb public health of the Islands was of primary importance, and the evil conditions which had been attacked in tho Maori community existed in an ag<rarated degree in tho Cook Islands. A Lack of Information. Dr. To Rnngihiroa-explained that tho petition was presented to Parliament in the dying hours of last session. One of the principal points was the complaint against the resident medical officer, but, as he had been replaced by anothor officer, the committee had very little to go «pon. He declared that it was absurd to expect one medical officer to superintend tho whole of tho group, and he urged Hint an assistant should bo appointed "for tho outlying islands, so that the Chief Tl>u!(h Officer could confine his services to un.mionga, as in fact he was comp:!hcl rn do by the existing eircum-SLiini-fs. Tf lung diseases were , rampant in the Cook group, information shdnld h- b).!r,i:iP(l for Parliament. The most frinirv (lipases among the Natives were <-i'-ji!i.i.utia?iis and dengue .fever, the latter ?li:r-:i-.i: new to the group, • which now ':!\--pl. throughout the islands. Mr. A. E. Glover, who explained that h" !in'l intimate business relations with She Natives of tho group, said that the 'iricHon in Karotonga had arisen, among !ht> medical officer, Dr. .Dnwson, and a discharged polico constable named Rey : noldg, ■ Statement by the Acting-Prime Minister. Sir James Carroll (Acting-Prime Minister) said, he did not wish to tako part in the debate which had arisen. The petition simply dealt with the application from a small section of the popula- • tiou, asking {or the removal of. Dr, Cfea-

son and for tho reinstatement of Dr. Dawson. Dr. Chesson was not there- now, nnd Dr. Dawson was still thevo in private practice. Ho believed that Dr. Percival was giving every satisfaction. According, to reports received from '(he Islands ho was becoming quite popular. Arrangements. had also beon made for another doctor-to make-a-circuit-'of the Islands. • .

Mr. Jajnos Allen:.''Who is that doctor?",.. Sir James Carroll said he could not' fiivo the name then. To provide the medical attention to tho Natives asked for by tho hou. member for Bruco would necessitate a doctor beiu» provided almost for every little island. Advances wero being made. Practically threo doctors had now been engaged to give their services to tho Natives. The broader question of tho general health of tho lieoplo need not be considered then, as the report of the Chief Justice would be laid upon the tablo either upon , tho following day of the day after. . Mr. Waldegvave had also visited tha Islands on behalf of the Minister, and had made careful 'investigation.nnd inquiry. He'would report upon tho'present state of things at the Islands. The Government got reports from Rarotonga almost by every mail, and those were always laid upon the table. .Mr. W. T. Jennings (Taiimarnnui) said there was no doubt that New Zealand had assumed a great •■ responsibility in this matter. A member: Ib is not carrying it out. Mr. Jennings said it ought to be carried out. The Tcport was adopted.