THE CooK ISLANDS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 9.

Otago Witness, Issue 2631, 17 September 1902, Page 56

THE CooK ISLANDS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 9.

In accordance with his promise. Sir Joseph Ward to-day laid on the table of the House papers relating to the Cook Islands, which have been asked for since the session opened. Reporting on the fruit trade, the Resident Commissioner Kays that producers have not received more than £1 per ton profit on oranges exported. He quotes the results of several shipments, and says: — "After the experience of the port of Auckland, no on* need be astonished that the natives are anxious to find another outlet for their fruit." That someone ha.* benefited from this condition of affairs may be assumed, but it has not been the producers, nor does it appear that the consumers profited by the low prices, inasmuch as from Napier southwards oranges have ruled from Is to 2s per dozen during the season. The Union Company cannot have received less than £5000 in freight on fruit during the past year, but so far they hav< done nothing to facilitate the transport of perishable cargo to Wellington and the south. The contention of Auckland merchants that their town, being the largest consumer of fruit, should be made the distributing centre, is not sufficient reason for the Cook Islands to continue the supply of fruit to the people of Auckland at a 10-.s to themselves. It has never been contemplated to cease shipping to that port, but experience has taught the Rarotongans that they must also export to Wellington and Lyttelton. Reporting on a subsequent date, Colonel Gudgeon say^ : — "From reports I have received from merchants residing both here and in New Zealand, I am of opinion that the trade piospects of the future are not hopeful. Trade i& slowly becoming less remunerative owing to the competition of Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, and New South Wales, and will shortly roach a point at which export must, cease. We could, if necessary, supply all New Zealand with bananas, but the competition of Fiji and the shipping charges have pui an end to any hope of the expansion of this export. As regards our coffee, there is no market in New Zealand, an inferior bean from Costa Rica being sold cheaper. Under these circumstances," Colonel Gudgeon concludes, "we can only depend on our copra, and this industry is not capable of immediate expansion, the planting of cocoa palm having been neglected for many years." Concerning the Countess of Ranfurly, Colonel Gudgeon, says:— "The chief advantage already derived from the presence of the Government boat has been its effect on the Union Company, who will now visit any island whereon cargo can be found, whereas it was formerly the rule to require from most firms a guarantee of £50, and even then steamers only visited the outlying islands as a favour So far it is only the Cook Island Trading Company that has given its carrying to the schooner. The natives invariably support the Government vessel, recognising that she has broken the monopolies of which they had reason to complain." The Commissioner says that at the present time settlement is possible only in Rarotonga and Atiu, and titles must be defined beforp there can be any bteps in the direction ol colonisation. The British Resident has become alarmed about the liberation of rabbits in Rarotonga. In a belated despatch (April, 1901) he states that rabbits have been liberated on this island by one of those Europeans who have for years been a source of trouble and annoyance to the Govemment of the group "The man in question (Peter Cowan) has been employed as a rabbiter in New Zealand, and therefore knew full well the injury that would be likely to result to the island from his act, which seems to me to have been purely malicious. The tale now told by the Maoris of the settlement at which he resides is that Cowan's halfcaste children set the rabbits at large, and I fear that we must now accept it, though I do not believe the tale, for several reasons It does not tally with the information that I first received, to the effect that Cowan, himself was responsible for the act, and that when Tekimu Mooati spoke to him about the rabbits he had seen inland, Cowan replied: 'They will be good for us to eat, but do not tell the Resident you have seen them.' Yesterday I met all the chiefs of Ngatangiia at that place, and succeeded in rousing their fears very thoroughly, so that it was arranged that they and all their people should go out with dogs and do their best to clear the island of these objectionable animals." Subsequent despatches from the Government urge energetic measures to eradicate the rabbits.

According to the Rarotonga correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, the stato of things on the Island of Mangaia borders almost on a revolution. The federal lawi »v bfi'mn disregarded, and one or tw<>

natives have taken it on themselves to practically govern the island, and are forcing the people to produce for them for shipment on their own account.

The correspondent adds: — "I hear that' the Resident Commissioner, Lieutenantcolonel Gudgeon, is only waiting for the arrival of the Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly to proceed p?rsonally to Mangaia and endeavour to put the island in a better position. There is little doubt that a European magistrate, with governing powers, is badly wanted at Mangaia at present. The whole government is in the hands of the natives, and there being no Resident Missionary on the island at present for the poor natives to go to for advice, the ruling power is entirely in the hands of a few un- ( ruly chiefs, whose only wish is to enrich themselves to the detriment of the good and welfare of the lower classes. An agent of the Catholic Mission, Father Bernarlini, of Rarotonga, two weeks ago paid a visit to Mangaia, and a ' fiat ' went forth that no native was to supply him with any food."