RAROTONGAN TRADE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 157, 29 March 1920, Page 4

RAROTONGAN TRADE

-—-* LONG-STANDING DISPUTE A dispute of long standing between the Resident Commissioner of Rarotonga (Mr. Platts) nnd the white traders on the island was one of the matters brought under the notice of the Samoan party. The traders complain that Mr. Platts is aiming at control of the trade of the island by the Administration, and they quote two of his official acts. They allege that in 1918 Mr. Platts, by making public the copra prices ruling at Papeete, induced uative growers to send copra to Papeete. Owing to a scries of misfortunes, including the epidemic hold-up, the copra was not landed at Papeete for many weeks, being actually over-carried to Auckland and -back. Eventually it was sold at Papeete, but in the meantime, prices had fallen, and after the natives had paid three freights they found they had suffered considerable loss. In 191!), being dissatisfied with the prices offered by traders for their fruit, the native growers resolved to form a cooperative association and ship direct. They found that there was difficulty m securing fruit cases and some question about shipping space. They invoked the Commissioner's aid, with the icsult that both space and cases were found and a largo quantity of fruit reached the New Zealand market. The net returns are stated to have been very considerably in excess of what would have been declared if the traders' offer had been accented. Speaking to a deputation from the J\ative Fruitgrowers' Association, Sir James Allen said he approved of the steps Mr. Platts had taken in-order to find them a free market. The traders, on the other hand, complain to the Parliamentary party that the Commissioner was using his 'powers to "influence rnd coerce natives to boycott the. traders." Mr Platts, explaining his position, said that'he knew a copra Ting existed. Ac Ion" as he was Commissioner he considered ?t his duty to break that ring, as after careful inquiry he had been convinced the ring vm making large profits at tlio expense of the'natives. He coiild hnrdl.v lie expected to foresee the epidemic aim other extraordinary happenings which interfered with the landing of n parhciln': shipment at Papeete. Tho Commissioner told the. party that he considered the first essentials towards helping Cook Island trade wero an in-ter-island auxiliary schooner controlled bv.the Administration an implied steamer service controlled bv tnn Administration, an improved steamer service between New Zealand and Rarotonga, tho P«n"o Pango system of copra sales by the Government for the natives, and sufficient and suitable packing and curing sheds for fruit. A representative of tho traders, Mr. H. Fisher, said, in reply, that the Commissioner was simply boycotting the traders. There was really nothing in Mr. Platts's suggestion that producers m remote islands wero at tho mercy of one schooner which chanced to ca and pickup' produce. If anything,, the islands were "over traded." Firms in tho island business woro keenly competitive, nnd tho trader who dealt with the producer unfairly knew he could not hope to hold that man's tartness. The traders hud already found it was difficult to secure enough business to make '"tews l . l }"" schooners pay. Mr. Fisher added that while an improved steamer service would help matters, it would not w.nollv solve the difficulties that existed in getting produce away from the .group where landings were f.o uncertain. I lie tirm with which he was connected had, completed the purchase for a sum of ,Cb.ooo of a four-masted schooner, then lying in San Francisoo harbour. Tins vessel was to collect and carry awav copra from the "roup to America, nnd constituted a further reason why the Commissioner should not be permitted to exorcise his great powers in the direction of putting another inter-island schooner into already , over-tradod watem-Pross Am.