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Table 2—Percentage of Attendance in Adminlstbation Schools School. Percentage. j School. Percentage. Avarua .. .. .. 90-00 ) Tamarua .. .. .. 95-30 Arorangi .. .. 93 • 50 | Mauke . . .. 97 • 40 Ngatangiia .. .. -.92-90 Atiu .. .. ..91-80 Titikaveka .. . . 93 •60 Araura .. .. 96 ■7O Oneroa .. .. 90 •00 Pukapuka .. .. 94 •00 Ivirua .. .. 94 ■ 90 No schools have been closed for any period during the year for illness or other reasons. Table 3—Staff At 31st March, 1950, the total staff was : European .. .. .. 14 Maori .. .... .. 173 (including 26 students who began training during the year). H. Cultural Institutions There are no newspapers in the Group, news being distributed by means of press sheets circulated by the administration. The New Zealand Broadcasting Service shortwave station broadcasts programmes nightly to the Pacific area. These programmes occasionally feature items specifically concerning the Cook Islands. There is the nucleus of a circulating library in Rarotonga, and attention is being directed to its development. PART IV—ECONOMIC CONDITIONS A. Natural Resources The rich, volcanic soil of the Lower Group, in which tropical produce grows rapidly, comprises the principal natural resource of the Cook Islands. In the Northern Islands, soil is scarce and is for the most part replaced by a coarse coral sand. There are no forestry reserves or resources in the Group, though a certain amount of planting is being undertaken to check soil erosion and to provide timber for fruit-cases. There are no known mineral resources of any value. B. Agriculture The agricultural administrative organization is headed by a Director of Agriculture. Provision has been made for the appointment of a Crop Development Officer and two Orchard Instructors. District packing-sheds situated on Rarotonga and in other citrusproducing islands of the Lower Group are managed by local committees. A Fruit Advisory Committee elected by growers is in close contact with the latest developments in the production and shipping of citrus fruit. During the year the Agriculture Department has directed its attention mainly towards the development of citriculture, and has also been responsible for maintaining citrus and banana nurseries and for the supervision of machine cultivation, power spraying, fruit inspection, and the packing of citrus fruit for export. The Department also controls and supervises the export of tomatoes and copra. The following are the estimated areas planted in principal crops : Acres. Coconuts .. .. .. .. .. 18,000 Citrus fruits .. .. .. .. .. 775 Tomatoes .. .. .. .. .. 300 Manioc (cassava) .. .. .. .. 550

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