Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13, 1935. THE COOK ISLANDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 65, 13 February 1935, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13, 1935. THE COOK ISLANDS.

The storm of last week-encl in tlie Cook Islands, developing- into a hurricane on Monday, has left a trail of damage from the high wind and seas. No visitation of recent years has been more severe in its onslaught upon these fertile islands of the Pacific, whose people, both English and native, have suffered heavy losses. liarotonga, the most fertile and valuable of the group, with its mountains clothed in rich vegetation and its valleys watered by abundant streams, has felt the full force of the blow. Wharves have been damaged at the port _ of Avarua, one of two which give rather poor harbour protection to shipping, and residential and Government buildings along the waterfront have been structurally weakened. The outer islands of Aitutaki, the best known of the lower group, Atiu (to the north of Rarotonga), and Maulce (east of Atm) have all felt the serious consequences of the hurricane, but the severance of conmmnications with these outer islands will delay the receipt of full information of their losses. It is known, however, that the orange and banana crops have sustained most severe damage, the packing sheds and facilities have been levelled, and the GoA T ernment schools affected. Only people who have experienced these awful tempests and the mischief they create can realise what they are like. Yet, in spite of the devastation wrought, Nature and man soon repair the damage, and the islands settle down to their life under the tropic sun, growing the fruits and reaping the harvest for which they are suited. The hurricane, however, from the loss of trade it will cause in island products and consequent impoverishment of the people, lias been a most unfortunate visitation for the Cook Islands. The depressed prices of copra in the world's markets and other factors have caused the value of their trade to fall away. Total exports in 1924 were valued at £154,000, but in 1933 were less than half at £74,000. New Zealand takes the largest quantity of the island products, the value in 1933 being £59,000. Similarly, the Dominion supplies the bulk of the imports, the figures for the year mentioned being £54,000 out of a total import trade, of £76,000. Other countries which shared in the islands’ export trade were France, the United States, Britain, Western Samoa, and Tahiti; and Britain, the United States, and Australia were also suppliers of goods for use by the people. Oranges and bananas are the principal commodities exported In 1933 their value was £33,980 and £15,959 respectively, but m the previous year the respective totals were £26,319 and £20,357. Tomatoes are also largely cultivated, but the quantity for export in 1933 fell considerably short of that in the previous year, when the value was no less than £11,807. All three products have shrunk considerably in their export volume since 1927, when to-o-etlier with Niue Island oranges returned £57,000 to the growers, bananas £26,000, and tomatoes £19,000. Similarly, in that year copra was worth £40,000 as. an item of export, but the vicissitudes of the industry are reflected in the very much lower value since then. Three years ag-o 1294 tons were exported to return £l2 340 and in 1933 1545 tons were sold abroad for £13,513. Yet: the total exported in 192 < was

1934 tons. By the institution of a system of control and supervision in the packing of fruit for export the islands Administration has promoted a greater goodwill for it in its principal market. The work is done in the sheds in the outer islands which, have suffered very severely in the hurricane. A good growing’ season for the natives bringing a bountiful harvest of oranges and bananas is of considerable importance to the people of this Dominion, to whom any diminution in supplies, the effect of the tempest’s fury, may be a matter of much inconvenience.