A—3

The Officer for Islands Education, Wellington, paid a brief visit to Rarotonga in June, 1946. During the year the Education Officer visited the schools at Aitutaki (twice) and at Atiu and Mauke. Four pupils were sent to New Zealand in 1946.t0 take up scholarships made available by the Government, but one returned for health reasons. Another four pupils were granted scholarships in New Zealand in Januray, 1947. Two Native teachers were sent to New Zealand in January, 1947, for a four months 7 observation course in Native schools. Five film-strip projectors, one movie-sound film-projector, and a considerable quantity of other educational material and apparatus have been received from a special grant provided by the New Zealand Government. Social studies have been added to the school curriculum, and instruction in the Cook Islands Maori language is now given for one hour per week. Three text-books in the Native language are in use, and as more are produced the weekly period of instruction wilL be increased. A scheme for the provision of free milk for the children in the Rarotonga schools has been approved and will be extended as soon as possible to the outer islands schools. A site for a proposed training-school at Tereora, Rarotonga, has been obtained, and work on the preparation of plans for the buildings has been commenced. All school buildings throughout the Group have been maintained in good order and repair, and minor additions and improvements have been made. At Avarua School, Rarotonga, four new Native-style class-rooms have been erected and other class-rooms in the Rarotonga schools have been rethatched. IX. JUDICIAL ORGANIZATION The Cook Islands Act, 1915, prescribes the judiciary for the Group. The Cook Islands Amendment Act, 1946, establishes a Native Appellate Court of the Cook Islands ; this will enable appeals from the decisions of the Native Land Court and rehearings of earlier cases to be heard in the Cook Islands instead of in New Zealand. There are a Judge and two Commissioners of the High Court in Rarotonga, while the Resident Agents of the outer islands are also Commissioners of the High Court. The Native Land Court comprises a senior Judge (who is also the Judge of the High Court) and another Judge, but no Commissioners at present. The Judges of the Native Land Court of the Cook Islands, and Judges of the Native Land Court of New Zealand, are the Judges of the Native Appellate Court of the Cook Islands. High Court actions during the past five years are summarized hereunder :

Native Land Court proceedings during the same period were as follows :

11

. — 1942-43. 1943-44. 1944-45. 1945-46. 1946-47. Civil judgments : Rarotonga Divorces granted: Whole Group Criminal convictions : Rarotonga 34 10 1,197 50 26 1,360 60 . 15 1,401 35 13 1,195 51 20 > 1,179

i "" I ■ j'i. 1942-43. 1943-44. 1944-45. 1945-46. ' 1946-47. Applications heard 153 165 124 169 123' Orders made 158 161 115 159 99 Applications outstanding— Rarotonga 389 389 401 454 502 Other islands 685 702 738 838 858