Cook Islands.

Manawatu Herald, 1 July 1899, Page 3

Cook Islands.

(Continued.) The Queen of Riratonga, who honored me with an interview, lives in a wooden villa, and makes some display, having her hou^e sump tuously furnished wuh plates, knives and forks, and all the conveniences of civilisation, all this is in evidence when the globe trotter turns up. Still her Maj<<sty 13 happiest when she can resume the customs of her people. She is an amiible and intelligent woman, and a very practical Christian. Her age, I should think, would be abjut forty, and she has a coneort. The marriage, however has proved childless, and Queen Macaire has adopted some of her subjects' youngster?, for she is inordinately fond of children. I had a camera, and the Queen' hearing of its wonderful effects I was able to produce, desired that I should visit and photograph herself and retinue. This 1 did, and it seemed to afford her considerable pleasure. I was accompanied in (his and subsequent inter* iws by the interpreter, for her Majesty has but an imperfect knowledge of Engli-b. This did not prevent her exhibiting a considerable amount of interest in the information I was able to impart. Sbe particularly desired me to speak of New Zealand, as she bad heard of my -residence there. Her interest for instance in the Maoris was noticeably striking " Tell me," she said, " of the Maori?, and 1 shall endeavor to make your stay with us as pleasant as possible," and certainly 6he was true to her promise. l4 Arp the Maori?," she said, " like the Kanakas 9 " I replied they were in many respects. The language possessed a striking similarity ; their appearance wanting perhaps the darkness of the Maoris, being more like half-castes. All her questions suggested intelligence as much as curiosity. One day we were talking of the work of the missionaries and she spoke appreciably of the good work they hid done among the people. There way one small island she was anx'ou? that a missionary should be sent to but the local chirf demurred and apked what had the missionary done for her. She said he had done a great deal and had told har of Jesus. And what has Jesus done frr yhi ? continued tbe chief. " I will show you," she replied and with that sh' took one of the little children she had adopted and sittiug her on the ground in front of her house prn ceeded to get a quantity of dripd cocoanut leaves aud encirclrd her with them, then she set fire to this inflammable material and whilst ii biased she rushtd through the flam- s and rescued the youngster from the burning flrp, saying •• as I bavv saved this child so has Christ saved me from Hell. 11 The chief appeared convinced by this reasoning, and at last consented to the introduction of a missionary, and the island was christianised. The position of tht Queen is that of Sovereign of the inland comprising the Cook Group An impression of Her Majesty ap pears upon the postage stamp?, and her subject States are indicated by Beven stars representing the chief island of the group. It has been suggested that the ordinary postagt stamp distinguishing British coloniesshould replace this nominal recogni tion of independence. This proposal had caused a display of feeling on the part of a considerable section of the inhabitant?. I thing it is one of the causes of friction existing, for considerable importance attaches in the native mind to these stamps, and the transactions of their native parliament, which meets at Rtratonga periodically; tbe Queen, with due respect to the growing power of the democracy stated that nhe was personally quite unconcerned what was done as she trusted her parlia ment. Our interference in tb.9 concerns of these people are of the ligbest, and it is well it is so. The mere recoguition of the authority cf Britishers is all that is demanded, and we let (he people make their own laws, treating offenders by time honoured custom.