COOK ISLANDERS GAIN ACADEMIC SUCCESSES Three satisfying ‘firsts’ for Cook Islanders have recently been achieved under the Government scholarship scheme, instituted in 1947, announced the Minister for Island Territories, Mr Götz, recently. These successes indicated, said the Minister, that the scholarship scheme was now reaching maturity after years of patient and farsighted administration. Not least important, he said, was the encouragement given to younger scholarship students. Dr Williams. Mr Sadaraka. The three ‘firsts’ are: Dr Joseph Williams, aged 26, of Aitutaki, the first Maori from New Zealand Island Territories to complete examinations for his medical degree under the scheme. Mr Tere Mataio, LL.B., aged 26, of Rarotonga, the first to become a fully-qualified solicitor. Mr Metuakore Sadaraka, aged 26, of Aitutaki, the first to complete the examinations for Master of Arts. Dr Williams, who arrived in New Zealand in 1950 to begin his secondary education at Northland College, Kaikohe, began studies at Otago Medical School in 1955. After five years there and a sixth at Christchurch, he began his house surgeon's year last January at Dannevirke Hospital. Mr Mataio came to New Zealand in 1947 to attend New Plymouth Boys' High School, where he became a prefect and a member of the first XV. studied law at Victoria University of Wellington and has worked successively in the Departments of Justice, Maori Affairs and Island Territories. The first Cook Islander to be admitted, last year, as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, he completed the final subjects for his LL.B. degree in 1960, and has applied to be admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court, prior to being capped in May. Mr Matato. Mr Sadaraka came to New Zealand in 1948 from Araura primary school, Aitutaki, to attend Northland College, Kaikohe. In 1958, he became the first Cook Islander to attain a university degree (Bachelor of Arts) subsequently going to Rarotonga as clerk of the Cook Islands' Legislative Assembly. Last year, he returned to the staff of Island Territories Department in Wellington and passed the examination for his M.A. degree at Victoria University. He is now completing his thesis on economic development in the Cook Islands, and will return to Rarotonga later this year.

OLD MAORI HOUSE RESTORED A tribute to New Zealand generosity appeared in a newspaper of the National Trust issued in London. The letter reports the restoration of the Maori house in the gardens of Clandon Park in the south of England made possible by the generosity of the New Zealand Government, the joint New Zealand shipping lines, the National Bank and the Bank of New Zealand. The Maori people themselves supplied the roof timbers shipped from New Zealand. The Maori house was an 18th century building at Wairoa. The eruption of a volcano badly damaged the dwelling and it remained half-buried for several years until the fourth Earl of Onslow, who was Governor-General at the time, had the debris transported to Clandon in 1886. It has been restored as nearly as possible to the original construction, with a thatched roof. Some carving and decoration still has to be done.