COOK ISLANDS VISITED

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 80

COOK ISLANDS VISITED

THE GOVERNOR’S i’OUR. NATIVES’ CORDIAL WELCOME. THE DEPENDENCY’S NEEDS. (Feou Oue Own Coheespondent.) WELLINGTON, June 20. The Governor of New Zealand returned to Wellington lost night by the Moana from the Cook Islands, to which dependency of Now Zealand his Excellency has just paid his first official visit. The Governor arrived at Rarotonga by the Willochra on May 27, accompanied by the Countess of Liverpool and Captains Eastwood and Hutton, aides-de-camp. The vice-regal party immediately took up their quarters on board the Government steamer Tutanckai, which had arrived od Avarua a few days earlier, after a very stormy passage from Auckland. Among those who travelled by the Tutanckai, and who joined the vioe-regal party, were the Hon. Dr Pomare, Minister in Charge of the Cook Islands Department, Mrs Pomare, Mr A. L. Poison (Minister’s secretary), and Mr G. G. Twiss (officer in charge of the Island Department). The cruiser Philomel, which acted as escort to the Tutanckai while the Governor was aboard, reached Rarotonga on May 25. Soon after leaving Auckland she encountered a storm so severe that she was blown northwards to the vicinity of the Kennadecs, and lost one of her lifeboats. The Governor’s official landing, fixed for the afternoon of May 27, was postponed till the following day. Rain and fog hid from sight the beaut ful verdure-clad castellated peaks of the central heights, and the innumerable palms which give such character and charm to the lower lands rose indistinctly from a forest that was sodden with a deluge of rain. ' WELCOME TO THE ISLAND'S. The boom of big drums and the interminable rattle of little ones brought everyone in Avarua out of bed at daybreak on Thursday, May 23, to be greeted with perfect weather. The rain had cooled the air and genie, and the contrast with .the previous day served to emphasise the extraordinary beauty of the island. The vice-regal party wore met on the wharf by the Resident Commissioner (Mr Nortiicroft) and Mrs Northcroft, and his Excellency was then formally welcomed by the natives of the island, whose representatives had gathered on the stops of uio Administration buildings. The Governor’s speech was brief, but he struck exactly the right note, and obviously pleased the natives greatly. He thanked them for their warm welcome to the representative of King George. As a Governor of New Zealand had not visited the Cook Group for eight or nine years, he was glad to bo able to make the acquaintance of the people of the islands, and ho would take every possible opportunity of seeing all that might bo seen.

THE FESTIVITIES COMMENCE. Preceded by parties of gaily-dressed dancers of both sexes, who capered rhythmically to the boating of the drums, and accompanied by the grave and dignified makea, or principal chief, in silk bat and frock coat, their Excellencies and their party walked slowly to the palace compound, adhere most of tho native population of the island had assembled. Here, in the pleasant shade of the palin*3 and the mango trees, the old and the now were in quaint juxtaposition. Medicine men, in the fantastic dresses of a hundred years ago, rode upon a gaudy steam driven morry-go-round, or tried to ring knives at a sideshow conducted by an enterprising ha If caste, and swore healthy English oaths when they failed. The native who performed with energy and -some artistry upon an ancient drum made from a hollowed log, was assisted by an equally skilful youth, who extracted noises from an empty benzine tin. The dresses of old Polynesia, in which the dancers were becomingly arrayed, did not serve to hide tho incongruous European trousers beneath. Tho luncheon served at midday beneath awnings in the beautiful grounds included rnanv old native dishes of delicious flavour, which wore eaten from fine glass and china, with tho aid of excellent cutlery. A DELUGE OF PRESENTS. At the front door of the makea’s palace there was a formal but cordial welcome to the King’s representative, and an equally cordial reply. Then came tho presents—a deluge of them. The Governor and her Excellency were invested in robes of tappa cloth and native women, coming forward on behalf tho various Arikis, minor chiefs, and villages, laid at tho feet of the visitors beautiful and rare mats, hats, pariua, bed quilts, baskets, paddles, decorated with magnificent plumes of banana fibre, and other articles, on the manufacture of which the natives had been engaged for many weeks. This ceremony had its amusing side. All the official visitors received presents, and each lady .and gentleman was given at least throe native hats, each hat being ceremoniously placed upon the head of the recipient by an agent of the donor. The hats were of all shapes and sizes, and the effects attained wore sometimes startling. His Excellency was not always fortunate in getting- a good fit, and when, at the conclusion of the present-giving, he stood up robed in tappa cloth, half a dozen hats under one arm, a decorated paddle in the other hand, and a hat several sizes too big on h's head, the photographers had no mercy. None laughed more heartily than the Governor, whose easy and charming manner quickly won the unmistakable goodwill o'f the natives. One bashful aide objected strongly to being brought forward, and decorated with a hat of pronounced pattern, but his objections wo to held to transgress one of the rules of native epquette, and he contributed to the enjoyment of the holiday. Dr, Pomare takes an unusual size in hats, and all his presents perched precariously upon the top of his head. SOME ANCIENT DANCES.

