COOK ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 5

COOK ISLANDS.

[FROM OtJK OWS CORRESPONDENT.] Rarotouga, April 2,1897. We are looking for tho Upolu every hour from Tahiti. She makes quick dispatch here. She arrived here on the way to Tahiti on 24th March, at seven at night. The moon rose later on, and she discharged her cargo for this place, and was off before daylight. So there caunot be any complaint of detention ; but the process cannot be attractive to strange passengers, landed at night in a place where there are no hotels, nor lodging-houses. Two of her passengers, Dr. Craig ond his brother, were landed iu this way, but fell iu with friends, who provided for them. These gentlemen are both surgeons, with lUdinburgh diplomas, and come, I am told, for the health of one who wishes to be for a year or two in a warm climate. The Hospital Board lias arranged with them to take charge of the Hospital, which will be reopened at once, and for which everyone here is very glad. The wharf and sheds put up by the Union Company at Avarua are now in working order, aud will be used by the steamer this trip ou her arrival from Tahiti. The wharf would be considered good anywhere, and the sheds are large and convenient, They have already a considerable quantity of cargo waiting shipment. The first batch of oranges for the season will also go. It is early to get any large quantity, and they are not so abundant as usual, but the difference is amply made up by the splendid coffee crop, safe now as the possible hurricane season is past. It promises to be the best crop ever gathered here. Last j ear's was about the worst. The weather has been dry for some time, and heavy showers that fell during last night are welcome. Food has been somewhat scarce among the natives last year, and the smallness of tho coffee crop crippjed their purchases of imported articles on which they have acquired the habit of relying much more than formerly, This year will put matters straight again. One of the results of last year's scarcity is, I find, a falling off iu the revenue for 1896. The estimates will be covered because they were put low in expectation of tho fall, but the revival this year will be acceptable. The Neatangiia School has been again olosed. Mr. MacClintock, who came from Auckland a few months ago, was for a couple of mouths in charge, but he has left for Aitiitaki to seek appointment to a school which the people of that island are laid to wish to open. Mr. Henry Ellis, formerly of Auckland, will, I see by the Torea, take charge of the Ngatangiia School for the present, but the people there hope to make final arrangements through the London Missionary Society wiien the John Williams arrives In June. The Rev. Wardlaw Thompson, the Society's well-known London secretary will be on board of her on a visit to the Pdcifio missions. The success of the experiment of free public schools is very doubtful, a) the natives will not tax themselves sufficiently to provide salaries that would attract trained teachers. This is the rock on which the system will split. The only alternative will be to subsidise mission schools, which, of course, must include those of all denominations. The Roman Catholic mission has 70 or 80 children in its school, where parents pay only 12a a year for their education. The children are chiefly Protestant, and both European and native. The " Tereora" school of the London Missionary Society is prospering, and has 50 fine native children boarding as well as learning This school has a great advantage in having the children constantly under discipline a* boarders, and will, it is hoped, provide native teachers and missionaries well up in the English language with all the advantage that implies. The law bere provides that no school can he opened without a government license, but the only condition of the license is that provision for the adequate teaching of English shall be made. This law was necessary to guard against missions from Tahiti ; which might be all French. . '