THE COOK AND OTHER ISLANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 59

THE COOK AND OTHER ISLANDS.

THE TONGAN QUESTION,

DISEASE AMONGST THE NATIVES,

Br Eiccest D'Esteree, NO. I.

In view of the extension of the New Zealand boundaries to include the Cook Ivandg and Nine, the people of this colony aic somewhat concerned in the administration of the South Sea groups and the affairs of the Western Pacific generally. Tho Inland question will doubtless come up for considerable discussion during the present sj> c ision, and the lesions learned by the legislators in their recent excursion in the Mapourika should prove of much value in the debate; but, unfortunate!}-, the insight obtained into the life of the native peoples was altogether inadequate, and the study of the trades aud industries of the groups with which New Zealand is mest concerned was incomplete, owing to tha brevity of the visit to each island; had Simca and Tahiti been omitted from the programme tho excursion would have had more ln-truc-tivo value. Tho beauty of the islands ha>i aheady boe-n graphically presented to readers by the Otago Daily Times and Witness correspondent, and it is the object of this article to bring forth a few points in relation to Island uffaiis whioh the parliamentary party may not" have had opportunity of investigating to any great extent.

THE COOK GROUP.

It is well known to all who are acquainted with life in the Cook Islands tlrat eonr=i<le.ra.blc flisffatisfaotioix iia.s exi=te<l in tho past, and ctill exists. v\ ith tho methods and constitution of the native couits. A slight offence is punished by transportation to the comiet settlement of the group, by no means a desirable place of residence ; while it is urged, in the native interests, that the courts are really administrators of laws they themselves have made, or at least suggested. The natives who have the Advantage of English education contend that it is high time a complete reform vaa instituted in the statutes of the Island-3, and al^o in tho constitution of the court-. Tho statutes of the Islands read more like farcical comedy tiian enactments of a Parliament, and such obsolete laws as th& compelling of church attendance, or the provision of the length of a woman's waistband, are still said to be seriously administered. The natives also complain that no nay is made for Govemm&n.fc works, or, if it is mada, it is totally inadequate; while the arbitrary methods of dealing with the native lands and trade is cieatiiig considerable dissatisfaction. Not only tho natives, but the traders and pla.ute.rs as we!!, labour under great difficulties in connection with tho fruit and other produce export trade, the prices received for almost all kmcU of produce being irctreely suffi<-it!it to warrant tho production. Ton.-, upon tons of beautiful orjnge«, grown on tha slopes cf Ikurangi and Maunza Tea, in Raiotongn. an» allowed to rot &n the ground owiug to tho inadequate facilities for evport. the small piiLOi jnid — in many- oases barely sufficient to provide for the bo.\c> cr ciatea, — and the risk of tlie .shipment being condemned upon arrival in Xew Zealand. What all cte&.-es ask for is provision for efficient grading at Avarua, direct steam service at reasonable* freight ehi'.rges, and inspection immediate' y upon arrival, preferably at 'Wellington Almost every foot of the Uiancb included in the> Cook group, and cerLunly ©very inch of soil, X richly productn c, and jf Now Z" alrnd is to iccei\p- ;my ictum for its .-hare of " the white mail's burden" it v.ou'd do wel! to foster and develop this trade. Iho piiiKipal exports aie oiangcs, bananas, and copra. Both oranges and baisanas grow well, .md ripp.ii to perfection, and, given the advantages of m^ructlon by eNnerti, then' i no rf ar=on why grower-) in the Cook group s'.mjuM not produco th.'-o fruitd to equal rite products of any other Ironical country in the world. There i-. also tho ba'is of valuable trade in the coffee, csugar, tobacco, and vanilla, industries, though as yet these are ju their infancy. Experiment? in vanilla planting, conducted by Mr T. Shearman, v ahurt disunite out of Avaiua, have

demonstrated that this plant grows most successfully. There is also, probably, good opportunity for the culcivotticn ot many spices.

