AITUTAKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11716, 26 July 1901, Page 3

AITUTAKI.

.-.'■',■• [moil OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.} ' July 15. The e.s. Taviuni, which arrived this fore- ; . noon, takes away with her one of the big- 1 gest cargoes of fruit that have over been sent out of this island—over 4200 casts of various sizes, about 340 tons. She has also brought 100 tons of cargo for the island. In consequence of the quantity to be landed .'• ■ ind shipped, the steamer was unable to ■ -omplete her loading this evening, and it ? , . will be near noon to-morrow before she is ready to leave. Last month she took away 70 tons of fruit, the month before 150 tons. What , with * oranges, pineapples, ; : : bananas, Sj ' limejuice and copra, our staple products, J h'* there is not the slightest doubt that 69 tons I V for the Taviuni or 40 for the Ovalau (the '•,'- quantity required • before the steamer will' call here) could' be found every month in the year if it was Fettled that the steamer would call every month. -The month before f'' last the shippers of produce on this inland jg ' sent a memorial to the Union Company '« - guaranteeing to find cargo for the steamer *■-.'. ' every month up to the end of the year if >' ' they would agree to call regularly, but there is some adverse influence at work 'vhich prevents the matter being brought to a satisfactory issue, though it would bo mani- -' V festly to the interest of both the company and the island if the desired end could bo attained. While'on'this subject I may mention i :at ' ■.", by an Order-in-Council, published in the ' Cook Islands Gazette of May 27 last, the importation into this group of old or second- ■ •: hand fruit cases is prohibited under a penalty of £20.' By the same gazette live rab--1., bit? or hares and apples are also absolutely -,-■ •> forbidden, while plants or shrubs can only be introduced with the consent of the Brit--r '. ish Resident. This regulation has, ol ',; ' course, been made with the object of keep- !{-.,,- ing animal and insect pests out of the jl- group. If something of this sort had been | enacted 30 o». 40 years ago it might have been the means of keeping away the guava 'f, scrub, which has completely over-run the i - open tracts in these islands, the prickly mompti, the wasp and other pests. . J-here is not any general news of import- >: , ance. . Messrs. Grice, Sumner and Co.'s barluentinn Jerfalcon arrived here a few weeks '' with a batch of returned labourers from ,/ Maiden Island, who thought to chest the ■ revenue by forcing ashore with all their good clothes on their backs, and submitting ,-':•, :? e "; empty chests and boxes for examii.a™n, but Mr. Large (the Customs rfltcer and Magistrate) was not to be outwitted in that -;., ™7. and these wily "boys" had to piy up men: Customs dues notwithstanding. ■"■'• - We are all looking forward to the longm anticipated ..visit,; of the British Resident, wiien, owing to the: federation with your " ' bfi "j important changos arc expected to H ;°,.™ ade " .Colonel Gudgeon is coming 1 er.-; 1 fflSaV 2, the new Cook Island* Government .vesy. *« now being fitted out in Auckland. '-' lb* tiH 64 '- i acke, ts, new sac and ■ semi-sac, {%.,'.tz% m ,* awn 'and:grays,- worth double.— wurt Brothers' 'sale. • SMiK^^- "■■■':';■ Vi ','■'' ,':■■■•