RAROTONGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8670, 12 September 1891, Page 6

RAROTONGA.

COOK GROUP CENSUS. {FROM OCR own correspondent.] Avauua, September 2. The Cook Group, since the advent of our now British Resident, has come so prominently before the New Zealand people that a few particulars respecting the group will prove of interest. THE POPULATION. To get at the correct figures is a somewhat difficult task, as there has been no regular census taken, consequently a great deal has to bo done by guesswork ; but by the courtesy of the Rev. W. W. Lawrence, tho missionary of the London Mission Society, who is labouring here at Rarotonga during a two years' leave of absence of the Rev. Mr. Hutchin, we are enabled to obtain something very close to the correct figures. What wo may term the last census of the population was made in 18S4, when the population of Rarotoneja was found to be as follows: — Rarotongans. Foreigners. Avarua district ... 551 ... '206 Ngatangua district 3127 ... 39 Matavera district 187 ... 29 Titikiveka district 166 ... 23 Arorangi district... 391 ... 49

1622 400 making a total population of Rarotonga of 2028 people. It must be understood that the figures under the head of foreigners iuclude not only Europeans but also visitors from other islands of the group, etc. At the end of the year 1885 the population of the island of Aitutaki was as follows :—

Arutanga district 999 Vaipai district ... ... .. 254 Taut district ... 180 This being a total of 1439 for the whole of that island. In March, 1885, the population of the island of Mangaia stood at 2235 people. (No particulars are obtainable) of tlio numbers of each settlement as given for the two previous-named islands.) In 1887 the population of tlio following isiands stood as follows :—

Maiiko ... ... ... ... 430 Mitiaro ... ... ... ... 203 Atiu ... ... 985 These figures, with those above given, make a total of 73-0 people for the Cook's Group. Since this estimate was obtained, up to the year ISS7, there has been an annual excess of deaths over births of about 32 souls, and there has also been a largo decrease in ' the number of foreigners, so* that no astonishment need bo shown at tho small population of the group at the present time. Various causes are assigned for this decrease. The more generally adopting the European mode of living in food and attire, etc., being mainly given, and this rapid decrease, and probable extinction of these people in the near future, is a recognised calamity unless something is done, or, as the rev. gentleman, whose name wo quote above, tersely puts it, "something is left undone that is now being done." PRESENT POPULATION. With the assistance of Mr. Lawrencc, and from other sources, we have been enabled to obtain tho following as the present population of the various islands of tho group, and, wo believe, that we are very close to the correct figures :— RAROTONGA. Rnrotongans. Foreigners. Avarua district ... 413 ... 251 Mat a vera 176 ... 31 Ngatangua ... '285 ... lIS Titikiveka ... 159 ... '20 Arorangi 284 ... 33 1317 370 Thus making a total at. the present year of 17-3 people. Mangaia ... "* ... ... 1,027 Atiu ... , u 953 Aitutaki ... ... ... ... 1,342 iMuuke ... ... 431 Mitiaro ... ... ... ... 193 Thus making a grand total of 6355 people for the Cook Group at the end of May of the present year, against 7320 in ISS7. There are a few islands to tho northward, with the people of which we from here do a large amount of trade, principally through the firm of Messrs. Donald and Edenborough, who have trading stations on each, consequently we think it will be interesting to add" the population of those islands to tho figures given above. But before doing 60 it is wcHhy of remark that these islands come under the field of labour of the Cook Islands representatives of tho London Missionary society, so that it will be seen that the field is a large one, not so much, we are sorry to say, as to population as it is to area. At the beginning of 1891 the population of theso islands was as follows :— .

Manihiki ... ... 452 Rakaanga 421 Penrhyn .. ... 392 Pukapuka (Danger Island) ... 489 Total ... ... ... 1.784 To these add Cook Island ... 6,585 Makes a grand total of ... 8,3G9 people in the islands named above, and in which commercially New Zealand is doing by far the largest amount of trade. This trade is still rapidly growing. A few years back Mr. A. B. Donald, with bub a little vessel, started out on this then almost unknown field, and to-day his firm (Donald and Edenborough) have not only a splendid steamer constantly running but also sailing crafts, whoso times are fully occupied in visiting and trading to tho Islands. Since Mr. Donald started several other firms have tried to get a finger into the pie ; but quiet, dogged determination, combined with steady business "go," have forced the well known "D. and 15.'' ling along, and the would-be competitors have fallen back, tired and beaten. • Yet in tho "face of this trade, built up by the energy of an Auckland firm, there are those of our representatives in Parliament who say tho trade with the Islands i 3 nob worth encouragement, and haggle over a few hundred pounds as a salary tor the British' Resident. : In our letters from the Cook Group it is our wish to do fair justice to everyone, and no pains are spared to obtain the correct information, but there is great difficulty in getting at the facts in many instances, and we find that on one point only in our last letter we are in error. Mr. Harris, tho missionary of Mangaia, did nob, we find, make the remark to Mr. Moss, that the reason ho objected to the Mangaia fine being paid was that it would seriously interfere with the subscriptions to the Church Mission funds.