COOK & NIUE ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 2

COOK & NIUE ISLANDS.

HEALTH OF NATIVES. r LABOUR .PROBLEM SOLVED. 'The condition of affairs in the Cook Islands and other island dependencies of :N.ew Zealand.'is described in reports by the Resident Commissioners at Rarotonga and at Niue, which were presented to v Parliament yesterday. Tho reports show ; 'that.Oie-rbvohuo in.the Cook Islands for • tho year ended March 31, 1912, amounted to i£8924, or an increase of .£655 over tho previous year, while .£9430 was expended, being an increase of .£1383 as compared with tho preceding year. The sum of .£•1190, or Ji973 more than in the previous ' year, was. spent on publio works. The cash balance at tho close of the year was :jeiisi.!; ~: 7; ;: ~. . 1 In tho island of Nino the revenue from all sources amounted to .£1797, . or .£353 more than in the provious year. The expenditure amounted.: to. -£2089, .£845 being spent on. publio works. The balance at the end of tho year was .£1490. Steady progress in trade in both the Cook and Niue Islands is being mainWined. " In the Cook Islands the imports for the ■year totalled or jin advance of the provious year. Of this amount .£66,787 represents tho value of imports from New Zealand. The exports amounts od to 4191,076, being an increase of .£337 on the exports for. the previous year. At Niuo Island the imports were of tho valuo of ,£9838, and the exports .£12,047, being an increase of and a decrcaso of ,£OS respectively, as compared with the figures for the previous year. Sixtyeight per cent, of the import trade was with Now Zealand. Experiments in the cultivation of seaisland cotton at Niue have been carried Hut, and a sample sent Home for analysis was most favourably reported upon. Endeavours are now being made to start the industry on a satisfactory basis. Two medical officers aro now stationed in the Cook Islands, and one' medical officer at Niue. The Commissioner states that excellent.work has been done in Rarotonga in looking after the health of I the Natives. Both Europeans and Natives have taken full advantage of the hospital, which is now thoroughly equipped. Mr. Eman Smith states that in the circumstances all that is possible is being done, but it is not enough to preserve the race. Thorough attention to the health of the Natives is.imperative, and the Commissioner recommonds that tho New Zealand Government should provide an auxiliary schooner, with quarters for the medical division, with'sick bays in which patients could be' convoyed from the outlying islands to the hospital at ! Rarotonga. Leprosy,' which has evidently been imported in recent years, exists to a considerable extent, and the.manner in which the lepers now live is nothing short of disgraceful. It is vitally important that steps should bo taken immediately to arrest tho disease. . .'.ln a report fo the-Commissioner, dated October 10, '1910; the chief medical officer, Dr. M. Perceval, states that he made a visit to the outlying islands, and found that the health, of the islands was deplorable. Leprosy is rifo on every island except Rarotonga. , Dr. Perceval recommends that; all lepers should be isolated on Penrhya, ; and that "steps should at once bo taken to relieve the enormous amount of suffering which exists in these islands."" — : ■";: The education of Native children in the Cook Islands is mainly in tho hands of the London 'Missionary. Society, now about .to vacato the islands. English is taught in only one school, and the Commissioner recommends that a system of education should be established, maintained by the Now Zealand Government, nnd administered by-the Cook Islands Administration. • The' Commissioner remarks_ that,' in his .'last..annual.roport, he mentioned, that., a • difficulty was being experienced in-ob-taining labour for shipping and plantation. •;-'. ■•■-. ' ?I am glad to be able to inform you now," ho continues, "that the labour question, 'as far as the Polynesian is concerned, has been practically settled .by the introduction of picture-shows, no ' fewer than .four, botpg established on,the,island ofoßarotonga)"and .as much'' as i£lso'a ■i month is being paid by the proprietors of;.the pioture-shows for the use of films. The Native now chooses to amuse himself by attending every night, and additional money being therefore required by him to supply his desire, he is more anxious to seek employment in tho shipping and other directions,. in addition to which he gives attention--to-his-own plantation. ,"I stated previously that I was totally opposed to the introduction', of Asiatic labour in any form. I am more convinced than ever that "the strictest supervision should.' be exercised by tho authorities now that.' it-is within measurable distance of the opening.of the' Panama Canal. Since my last report Chinese and .Tnpanese have been flocking in to the French . islands, which.are in a direct lino to Panama, and only two days' steam from the Cook Islands. Fortunately, the Resident Commissioner has the power to exclude Chinese and other Asiatics from the British possessions in the Cook Islands, and just so. long a3 I remain Resident .Commissioner it is my intention to striotly enforce'tho law of exclusion."