THE COOK ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 16 September 1911, Page 6

THE COOK ISLANDS.

RESIDENTS' REPLY TO SIR R, STOUT'S REPORT.

. STRONG PROTESTS. [To the Editor.] Sir,—ln liis report on tho Cook Islands troublo Sir Robert Stout has como'to tho fate of those who argue from insufficient premises. Jlo has como to unsound conclusions. That would not bo so bad, but to has misrepresented tliiugs in a manner that docs no credit to a man of his reputation. lie implies that there arc many white settlers who do not hold my opinions. There is not one while settler who can truthfully say that tho Hospital was in a fit condition to rcccivo cases such as were mentioned in my letters. Tho fact is that (ho Hospital was not Teady, and that, nino nfbnths after it had been gazetted as open. The sundry appliances said to bo required, included beds and bedding, to say nothing of other necessaries. No. W.C.'s had been put in and there was no provision for drainage. Sir Robert says that tho complaints should have been made to tho local Council. Tho Hospital supplies tho noods of the whole group and the Island Council has no jurisdiction over it. They might haw been mado to (ho Federal Council if it existed, but it docs not exist. To whom then were the complaints to bo madoP There is provision in the local laws for a Hospital Board, but there lias been no election for many years and tho supervision of hospital and health matters naa fallen into the hands of tho Resident Commissioner who is therefore entirely responsible for any shortcomings. There is nothing municipal in tho Cook Islands.

Sir Robert Stout declares that no blame is attachable to Dr. Story or the Resident Commissioror.

In his letter of February 1 the ActingMedical Officer, said that the Hospital was ready to receive urgent oases, why then did ho and tho Resident Commissioner in their letters of February 6 and 8 respectively, decline to admit them? Dr. Story is not to blame. Tho onus ' must rest on tho Resident Commissioner whoso duty it was to see that tho Hospital was put in proper oondition to be of use to tho public. Thero was n sum of X2OO on the estimates for tho financial year 1910-1911 to provide furniture, etc.; for the Hospital and ten months or more elapsed before anything was done. There is no excuse' for this delay. Beds, bedding, drainage, etc., wcro installed after Dr. Perceval's arrival but prior to Sir Robert Stout's inspection. Sir Robert makes a mis-statement when ho says I was tendered the uso of the Hospital. I was nqt. If Sir Robert Stout will read the Resident Commissioner's letter of February 1 ho will seo that I was to bo allowed tho use of tho Hospital for European patients, but not for Natives. I made no claim f6r tho use. of the hospital for myself. I was perfectly willing to hand the case over to Dr. Story and also to give him all tho assistance in my power. These patients wero debarred, from receiving tho treatment they were' entitled to, and I should like to know whero humanity comes in. I saw tho man Tau two clays before his death, nud ho was not then in a hopeless condition by any means, hut, in dealing with Polynesians one has to take into account their , menial attitude towards disease. _ Prognosis from a European standpoint is often quite at sea with the Polynesian. Sir Robert Stout failed to obtain any information regarding tho other two cases. Tho appendicitis caso mado an excellent recovery, but tho caso of cancer of tho breast missed her chance of having her life prolonged. In tho end of January sho was in an "operable condition," and ought to have seen many more years of life.

