THE TRADE & OUTLOOK

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1637, 2 January 1913, Page 3

THE TRADE & OUTLOOK

OF COOK ISLES, . fr_ AN INTERVIEW. RETURN OF JUDGE MACCORMICK. One of the passengers who returned to Wellington by tho steamer Tahiti yesterday was Judge MacCormick, of tho Nativo Land Court, who has been Aetingduriug the just eleven mouths as i Resident Commissioner of tho, Cook Islands. Originally Judgo; MacCormick was appointed to carry'out administrative and judicial duties at tho Islands for a period of six months, but the present vioveniiiicnt, when it camo into office, extended the appointment for an additional period of five months. On leaving Earotonga. Judgo MacCormick loft in charge Mr. Stevenson, Collector of Customs, who will carry on the administration until a permanent Resident Commissioner has ueen appointed. Upon political questions Judge MacCormick naturally declined to touch, but he spoke on other matters,' The Islands, ho said, do not afford extensive openings for further whito settlement, and no such openings exist in Earotonga. Some of the smaller outlying'islands afford scope for the enterprise of planters, but communication between these.places and the principal island is at present rather inirequont. '

It is considered at Earotonga that the fruit trade cannot expand to any extent for wan of additional markets. 'New Zealand is the only market within reach of the Cook Islands, and' New Zealand has other sources of supply. The time when bananas are dear in New Zealand is just the time when- tho Earotonga' planters have none to sell. Judge MacCormick mentioned an instance in which a planter cleared £2$ net on 54 cases of bananas, but added that such prices are only obtainable on small lots when supplies aro short. As showing how prices drop in the season of plenty, tho figures', for a couple of late shipments are interesting. ' To make the matter plain, it must be mentioned that growers' at tho island-receive a price for the fruit alone. Tho purchasers provide the cases, do tho packing, and pay tho freight. For bananas which, were brought to New Zealand by the Talune on December 12, growers were paid for their fruit at the rate of Bs. per case. For tho shipment which. tho Tahiti brought into port yesterday, growers. got only 2s. per case. ~. ,° in copra. Judge MacCormick thinks, is capable of cilornious expansion, since there is an unlimited market for this product, but it takes on an average abont'twelvo years to bring coconut palms 1 into full bearing. Tho Cook Islands pro- : dnco a big oraugo' crop, and limes growi well. A.good deal of coffee is produced,' but the plants are allowed to run wild, and little effort has been made to culti-'

vato them systematically.' The population of the islands, Judge MacCormick states, is stationary, if not dwindling., It is ratherdifficult to form an. exact estimate of population • because there is a ■ considerable transference of 1 people from one island to another. Broadly speaking, there is'a tendency for population to move fromithe outlying, islands ■ to Rarotonga. — . In Parliament from time to time mention has been made of the Maraerenga Lagoon at Earotonga, and of tho desirability of draining it. Judge MacCormick states' that this work has been put in hand. Necessary land has lioen acquired, and ;the engineer in chargo of tho work csti- ' mates that for the sum of, .£IOOO fifteen or. sixteen acres of: swamp, adjacent to the settlement,- and now a< breedingground for mosquitos, can be converted into fertile land. ■ Earotonga, Judge MacCormick mention■ed, is considered one of the most beautiful islands in the South Pacific. He has' himself seen the Society Islands, and in' his judgment Earotonga: easily surpasses any of.the islands of that group.- The Hon. Jos'. Brycc, after visiting many of tho Pacific, Islands,'said that the most beautiful he had seen were Rarotonga and Morea;thn latter a'French* possession. " : ; Judge had a busy, time' 'during his'eleven months'* stay attho is- ' lands. Apart; from his-'admiriistrativo duties as' Resident Commissioner, he had :a considerable amount of work to do in connection'-with-native land titles, and,in, presiding over tho work of the High ..Court.; Ho went to Rarotonga. accompanied by his wife, but Mrs. MacCormick returned to New Zealand after a stay of some weeks at the islands) Last evening Judge MacCormick left by.Main Trunk express for his homo at Auckland;

The. Prime Minister stated last ovening that :Jiidge 'MacCormick would resume his duties in the Native Land Court. The offico of E-esident Commissioner at the Cook Islands would probably be filled very shortly.- Meantime, ■'. Mr. Stevenson, Collector of Customs, would carry on the duties. During last session of' Parliament it wis announced;thnt the Hon. Dr. : Pomare, Minister in charge of the Cook' Islands, would visit them during the recess. The' Prime Minister stated that no date had yet' been set down for this Ministerial visit.-, j ..