Unfortunately, the na; j population is subjected to tho awful ravages of loathsome disease, and naturally the death-rate is very high. The statement attributed to Dr Malcolm Mason, chief health offioer, but subsequently denied by him, that the islands are reeking with disease, is. it is to be feared, only too near the truth. It is almost impossible for residents in a European country who have not had acquaintance with the native life of those islands to imagine the extent to which disease has impregnated the native population. In Rarotonga alone there were recently 240 cases actually known and under treatment, and this amongst a population of some 1200 or 1400. In Mangaia and many other -islands, and also in Niue, tho disease is rampant. It is almost impossible that goods coming from certain villages should not carry the germs, and when these goods consist of curios, to be handled or worn by white people, the risk of contagion run is very evident ; a scratch on tha finger or an open cut is sufficient for inoculation, and the mischief is done, while the cause is assigned to every source but tho right one. Also, now that the Government has taken up a share of " the white man's burden," must it establish measures for the treatment of the disease in the Islands, which is fast ruining the native life. Details of tho ravages of this awful scourge may not, of course, be mentioned in the columns of a public newspaper, but one has only to visit any landing place in the Cook group to see for oneself. It is essential that active cases should be confined to proper hospitals, and others of milder form or ai a minor stage of development rigorously treated. Better provision is also required for the removal of leprosy cases immediately upon discovery of the symptoms to tho leper station. The terrible horror of it all is known well to those accustomed to travelling amongst the islands, and it would bo an everlasting blot ou tho name of New Zealand if, having taken up her burden—the care and guardianship of these native peoples — she did not establish some moamires for the checking and treatment of .the disease which, to some of these poor stricken people, is making life a misery and the grave a happy release.

TONGA

Tonga has probably a more romantic history than any of the other island groirpa, aud, with the exception of Samoa, it holds the palm for beauty. Weeks might profitably be spent in exploring its beauty spots and years in studying die characteristics of its native life. Roughly speaking, the group has an area of 385 square miles, or more than double the area of the Cook group, which is 142 square miles. It is entirely under native Government, and what a fiasco that Government has been is scarcely realised outside well-informed circles. The native Parliament site in Nukualofa, where the royal -palace of King George Tabou is also situated. Nukualofa is a somewhat scattered town, but very prettily situated, and there is considerable trade with neighbouring islands aud a large quantity of produce exported. The most notablo feature of Tonga, and one which, strangely enough, seems to be but little known, is the field for research it offers the archaeologist. In the interior, in the midst of the dense tropical forest of pines and palms and creepers, are remains of the -work of a prehistoric race invested with even greater interest than the pyramids of Egypt, for, while tho Ptructures of the desert lands reveal the history of their origin in hieroglyphic writings, there is no trace of the people who originally inhabited Tonga. In the forest shade, forgotton and neglected by man, are the historic " Stonca of Tonga." Here are giant, square-cut blocks of stone, revealing evidence of enormous laboiir in their cutting anel erection, and that is all we know. Two gigantic columns of solid stone stand erect, like the portals of pome immense temple, bearing an equally gigantic cross piece, and a little further away is what might have been the circular base of a temple, the mighty blocks of stone being fitted to each other with almost Snracen-like exactness, while trees hundreds of years old grow above, and force their roots down into the crovicsp. Tho Polynesian people have no records of the building, and, indeed, tlioir race is incapable of such a labour, and there is no more trace of the ancient masons than there is of the race which constructed the mountain roads of the Andes. Those mute monuments of somn groat historical past reveal nothing. In all probability they were just the same myftery when tho Romans entered Britain.

