LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1786, 4 November 1919, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

COOK ISLANDS. To the Editor of THE SUN. Sir, —As a good deal of reference is being made in. the newspapers to the Cook Islands, a few facts may assist to make the position more understandable. The government of the Islands is under the "Cook Islands Administration," in accordance with the Cook Islands Act, 1915. an Act passed by the Government of New Zealand, to make better provision with respect to the government and laws of the Cook Islands. Barotonga is the principal island of the group. Its area is, rouuhly, seven miles long by five wide. The population consists of about 3000 Natives and about 150 white people. The production and sale of fruit is the principal source of industry and revenue. There are about 10 trading stores owned by white storekeepers, and about 20 plantations of a total acreage of about 2000 acres leased and occupied by white planters. The remainder of the trading and planting is done by the Maori inhabitants, who produce threequarters of the fruit of the island. It is a fact that the white planters and traders are settled in the island for the purpose of profit, and naturally wish to make what they can out of the Maoris.

The Natives have every right to look after their own interests, and to secure any proper assistance from the Administration, and are following the examples of the producers in New Zealand by forming co-operative societies for distribution of their fruit which does not meet the approval of the traders in the island, as the Natives find by experience they are able to do better by themselves. As an instance of this I refer to the first 15 account sales taken indiscriminately from a large number before me. These show the gross proceeds of 1005 cases of oranges and bananas to be £903 1/11 —deducting all shipping and sale chargts, £231 10/2, leaves the net proceeds of £671 11/9, which amounts to 13/4 per case, and I have also before me several batches of account sales showing still better results. Out of this the Native has only to pay about 2/6 each for a case. The traders were prepared to buy this fruit from the Natives at 1/6 to 2/6 per case, and the progress in the native cooperative fruit distribution naturally is not approved of by the traders. These Native Co-operative Associations were formed some three years ago, and experienced the usual ups and downs of such societies; they are now being more thoroughly developed, with the result that the outcry against them by interested opposition is becoming more pronounced. Cook Islands is the natural source of tropical fruit for consumption in New Zealand, and from the Dominion point of view the? industry should be developed. The island Natives are a superior, intelligent race, and are capable of attending to this business uudef sympathetic and intelligent treatment. This is at present being well supplied by the Administration. A large amount of arrears of work in connection with land titles has been cleared up by the Native Land Court. Offences against the laws of the island are settled at the local court, which sits once a week. The fact that what might have become a serious riot on the return of the soldiers in March last was quelled and the offenders duly punished is evidence that the Natives respect the law as administered. There are four schools in the island, attended by about 550 scholars, many of whom are grown up, which will explain' the fact that the schools are appreciated by those for whom they were established. In addition to ordinary education, technical classes arc being organised, so that the Natives shall be able to become efficient artisans. With the co-operation of the fruit inspector and the school teachers, horticultural classes are held, and the fact that upwards of 60 Natives attend these classes is evidence of the popularity. Post Office, monoy-ordcr and telephone service is established, and Barotonga is linked up now with the outside world by up-to-date wireless station, and the telephone is extended

to each village where news of publi* interest, such as snipping notices and other information are supplied tree of charge for the benefit of those interested. A well-equipped hospital with resident medical officers is available, and the fact that, on a recent visit, there were only four patients in the institution is proof that the public health is attended to. When it is remembered that the islanders were subject to the influenza epidemic last year, and, owing to the prompt measures taken by the Administration, the deaths did not total more than about 50, it must be admitted that the position was one that those responsible have reason to be proud of, more particularly when comparing the conditions that occurred in other countries, where conditions are supposed to be more favourable. Water is piped to each dwelling, and periodical home cleanings are part of the recognised system. There is a good road round the island, and there are about 50 motor vehicles at present regularly using this and roads that run inland. The Administration has done good work in assisting the Natives to make the island prosperous, and with the loyal co-operation of the inhabitants. Rarotonga should become the model native settlement in the British Empire, and this can be extended to the other islands of the group. The greatest drawback to progress at present is the hostility of the interested white residents to the development of the native interests, and the very unsatisfactory shipping facilities for the export of fruit. Full publicity to the affairs of the islands is given annually, and these reports are available to those desiring information. An association composed of about 50 Europeans was formed in 1916, professedly to assist to develop and improve conditions, but a perusal of the proceedings of this society (printed by the Brett Company, Auckland, price 3/6) shows that, while some aims were desirable, the development became so antagonistic to the Administration as to completely nullify any chance of progress which it might liave assisted. Any interested reader is strongly recommended to peruse the annual reports published by the Administration, and also the report of the Progressive Association. FrOm a personal visit to Rarotonga, I am satisfied that the official report is a fair statement, and I am also satisfied that the report of the Progressive Association will explain quite satisfactorily to any intelligent reader that the complaints of the white traders are caused by their shortsighted want of consideration to the real interests of the Natives, who should be encouraged to produce. Under the existing circumstances, it is a matter of surprise to me that the position at the islands is as satisfactory as it is, but, as the Natives are now understanding and taking a larger interest in jbeir own progress, the prospects are extremely bright. —I am,

ADVANCE BABOTONGA. OUR ISLAND TRADE. To the Editor of THE SUN. Sir, —The heads of the Government and of the Opposition both recognise that there is something wrong with our island trade. The Cook Islands are dissatisfied with-smr administration, it seems, and the trade is going to America. What the causes are the proposed Royal Commission may reveal — and it may not. The immediate situation is that the discovery of our apparent unpopularity in these regions comes at a most inopportune time, we being actively engaged taking up the white man's burden in Samoa laid down byGermany fife years ago. The white man's burden includes a large corral of indentured Chinese. "We have taken them on without a murmur, save from the Labour Party, and are importing more, our equal aims being to work the island to profit and to give the poor Celestials a happy time. Indenture is a famous factor in civilising and beautifying the lower races: look at the Chinese on the Band, the Indians in Natal, and those peculiarly favoured emigrants, the Indian coolies in Fiji, the condition of whom drew even the Purdah ladies of India from their long seclusion, to protest to the Viceroy against the hideous form of brown slavery that was rousing a section of India's poor to hopeless frenzy. Well, we are taking up our burden, bucklered thus in rectitude, when up turns this unwelcome revelation about Barotonga, implying that we are not the people to keep the business end of an Imperial ordeal like this. Absurd allegation! We took it on straight from the business-like hands of Imperial Germany, and our law-makers (with 10 dissentients) assure us we cannot lm« prove on her labour-recruiting methods. But here again up crops our rival. America is our neighbour in Samoa. She is after copra, as we are; she wants as much as she can get, the same as we do. But she has other ways of recruiting labour. Judge Watson, in a recent book, tells us that America has accomplished tlio impossible in making the Samoau free labourer work, and to such advantage as to increase the former copra output ninefold. She did it, he says, by eliminating the planter and buying direct from the natives. It is curious that nobody but the National Council of Women seems to have noticed this alternative, when they passed their resolution two months ago against the Government allowing indentured labour in Samoa. It is said that the Samoans like the Americans better than they like us. Among other things, America seems to provide better against influenza and tropical diseases than we do, and the natives notice that, while we prohibit them from drinking, the Americans in addition prohibit themselves. It seems we are not going to pursue our happy old calf-trail in peace, now that America is taking her more direct road- through the South Seas. Would it not be cheaper to send one commissioner over to America straight and find out why we are losing grip of things that spell efficiency?—l am, etc. JESSIE MACKAY. November 3.