Sir Kobert Stout- says that I am hos. tilo to tho Resident Commissioner. I have very good reason to bo. I found that , tmie'nof his officials was • interfering Vith my patients and practice. [Dr. Dawson mentions a circumstance here which wo think it dcsiralito to reserve for publication at a later stage.] Bcsido the "slip of tlio pen" incident there aro other matters I could touch on, but I think enough has been laid boforo tho public to show the necessity for a fair and unprejudiced inquiry into tho rotten stato of this Pacific Denmark—l am, etc., C. M. DAWSON. Rarotonga, iSeptember G. [To tho . Editor.] Sir—The roport of tho Government np» pointeo with reference to Cook Island matters having como to hand in tho form of tho Parliamentary paper A3a, I desire, with your permission, to add somo fow remarks to thoso you have already made 'in your editorials, and to point out a few more of the inaccurate statements, etc., that Sir Robert Stout has made public. To begin with, however, I would wish to put on record the fact that this report has been read in Rarotonga by tho main body of tho whites with feelings' of disgust. Its inaccuracies and wrongly-base<l inferences have naturally been challenged by people who knew the real facts. A perusal of the report reveals the fact that tho arts of insinuation and innuendo must liavo been highly cultivated indeed by theso oft-quoted "white settlors" when they can, at a secret inquiry,- at which thoso attacked were not present to defend thomselves or to retaliate in any wajr, so influence a judicial mind as to obtain reilections of theso slanderous statomonis in a report to Parliament. In tho faco of the Wigmoro trial, and its attendant circumstances, no decent person hero is much surprised at anything that may bo said by a certain section of thoso who havo been entertained at Ngatipa, and I. cannot And it in myself to demean myself with further remark oil tho matter, savo to express a vast amazement that a uinn of the mental calibro and attainments of Sir Robert Stout should bo so "gulled" by such people. In referring to tho ono island which! ho visited, and (he people therein, it is to bo feared that Sir Robert Stout has. allowed his openly stated disliko for a tropical climato to extend to his observations (save the mark!) and ho.has therefore been able to see what few of us can see in his prematurely-aged' men and his puny and weak children . . . and we, aro wondering whero ho saw them. ' With regard to the remarks on tho lack of knowledge of (he whites on jiucstiona of world and New Zealand politics, what did Sir Robert Stout want to give tho Government crowd away liko that for? They were about (ho only peoplo with whom he camo into any sort of decided contact, and how on earth could ho bo expccted to know anything about it in his short slay here? It is well known that tho average Maori cares and knows noihiug about such things, and surely Sir Robert Stout did not expect to havo'them talking sudragetto movement to him did he? It is truo (hat we havo no library clown here, but we buy our own literature in our own way.

I for one do not think (hat. Sir Roberf Stout meant that nonsense about "purelj municipal" matters to be tnlccn wnoiisly,' and 1 regard it as rather n joke to bo told to talrf complaints to th* Commissioner. How would Sir Kobert like, to have a.'defendant weigh him off in his own court? V\ surely the author of this report (!■>;■* not cxptct us to take it scriouMv!

Tlio simile of the I think, we may accept with the reservation? that the captain does not know his duties, the. rudder of State needs oiling siidly, ami the figurehead needs renewing altogether. It is truo that Sir Hobort Stout has applied n coat, of varnish, but (ho waters of truth will play havoc with temporary repairs. 1 find on pago G that tbo present medical ollieor has been so indiscreet to ventilate, his views on drainage matters at tho Hospital, and 1, with much regret* have come lo (.lie conclusion (hat Dr. P«rcovnl has b?cn Iho viclini of a "s'ip .if the P"n," and a c-oN" > n>iPu! fractured tcuso. Thai the drnin.ipo of (lie Hospital may bo satWnctnry now I do not'doubt, but will Dr. lVvrova! bo piTjiared to swoar on oath Hint the drainage was complete when ho arrived, or Mil six days after hi.t arrival, ami will he po further and say that that drainage was complete at Iho tiiuo tlmt Iho eliarpcs woro laid by Mr, It. A. Wright, M.P? I do not think ho will. And how many months after tho hospital wns gazetted as open for patients was.tho drninngo provided? Dγ, Perceval aim Sir Kol»rt, wo (ire lol<l, nro satisfied that tho Only drainnm going from tho Hospiltil is from Uio batn.

That is in print. Now will thesoj two. pt<opl« tell us where fcho water froin tho Wiuming of wounds and the , Washing of botuee, instruments, eb., goes to? Do thesu gentlemen wish us 'to believo! 'that the bottlw and wounds, -;cj:c., aro not oUsinswl, or do they wish us to take tho alternative ond bolioVe that all this rein*; water goes into tho bath? In either oi these alternatives, 1 am thankful I am uot forced to boeonio a patient in that hospital. ■■- . ....