At the head of affairs in Tonga is King George Tabou, the last of the Tabou dynast}', for as yet no male heir has been born to the throne. Hl3 Majesty was educated at Auckland, bufc his English education has been of little use to hid government, which is farcical to a degree. He resides in a splendid palace surrounded by lovcl} r gardens, and the royal edifice is ffuarded night and day by armed men. Within the ground 1 ; ia the State Church, a graceful building, with two spires, and one of the most musical peals of helk to be heard in the f-outhern hemisphere. The King maintains great state and ceremony, and, upon certain occasions, receives visitors in the throne room, he being attireel in robes of state — somewhat resembling a naval uniform, decorated with gold laoo, inHgnias, and orders, and with an ermineedged robe suspended from the shoulders, aud supported by two pages in crimson plu^h and white lae-a, — and wearing a beautiful gold crown studded vvitrf precioin stones. When his Majesty leaves the prt»cinct.-. of tho palace, the route to Parliament, or w he i ever he may be going, is guarded by tho Tougan troops, and the royal <-ahito of 21 guns is fired. I remember,- on one memorable occasion, witnessing the opening of Parliament, and hearing the speech from tho Throne. Tho Speech was read by the King, and had quite evidently been pre-parr-d for him by !u-> Minister?. During the Fitting of that august assembly the environs of Parliament Hou-e wcro tabooed — that is, no one was allowed to go within a certain di-tamo of tho building. The same taboo l- applied to the low =toue wall surrounding the palace garden", and no man. woman, or child may mount or rest upon the wall ; if anyone docs so he runs thr ri»k of boing instantly shot. The Tabou dynasty has a powerful rival in the House of Mafu, which at one time conquered almost the whole of Fiji, and thoro has boe-n for many years a great silent struggle for supremacy between the two Hgusc*. On the King attaining his majority a marriage wa*j arranged for him by his Ministers with tho Princess Ofa of the Mafu family, but on tho eve of his uiaiuagc the King jilted the bnde-eleot and

selected another. Since that time his owri largo annual allowance, and, in addition, large sums from tho Treasury coffers, have gone in buying himself support among3t- tho people. The throne has been ' tottering for years past, and hi-3 Majesty has only saved his islands from absolute annexation and himself from deposition by consent to a protectorate when Britain, surprised him in negotiations with France-. As it is, tho affairs of State are administered by a native Premier, with, native officers, with a result of general dissatisfaction not only amongst the European population, but amongst the native? as well. The Tougan natives are handsome, bright, and intelligent people, tho majority speaking English well, but somewhat treacherous in disposition, and more sensible to austerity than kindness, and it is natural that they should find cause of complaint in their heavy taxation when they are never allowed to know where the money is being spent. Goods imported by the white traders seldom escape severe toll ill baud, in many oas^s consignments disappearing altogether. Complaints to the Premier remain unheeded, and. there is no redrew. Tho courts of justice are similar to these of Haytr. and Europeans have learned, by experience, that it is useless to appoal to them. Favouritism reigns supreme, and the- head and front of the system is a. manic king of a mimic kingdom. Since the dismiajal of M. de Inmbert. Collector of Customs, and. the appointment of a native official in his stead, the. traders have hod great cause for dissatisfaction. The Tougan Islands are amongst the richest and modfc fertile of the South Sea Islands, and they would have been a hundred times more valuable adjunct- to Xew Zealand — could they have been secured. — than the Cook Islands can ev&r hope to be. In the islands themselves there, is a strong and rapidly-growing feeling that annexation, by Great Britain and administration by ii British. Governor is the- only solution of the hopeless muddle into whioh Tongan affairs have been allowed to drift. Had the o!d king, who is now taking hi 3 last long slo&n in the^ royal vaults at Maloaloa. lived to thp present time, there might have been a different tile to tell ; "but, as it is. the government is in the hands of one ignorant of the- responsibility of his office, blind to th& danger which threatens his throne, and heedless of the simmering volcano of public feeling which may ariso and sweep Jhe Tabou dyniwty into +.he eea at any moment. As I said, British administration would .solve the difficulty, but, God forbid that the experience of the Tougam should ever be that of the poor Fijians. The produce of the islands is of a particularly rich and varied charaorer, nearly all the tropical fruit= — including tho sweet irummy pnpio and the delicate grenadilla. the loveliest of all tropical fruits — growing 1 in profusion ; whil? copra is extensively manufactured, and there is good opportunity for trade in numerous other island products. The importance of Tonga as a strategical position m re'ation to the South Sea groups is a matter deserving of attention. It is easily apparent tbat the Power controlling Tonga would have command of all the inlands in the event of a naval war,, and could easily dominate Fiji and the LowArchipelago. The French, bping stationed: at Tahiti, might easily lijjvo tho upper hand with regard to the Cook group, "but with > a British ota.tion in Tonga the dominion of the South Seao would be assured to the Empire.