THE COOK ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1857, 17 September 1913, Page 4

THE COOK ISLANDS.

STEADY PROGRESS.

THE NATIVES AND THEIR LANE

Tho steady progress being made by tho Dominion's "foreign possessions" is described in a report tabled in the Legislative Council yesterday, dealing with tho Cook Islands and other islands of the South.'Seas, which are govornedi by tho Now Zealand Legislature. Tho Minister in charge of tlio Department is tho Hon. Dr. Pomaro.' Tho report' states that tho rcvenuo in tho Cook Is- 1 lands amounted to £9420, boing an increase of £496 over tho previous year. The expenditure for tho year amounted to £11,508, or £2078 in excess of the previous year. Of this amount, £4362 V was expended on publio works. The 1 balance standing to tho credit of tlio Administration on March 31 last was £2003.

At .Niuo Island tho year's operations, resulted most favourably, tho revenue of £2080 boing record, njid £883 in advance of tho previous year. Tho expenditure amounted to £2320, or £230 more than was expended in tho year 1911-12. A sum of £1126 was expended on publio works. . In both tho Cook Islands and Niuo trade has steadily progressed. In the' Cook Islands, the year has been an ceedingly good ono for botli growers and traders. Imports amountod to £93,812, as against £89,623 in 1911. Of, this amount, goods to the valuo ofi £73.704 wore imported from New. Zca-\ land. Tho total export trado wa3i £101,708, or £10,632 in excess of tho! previous year. Tlio trade at Niuo has' been equally satisfactory. The imports j for tho year amountod to £19,119, as against £9838 in 1911. .Of this amount' goods to the valuo of £15,990 were im- i ported from New Zealand. Tho total exports for- the samo period amounted to £15,709, or £3662 in excess of tho previous year. In. tho Cook Islands tho health of the ( peoplo is'receiving full attention, and both tho Chief Medical Officer and his assistant' aro doing good work. Tliora is a growing appreciation of the benefits of the hospital treatment provided at Rarotonga amongst both the European and Nativo people of tho community. A permanent medical officer 1 has recently been appointed at tho Island of Niuo, and tho Government has. considered it expedient this year to in-; croaso tho subsidy for tho medical sei*' v.ico at this island. :'

Tlio, system of- education established at Niuo Island has worked very satisfactorily, and. it is proposed to appoint \ an assistant teacher to enable the workto. bo extended. / . _ / lu. connection with the fruit indus-i try thoro is attached a report by- Mr*! G. Esani, fruit inspector, who has beeni transferred to New Zealand, and whosaj place bus been-filled by Mr. E. A. Reid,! who,; having on a previous occasion filled 1 , the samo position on the island, is nostranger to tho needs of tho fruit industry. Tho Administration hae acquired an area of, land which, by expenditure of a considerable sum oiij very necessary drainage, will bo wel| suited for tho purpose of agricultural experiments, and these, under tho ooik duct of Mr. Iloid, will, it is hoped/ j/rovo an advantage to growers and ex?; porters, both Native and European,! and will aro'uso tho Natives from their apathy.' Europeans aro eager to securoi land, but tho Natives are reluctant in granting leases, and yet they do littloj or nothing to improve their lands and l make them more productive. Somo severe means of compulsion will havo to be adopted, otherwise Native lands will rapidly, degenerate into mere junglo, and the oxport of fruit rapidly decrease. It is Only duo to tho extraordinary Jiatx 1 ura'l'proauctivencss df, these islands that exports havo reached their present high-I level, but the figures only remotely indicate tho possibilities under systematic cultivation

Tho vital statistics show tliat the. population of tlio group as a whole increased slightly. Tho excess of births over deaths was only 60, miring .tho'year; 1912. Koports by Dr. A. R. Jlaclurkin,: assistant medical officer, who .visited tihojl islands of Mangaia ana Aitutaki, show that frequont medical visitation and su«' pervision 'is imperatively recessavy, owing to tho great" amount of disease among • tho Native inhabitants, largelyi duo to their neglect and apathy as to- . cleanliness and sanitay matters.,; In tho ( opinion of tho Resident Commissioner, aj third medical oflioer should bo appointed, ■ who would visit each island as opportunity offers, staying at each soma weeks. This would involve an expendi-t turo at present beyond tho means of tha ( Administration. i Tho statistics of tho High Court- of the Coot Islands show a considerable increase in various classes of crime, especially those which may bo dircctly or indirectly attributed to tho manufacture and drinking of bush beer. The cases of drunkenness and manufacture of ousli beer investigated were 123, as against 66 in tho previous year. The cases or theft increased from 23 to 41, and or' various petty offences from ..9 to GO. Cases of assault decreased from'to 20, and of breaches of the Licensing Act from G to 2. Tho cases heard totalled : 284, as against 197 for tlio previous year. ' ' .