After the Governor and the members of his party had shaken hands with most of the principal natives the day was given over to dancing. . The trou-ps represented the various settlements, but a little company from the Manihaki and Penrhyn Islands, in the far north, won the most admiration. Long, lean,- and wiry, these natives come south seeking work, and they make much more graceful dancers than the fatter Rarotongans. The dances did not lack variety. There was a heathen welcome by a combination of makeas, people dressed' in palm and banana leaves, and with hideously painted faces. A very ancient dance by the Avaitiu Villagers deserved the painful end that overtook a fish stealing demon, who was satisfactorily slaughtered by flying fish sent by the Gods to -help the people. There was

pedestal dancing by the people of the Aorangi village, and there wore innumerable chants, songs and the more common types of dance. Early in the day his Excellency received a petition. “ Stay here until dark, your Excellency,” said an old chief w.th much ceremony. "’Wo have plenty to cat and you have your fill.” “I am very pleased to accept your kind hospitality,” replied bis Excellency,” but I beg that you will excuse me for a little time. I want to get rid of these very uncomfortable clothes which are somewhat difficult to move in without bursting.” “ Metuki ” (very good) responded the petitioner, and h'.s Excellency and the official visitors spent the whole afternoon in the compound, where the interminable dances and incessant thunder of the drums became a little wearisome at last. The Yice-rcgal party were similarly entertained the following day by Kariki Ariki and the other Arikis. Ta and Tinomana also arranged dancing and feasting at their respective villages in honour of his Excellency when the party returned from the visit to the other islands of the group. GRIEVANCES OF THE NATIVES. The following day (Saturday) his Excellency met the natives and resdents in the courthouse, and received from them a petition, which sot out at length the grievances of the natives, and indicated the nature of the remedial measures which thc-v desired should b undertaken at an early date. It was obvious that the nat’vra laboured under a very real sense of injustice, but the kindly, tactful, and sympathetic r> pl : es made by his Excellency and by the Hon.. Dr Pomare, who appears to have won the confidence of the natives in a marked degree, pleased the Arikis and p-nvo them a brighter outlook on the future. Afterwards his Excellency had a private conversation with the Arikis. In the afternoon he met most, of the European residents of the island, and the Arikis at a garden party at the Residency. During the day a very largo number of natives were taken off to the Philomel and wore shown over the vessel. OTHER ISLANDS VISITED.

Attended, by the cruiser the Tutanokei sailed for the outlying islands on Sunday, May 31, and during the ensuing four days his Excellency and Br Pomare visited, Mangaia, Manuki, Atiu, Mitiero, and Aitutaki, and the party arrived back at Rarotonga on the morning of Friday, June 5. At each of the islands the Governor received a most cordial welcome from the natives and white residents, and the various resident agents did their utmost to make his Excellency’s brief stay a pleasant and interesting one. The sea was remarkably calm, and the visitors were taken over the coral reefs at each island without much difficulty. At a number of places, however, the Europeans were carried through the shallow lagoons in the arms of brawny natives. Even where they were evidently suffering severely as the result of the hurricane which visited those seas last January the generosity of the natives knew no bounds, and they forced presents of all kinds upon the visitors. At Little Mitiero, for instance, which was almost devastated, the people crowded around with mats, hats, etc., and while the young men gathered cocoanuts the squawks of captured poultry resounded in every direction. “ I will eat them with my eyes,” said his Excellency, as he very tactfully declined the foodstuffs, and reminding them that it was the King’s Birthday, asked them to. accept the provisions from him in honour of the occasion. It was discovered that these warm-hearted islanders were very short of food, and a quantity was sent .ashore from the Tutanekai. Native dances for the entertainment of the visitors were given at each island. Many of these performances were of a character practically unknown nowadays, and the islanders had evidently given much time and trouble to their arrangement and dressing. HIS EXCELLENCY’S CONCLUSIONS At each island the Governor and Dr Pomare met the leading natives in conference, and discussed with them matters connected with 'the administration, requirements of the islands. In addressing the nat.ves in Rarotonga and elsewhere, his Excellency stated very clearly the conclusions he had arrived at as a result of his visit to the islands. They may be summarised in this way. Health. —The natives of these islands, his Excellency thought were an intelligent and charming race of people, well worth preserving, and he regarded the problem of instituting a proper system of hygiene as one of pressing importance. More doctors were wanted, but the matter of providing the necessary funds had to be carefully considered, as the New Zealand taxpayer was already paying a large sum towards the cost of the administration of these islands. Education.—The four State schools, three in Rarotonga and one in Aitutaki, to be established almost at once at an estimated cost to New Zealand of £I6OO per annum, represented the commencement of a system that was urgently required. The Education and Health Departments should ' work hand-in-hand towards the preservation and improvement of the race. Apportionment and Settlement of the Land. —If it were possible to do away with the ownership of blocks of land by anything from two to twenty natives, and give titles to small bits of land by one man only, they would bo getting nearer to a solution of some of the many difficulties of the islands’ administration. The satisfactory settlement of the titles of the lands would tend to greatly increase the productivity of the islands. Under the present conditions the natives did not cultivate their lands as they should. Trading and Better Intercommunication Among the Islands. —If better means of communication were to be provided by the administration the expenditure of a large sum of money would be necessary. It would be preferable to arrange upon an ordinary basis a better service by a shipping company doing business in the islands rather than make further demands upon the New Zealand taxpayer. Laws. —The whole of tho laws require to bo considered, readjusted, and in some cases validated, so that many of the difficulties under which the administration is now carried on might be removed. Tho administrator. tho Governor, or the Minister-in-Chargo of the Cook Islands, should pay more frequent visits to those islands so that they may be in closer touch with tho people and their requirements. GOOD-BYE TO THE ISLANDS. After a further series of entertainments, including "a fish drive in tho Nikau lagoon, a ball given by the Makea natives, feasts at tho different villages, etc., his Excellency

said a regretful farewell to the warmhearted natives, and. left by the Moana for Wellington on June 12. The cruiser Philomel loft for Vavau and Suva on June 10, and the TutHnekai, with the Hon. Dr Pomaro, sailed for Nuie, Vavau, Nukualofa, and Sunday Island on June 12. Both vessels are expected to return to Auckland about the end of June.