Will Dr. Perceval-deny that at ono time, after tho-hospital was gazetted open, tho waters 'from the sink ran'out 111 tv channol through tho vertuidahtiriloor: from the dispensary -sink? Will .ho deny that at tho timo of tho locum fenens-ship of To liangihiroa, M.P.; that tlicso things wero so, and for sorao tinio afterwards?' Will lib tell' mo.that I never .-saw. these. things with my open eyes? He will be a great deal moro incautious, than I think him if ho dares to. do is all I can say.' This drainage from th'o bath being tho only drainago apparent to the vision of Sir Robert Stout, is a nasty hurdlo. It is an important point, surely, and shows how ill-informed Sir Eobert Stout was. That Sir Bobert Stout is pleased with the- hospital as a building mate good r«ul]'n/r, as this is the building that Dr. Dawson made so many sacrifices to obtain, and this is tho building that would have been a great deal better than it is even now if his. wishes had been fully carried out. part of tho report must hare been unpleasant fo- certain of tho Commissioner faction, I think. There is a good deal moro to bo said on tho matter of the report as it-deals with hospital matters and questions affecting tho general, health, but I refrain from touching on these, for tha simple reason that mora able pens than my own. will deal frith them at some length. ~ I pass to our friend tho "white settler, who says -that tha "fuss' will terminate.'on. the reinstatement of Dr. Dawson in the Cook Islands Gonoral Hospital. I may as well easo tho tension by saying 'directly that such is not the case, thongh it will. bo..a source 1 of immenso satisfaction to us all to know that that gentleman's valuo has been properly recognisid. At this tim# last year his reappointment would have finished the disturbance, and Dr. To Rangihiroa, M.P., was advised of th# fact, and so -was Sir Carroll, but matters have progressed since then, and in searching for tho rights , and wrongs of tho treatment of on# man we have'como npon what may hs called ft pack of trouble involving many-serious questions of which it is necessary- that the New Zealand people shoula'.'bo made awa-c, and they will bo ventilated whether Dr. Dawson is rein- i stated or not. Broadly speaking, tho Na-' tivw if theso islands have not been.fairly treated by the authorities, and : they know ,it, and tho position calls for immediate) action^ Liquor was one of my strong points of attacK, you will remember, some months i>; r o, -ana that the' question needed ventilation' you have been afforded consider-

able evidence . from ' time. to time. Evan Sir Robert could not got atfay from tho fiict that something would have to'ho done in tho near future, especially with regard to bush beer.- Personal!)-, I do not consider tjfo buifti beer drinking as ono: . that oannct ho controlled fairly easily, ' and without recourse to the importation • of a parasitic wliito police' force. These Maori people are no fools, and they can Boe as far as tho next man, 'out they havo not-' bera taught properly, and tho past few months of weakness in tho £eat of justice'.'ha ?o done n great deal of harm that must 1)0 put right again. The women have lately taken to their old habits of drinking bush beer, and this cught to be stopped at once. You -will have noticed how the report' dodges the issue of the sale of liquor from tho bond. However, tho bend has been almost obliterated by the improvements to tho post offioo, and the bondmaster wears ft much more contented erailo those days. : • When I say 'that the abolition of tho bond, doubled tho space available >for ; tho;post office. ..von will agree that it was mil© that the bond went dry, oven if you Tiav'e not followed ..the liquor consumption . for,'tho past few years.' I feel quite pleased Vith. the report on liquor. How short find sweet the paragraphs on the auditor; business.-' saying . that; the -."Captain's":, secretary had dons his audit- well, • as prevent by. the check,' audit, oOhe;.- post,offieh*'official. reason.'and made sure of things, otherwisewhyl the check audit at all, and why • should a • member of. the post offieo need to corns all this way to ,do an audit? - Of c<;urße r: iio oiio. has said that tho auditor fg,ked the audit, hut it must havo -been apparent-to every-business man that tho method .was wtoi>£ in the first place. Let us hope-that, tlio nest. Resident Commissioner will :be cnergotio enough to lie abla to do his own clerical work, and not demand a'"private secretary" in tho guise of a clerk at .£21.0 per annum or so.. Tho rigours of this awful climate are something too dreadful, especially when onq ■works a whole threo hours a day for .£6OO pgr annum and a. frea house. 'It is ,wonderful that tho Resident Commissioner can find energy enough to play so much ; tennis (as he used to at one timo beforo tl;e objectionable party took to attending regularly at the courts). From" these phases of .the report let ns pais to others of just as much interest and importance. - ' , Tho' first evidence in our favour is to he found on Page 2 of the report, where we find tihese words of Sir Robert Stout, Iv.C.M.G."There is a Federal Council or Parliament in the group. This Conncil consists of the Arikis of all the'islands eawNiue,"which has a separate Government.". ' •Further,:: "The work of the Federal Council has practically been done by the members-of the Federal Council who are resident in Rarotonga." Further', "Through lack of communication between' the' islands, and the great distance' of tho outlying islands from Rarotonga, no-members from the distant islauds havo of late attended tho Federal Council.''' Then follow instances of distances . . . ■but thera is no mention of tho fact that a steamer visits, ilangaia. every month, Aitutaki every month from April or so to December, and Atiu for three months from August in each year, to say nc-thing of the fact that there is an Island schooner visiting these islands at pretty frequent'intervals. To have Riven the communication facilities would have; of course, have been laying the Administration open to criticism, so this issue - is dodg«l. : In the case of Penrhyn and Manihiki he had somo grounds for his statements, -but not a leg to stand on when it came to the near islands. Now we. have always said that the government of these Islands had something crooked in it, and Sir Robert Stout has,kindly afforded us a backing by admitting that tha Council did not sit properly. But he might have gone a gcod Seal -further and said that there was a law, unrepealed, that provided for an elective Parliament for the.group, laying down the membership very concisely, referred to by Sir James Carroll .in his letter to Colonel Gudgeon when pointing out how whit; Tcprt-entation .might be given, and therefore still presumably in force or legal. He might have gone a good deal further and said that there "was. a distinct doubt as to the legality of all Island laws passed subsequent to" 1004 or .thereabouts'.

