A—3

LOWER GROUP ISLANDS Rarotonga

Administration offices, school buildings, and residences have been maintained in good order; minor additions and improvements have also been made. The main road round the island has been kept in good order, and subsidiary roads have also been repaired and maintained. The bulldozer and grader from the air strip have materially assisted in road repairs, and the formation and surface of the roads have been greatly improved by their use. Two large bridges have been replaced, and other smaller bridges have been rebuilt ■or replaced by culverts. The air strip has been maintained in good order, and improvements to the buildings have been effected.

Aitutaki

On the whole, the health of the people has been good, but there were epidemics of influenza, running in waves from June to November, and of meningitis in July and August. Gastro-enteritis was widespread during the whole of the year. A Native medical practitioner has been stationed at Aitutaki throughout the year, and the Medical Officers of the United States Army unit gave valuable assistance until the force was finally evacuated early in September. The school roll now totals 604 pupils. One new Native-style class-room has been erected during the year, and other school buildings have been maintained in good order and condition. Only one shipment, of 1,000 cases, of oranges was made during the year, and it does not appear likely that there will be any fruit for export during the 1947 season. The citrus nursery is in a flourishing condition ; some 2,100 budded orange-trees have already been planted out, and it is anticipated that sufficient trees to complete the first 100 plots, each of 35 trees, will be available from the nursery by December, 1947. During 1946 81 tons of arrowroot and 185 tons of copra were exported. The Administration buildings have been maintained in good repair, and the roads have been kept in order. On Ist September, 1946, the United States Army unit was evacuated from Aitutaki, and control of the air base passed to the Aerodromes Branch, New Zealand Public Works Department. Officers from that Department assisted by local Native labour now maintain the air strip.

14

1942-43. 1943-44. j 1-944-45. 1945-46. | 1946-47. Shipping calls during'the year 9 8 13 13 12 Cases of oranges exported .. 18,107 6,000 9,706 14,561 4,790 Boxes of tomatoes exported .. 12,966 23,460 37,7*51 35,096 78,761 Cases , of bananas exported .. 9,419 4,825 2,298 3,136 54 High/Court cases dealt with .. 1,231 1,410 1,461 1,230 1 1,270

1942-43. 1943-44. 1944-45. 1945-46. 1946—47. Shipping calls during year* .. Cases of oranges exported High. Court cases dealt with .. 21 . 5,770 334 13 571 12 8,997 358 19 12,684 320 21 1,000 366 1 * Shipping calls shown under these headings include both overseas vessels and inter-island schooners.