A.—3

Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND

COOK AND OTHER ISLANDS. [In continuation of Parliamentary Paper A.-3, 1920.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

MEMORANDUM. The annual reports of the Resident Commissioners at Rarotonga and Niue are. attached hereto. During the year changes were .made, in the Administrations of Rarotonga and Niuc. Mr. F. W. Platts, who had boon Resident Commissioner at Rarotonga-for five years, was offered and accepted a position as Stipendiary Magistrate in New Zealand. Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., was appointed to succeed Mr. Platts, and took up his duties in February. Mr. J. C. Evison was appointed Resident Commissioner at Niue in place of Mr. G. N. Morris, who has been transferred to be Treasurer and Collector of Customs at Rarotonga. The, trade returns show a considerable increase in the value of imports—£l77,9ll, as against £142,925 for the previous year ; but the exports show a decline, being £94,697 for the year, as against £127,729 for 1919. This is due principally to the. fatling-oIT in the export of copra and pearl-shell. The shipping facilities have improved during the year, and the. service is gradually resuming pre-war conditions. There, is, however, room for further improvement, and there is no doubt that the time must come when in order to develop the trade of these, Islands, the question of providing adequate shipping facilities will have to be seriously tackled. The reports of the Medical Officers indicate that the health of the people has, on the whole, been good, and the statement that there has been a marked progressive decrease of tuberculosis in the northern islands during the past three years is very satisfactory. A census of the inhabitants of the Islands was taken simultaneously with the census in New Zealand. The following table shows the population of the various islands :—

Cook and other Pacific Islands.—Summary of Population. Table showing the Population (Native and other) of each Inhabited Island at the Census of 17th April, 1921.

* Includes twenty-two Native women married to and living as Europeans. Note.—There were no inhabitants at the islands of Manuae and Suwarrow. M. Pomake, Minister for the Cook Islands.

I—A. 3.

Native Population. .British and Foreign-born Population. Totals. Island. Males. Females. Males.* '"•*[ Sexes. Males. Females. Both Sexes. Aitutaki Atiu Mangaia Manihiki Mauke Mitiaro Palmerston Penrhyn Pukapuka Rakahanga Rarotonga 682 661 1,343 432 398 S30 625 584 1,209 224 205 429 290 205 561 106 101 207 41 42 83 170 200 370 288 242 530 171 138 309 1,708 1,519 3,287 14 4 10 3 12 16 3 11 30 7 21 3 17 090 430 035 227 308 106 41 174 288 172 1,873 077 401 595 205 270 101 42 202 242 138 1,030 1,373 837 1,230 432 578 207 83 370 530 310 3,503 5 4 2 "o 1 105 iii 1 216 Totals, Cook and Northern Islands 4,803 4,355 9,158 153 148 30] 4,950 4,503 9,459 Niue 1,703 1,988 3.691 33 20 59 1,736 2,014 3,750 Grand totals 0,500 6,343 12,849 0,517 13,209 180 174 300 0,092