A—3

2. Population The areas and estimated population of the islands of the Group as at 31st March, 1948, are shown in the following table :

Cook Island labourers absent in Makatea on the same date : From Rarotonga .. .. .. .. 202 From Mangaia .. .. .. .. 65 From Mauke .. .. .. .. 60 From Mitiaro .. .. .. .. 25 .—_ Total .. .. .. .. ..352 3. History Some of the islands of the Lower Group were discovered in 1773 by Captain Cook, who first touched at Manuae. Rarotonga, Mauke, and Mitiaro, however, were not recorded by Europeans until 1523, when the Rev. John Williams, of the London Missionary Society, located them. The Cook Islands became a British Protectorate in 1888, and in 1901 were annexed to the British Empire and proclaimed part of New Zealand. 4. People The Cook Islanders are Polynesians and are referred to as Maoris. Their kinship to the New Zealand Maoris is very close and their language is only slightly different from that spoken by their cousins in New Zealand. Census figures disclose that the people are steadily increasing in number. The total population (including Europeans) rose from 8,518 in 1906 to 10,081 in 1926, and then to 14,519 recorded in the last census in 1945. Of the latter total, only 231 were Europeans. The Natives are all professed Christians, adhering to the churches conducted by the London Missionary Society, the Roman Catholic Mission, and the Seventh Day Adventist Mission.

4

Area. Population. Island. Males. Females. Total. European. Native. European. Native. Acres. Rarotonga 16,500 166 2,714 91 2,578 5,549 Mangaia 17,500 7 910 o 952 1,871 Mauke .. 4,600 6 322 3 442 773 Mitiaro 2,500 95 125 220 Atiu 6,950 "6 687 "6 588 1,287 Aitutaki 3,900 7 1,282 3 1,216 2,508 Palmerston 1,000 34 33 67 Pukapuka 1,250 6 335 1 332 674 Manihiki 1,250 4 214 1 235 454 Rakahanga 1,000 2 168 155 325 Penrhyn 4,000 369 331 700 Manuae 1,524 18 10 28 Takutea 302 Nassau 300 Suwarrow 600 204 7,148 107 6,997 i / i , / Y V Totals 63,176 7,352 7,104 14,456