THE COOK ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8796, 9 February 1892, Page 5

THE COOK ISLANDS.

MR. MOSS'S REPORT. THEIR TRADE AND RESOURCES. [BY TELEGRAPH. — COUBEBPONDENT.] Wellington, Monday. Through the courtesy of the Premier, I was able, this morning, to obtain a copy of Mr. Moss's report to the Governor on the trade of t!io islands. The following id a general description of the group : — The islands are seven in number, extending at irregular distances over an ocean area tome 180 miles square. They are on the verge of the tropic, and the climate is pleasant and healthy. Though small, tho Cook Islands are extremely fertile. Their chief value consists, however, in their position at tho gateway of the extensive and beautiful archipelagos studding the Eastern Pacific south of the equator. With the exception of the Cook Islands, these Archipelagos, the Austral Islands, tho Society Islands, the Paumntus, and the Marquesas, are all French possessions. They extend over an area about 12000 mile's long and 1000 broad, and are inhabited by the same race (the Maori) as tho people of the Cook islands. The total native population is not less than 60,000, and the islands are capable of supporting many times that number. California, via Tahiti, is likely to be the chief competitor with New Zealand for the trade of tho East Pacific. The connection of San Francisco with Tahiti is cheap and regular, being maintained by three .-mart sailing vessels of 500 tons and upwards. They are subsidised by the Government of Tahiti as mail packets, and receive £'2800 a year in all for a monthly service. The voyage has been done in 2.'} days, but generally takes ■'!') and upwards. Between tonga and Tahiti steam connection is made by the Richmond steamer. The approximate distance from Auckland to Tahiti is 2200 miles, Wellington '2150 miles, Lyttelton '2700 miles, Duncdin '2900, .Sydney 3500. The annual export from the Cook Islands is in value £13,'23tj, over £30,000 of this trade being with New Zealand, tho remainder with California through Tahiti. Tho following is the general trade statement: —ln 1885, tho exports were given at £28,500, and reference is therein made to their increase to that figure from £10,000 in 1872. The high prices for cotton that followed the close of the American Civil War were tho chief cause of tho increase. The quantity of cotton exported in 1885 was 815 tons. In 1891 it will not be 150 tons. Copra stood for 837 tons in 18S5; it, too, has fallen, and will not exceed 450 tons in 1891. Coffee, the most important export, and capable of ton-fold expansion, shows lti.'!,S'2()lb in 1885, and will be at least 270,0001b in 1891. Nob the slightest care is given to planting or culti- , vation, anil this increase is due entirely to ■ self-sown trees growing from the seeds ' which fall from those planted more than a • quarter of ft century ago. Oranges show, 1 for 1891, an export approaching 4,000,000, and could bo exported to a much greater , extent, if a sutlicient market were j available. Liinejuice, also, is capable 1 of very great increase as an export, es- ! pecially if it can be condensed to diminish 5 its bulk as a raw product, a course which is said to bo adopted in tho West Indies. The export of cocoanuts should increase. *. They are already sent in largo quantities to . California ami used for many purposes'. j Finely shredded and eaten with oranges j they are regarded a3 a delicacy. The , shredding is done very easily, and if l properly introduced i,he use of tho cocoanut for this and similar purposes would ( probably increase in Australia and New Zealand as it has done in America. To j arrowroot, citron peel, and similar pro- J ducts I need only incidentally refer. Their J quality is of the best, but the quantity iS hitherto exported is small, The people are l of tho same race as tho Maoris of New } Zealand. At one time they were \, said to be decreasing in numbers, but \ that tendency appears to have ceased. '1 At the best-, the population is only stationary, and immigration very desir- d able. For this there is abundance of room and abundance of very fertile land now lying waste and useless. The Government \\ of Tahiti is about to introduce as labourers IV people from the French possessions in P Tonquiii and India. Coolies are introduced from British India into Fiji by the Govern- " meufc of that colony. The best immigrants, ■, and the most suitable for the development „ of tho Cook Islands, would be Japanese j peasantry, each family settling on a few \\ acres of land at a fixed rent, and with an 7 independent and permanent tenure. Pro- n duction would rapidly increase, and the in- t tioduction of new blood from a kindred I race would bo in all respects of great value. " If possible such immigrants to be obtained ~ among Christians in Japan. Their children ', taught English in the island schools would [ become English in life and sympathy. \ Considerable tracts of waste lands of the finest quality are available in the Cook Islands ; and if possible to induce an immigration, the importance of the group 8 must increase, and its influence be widely i felt throughout all tho valuable archipelagos c at whoso door it stands. Mr. Moss states a that all goods sent to theso islands must bo v good in quality, for tho competition is very n active. For instance, "tinned mullet" c from New Zealand has a competitor in t; " tinned salmon " from California. Ameri- 8 can sausage and other meats are said to be 8 inferior, but rendered acceptable by flavour- t ing and general "getup. ,. Biscuits from New Zealand are in good repute, but there is scarcely any variety of them. There is a r favourite article of American preserved meat, *■ called " pork and beans," which Mr. Moss a thinks should be called " beans and pork," a as the beans predominate. This competes I with New Zealand tinned meat. It is aUo r observed that Tahiti is in occasional con- j f nection by direct vessels with Bordeaux, 1 Hamburg, and Liverpool, and other Euro- ipean centres of commerce. c