RARATONGA

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2179, 5 July 1928, Page 3

RARATONGA

A PLEASURE RESORT FOR NEW ZEALAND. REV. C. A. FRAER'S VISIT. Five days sail from "Wellington lies the beautiful tropical island of Rarotonga, the centre of the Cook Group. The Rev. C. A. Fraer, vicar of Phillipstown, who has just returned from a six weeks visit there, considers that not nearly enough is made of the scenic attractions which the island—now virtually part of New Zealand—possesses. "Rarotonga should be to""-'New Zealand what Honolulu -is to America," was his comment to a Christchurch Press reporter. Though just outside the tropical latitudes it was essentially 'tropical in character. It had luxurious vegetation and the staple products were the tropical fruits —oranges, bananas, and c.ocoanuts. Much of New Zealand's tropical fruit came from there and the steamer on which Mr Fraer returned lifted 12,000 cases of oranges. There was a mail service at intervals of a fortnight and various trading schooners. The' Sir Maui Pomare was about to be placed on the run. The island was ten miles long, four wide, and twenty in circumference. The population consisted of 4,000 Maoris—first cousins of the New Zealand natives—and some 200 white people. There were plenty of recreational facilities and the island provided an ideal holiday resort close to the Dominion. FOOTBALL AT 85 DEGREES. "The Maoris there are a very fine type, especially the women," said Mr Fraer. "The men treat their women' very well and do most of the housework. As in New Zealand, they are fond of sport. You cannot imagine how different a football match is played against a tropical background and under native conditions. I had the opportunity of witnessing a match played with the temperature at 85 degrees. None of the Maoris seemed to,, turn a hair, but an unfortunate white man who was playing was having a hard time." THE LORE OF THE PAST. To the student of ethnology the island presented some unique features. Mr Fraer visited a place which he termed the "Westminister Abbey" of the Maori. This was a native meeting place of a past age. One could see how strict was the social scale. There were separate seats for the Ariki and Rangatiras, and so on. One of the smaller islands in the Cook Group had sunk out of sight since it was discovered.