COOK ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 4

COOK ISLANDS.

[FROM otjb OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Mangaia, December 7. ■■■', I mentioned to you in my last that a number of the local canoe men and the aronga mana of Oneroa, had formed a union for the purpose of doubling the charge (already a high one) for landing or shipping cargo for *he European trade™; However, the leading chief of this island, Daniel Tangitoru, who has always been a great friend of the Europeans, succeeded in getting a number of canoes, and a party of men, by which he was enabled to do all the canoeing at the old rate, to the great disgust of the union, who thought they, were going to have things all their own, . way. They consoled themselves, in a measure, by levying a few fines—in their usual partial manner— some of their party, who broke their so-called agreement,-and canoed cargo at the old rate. The matter was brought before the local Court, but has not yet been decided, pending a reference to the High Court on one or two points. The aronga mana thought they had established a law binding on everyone, at any rate they sent a crier round proclaiming it as such, but they now find out their mistake. The traders are jubiliant at escaping the impost, and no doubt this movement to extort money will soon fizzle out. Many of the natives of the Makatea part of this settlement are engaged erecting concrete dwellings. They go to incredible labour in carrying shingle from tho sea beach, and water from inland for the purpose. When the walls are completed these houses Will be roofed with iron, and with close-fitting doors and windows, invariably kept closed, at least in i the night, they will be like ovens in this tropical climate. The natives cannot be made to understand the value of fresh air, and the necessity of having doors and windows open for its circulation. Consequently their old style hovels, with-reed or sapling walls —through which the wind blew as it listed and thatch roofs, were infinitely more, healthy. But the natives must ape the papaa (foreigners) in habitations, as well as clothing. Every moonless or other suitable night favourable for the purpose, a fleet of canoes may be seen off this settlement streaming along the outside of the reef—a brilliant spectacle their great flaming torches of cocoanut-fronds, the men in the bow engaged ladling the maroro (flying fish) into their canoes with the scoop-nets. They ladle a good deal sometimes without taking much. There have also \ been some good catches of aai, a fish ranging from 101b up to 301b in weight, taken with the hook dining "this season. " Aitutaki, December 7. ■:.■■', • The Resident Commissioner, Lieutenant* Colonel Gudgeon, has been here for the last four weeks, holding daily sittings of the Land Titles ', Court- Upwards of 140 cases have been - adjudicated upon, and much survey work has been done by the administration cadet surveyors. The Commissioner expresses much satisfaction as to the survey and allotment of native lands by these young men, who have been educated lately at Rarotoi. o a, and have been trained for survey work by Mr. H." M. Connal, the Government civil engineer. ■ ~ , A deputation, consisting of the resident traders of this island, waited upon the Resident Commissioner the other day, to bring before his notice the necessity of having a" shed provided for the reception of cargo from- the monthly steamer. At present we are under very unsatisfactory arrangements. The cargo has to be. received by traders from the ship's side at an open roadstead outside the barrier reef, and the consequence is that much confusion exists, and at certain times the consignee never receives his cargo at all. The Commissioner promised to give this matter consideration. Another matter that was brought for-ward-by the deputation concerned the importation of horses to the island. Under the present law it is not lawful for horses to be on the island, and there is hot a horse in Aitutaki at the present day. The objection has been that horses would destroy the breadfruit, which is the staple food of the natives. All the work in the way of transport is at present done either by handcarts or by boats. This obsolete method creates muc*h unnecessary expense to all handlers of produce. Local traders, who have to pay a license fee, feel aggrieved on account of the wholesale importation of b goods by the London Missionary Society's 'steamer John Williams every . half-year. Many hundreds of pounds are sent annually by the natives through the ' sailors of the John Williams (who are all. Aitutakians) to Sydney for the purpose of purchasing many articles, such as furniture, galvanised iron, soap, provisions, etc. V All of these come here free of freight, , as,'' they are said to be the property of the sailors.. This places the local trader at a disadvantage. Had this trade been confined to the value of wages earned solely by the. sailors of the John Williams, there would be nothing to complain of, but when upwards of 100 tons of goods are landed here in this small':' island from the missionary ship annually, it becomes a serious matter for the trader. x . The whole community hardly consists of more than 800 souls. ; ; .'. The orange season is now finished, and the last of the pineapples go forward i per Union Company's steamer to-day. , There is still a quantity of coprst to be dried, but the wet weather has of late been such as to much delay the manufacture of this product. * The French schooner Tamarii Tahiti called here on November 29, en route from Tahiti to Penrhyn and Manahiki. A petition, signed by all the traders of this island, was forwarded to the Union Steam Ship Company by the steamer which left here on November 9, praying for better facilities in the handling of' cargo from their steamers at this port.