Sir Bebert Stont says he had no power to investigate any other charges than those ngainst the administration of Government, and remnrks in concluding his report that the,evidence should not be published, as "it contains, in some rases, re/lections on other people in the island. I did not consider it my duty to 'inquire into these reflections, and it would bs unfair to publish.them when the persons referred to have not h<ul an opportunity of TObutting the criticisms." It is n, pity thnt' this just nnd unbiased gentleman did not sre fit to include all parties in that category;, instead of ens'ting reflections where it suited him on ek parte statsments. . ■.'..-

With reference to th« Island-' Councils; I cannot find any reference' in any of tho published matter, on Ccok Island enormities," and, moreover, I have not yet ecen or hoard any of our party trying to say that these Councils should bn up.wt. On tho , -contrary, it is tho Federal Council that is the bone of contention,''and it is this. , matter that wo demand shall bo Bot.irfffht anions tho many abuses at prpMnt-wpsjgtinsf.

Sir pblert Stout proclniraa that the education 6! tl)?.",i'olyn»sian is a noble ideal',-, and the ideal" that -■must bo forever before thn people-of"Jft»- "Zoiland, and eays that the eontrol of their-own nff.-iirs Ti'ithout-rtference to any: outside'pnlitN ciane: must be pursued if tire raco ia to bo pre?/eTve<l and: to-bfc*me of any account, but-he'-has-preyionsly pointed out that tltae.-are many tliiiiit.4 educational that havo' not 'been su nplral by. , ' t ho' 'New X«alaii(l.-.government :i tli;it must-:bo ''rittended to," such as .manual training, 'aind ho .has-'carpfiUly glo/,fd...0v0r the Jacf that-it-was t|ie:,Now Zealand Government j/hicli.<l«privcil/[tho . Ariiis.- o£ -. their.

powers, and even went so far as to allow a law to bo mado interfering in the election of tho Ariki, Ho carefully misses nny reference to tho illegality or slackness of tho procedure that will allow an Act of which he presumably approves, seeing that it is to educate the Jlnori to govern his own affairs (tho Constitution Act Amendment Act of 1530, Cook Island laws), to be superseded by a custom or practice or a wilful turning of tho lnoanintr of a New Zealand Act, and .he refrains from mentioning the fact that a custom had been allowed to supersedo the provisions pf the Licensing Act, 190 i, bearing on the sale of liquors in these Islands. , Sir, to say more than I have said would bo a wasto of time in view of the ablo remarks you havo already niade, and I leave tho subject for the time being with the advice to those interested to obtain a copy of that report, and then como anil spend a few weeks in theso Islands to see for themselves how far tho truth has been disclosed.—l am, etc.,

EUPERT V. HOSKING, Karotonga, September 3.

[ . ANOTHER INQUIRY SOUGHT. W. Revell Reynolds, formerly licad of tho police in Rarotouga, lias made a fresh request for an inquiry regarding tho administration of tho Cook Islands. In a petition presented to the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. Wright (Wellington South), Mr. Reynolds gives his opinion that immediate steps,should ho taken to remove tho present Resident Commissioner from tho position. Tho Commissioner, ho considers, has proved that he is deficient in tho necessary qualifications' for tho offices aud position which he holds, in that he lias shown a want of tact, dignity, reliability, and justice; and that lie has demonstrated his ignorance in legal matters and the laws that he has to administer. Tho petitioner proposes that a fully-qualified official should l>e appointed Resident Commissioner, and anotfier fully-qualified offi-, cial to act as Judge of the High Court,' .Tudjre of the Lands Titlo Court, and Magistrate of Rarotonga. Ho also asks that a Commission-of Inquiry should be appointed at an early date to investigate publicly the complaints against tho administration of government in the Islands. A petition in similar terms signed by Dr. C. M. Dawson, W.' R. Reynolds, and R. Hosting, was returned by the Public Petitions (A to I) Committeo a few days ago without any recommendation.