Cook Islands coconut trade rough

A coconut grove at Rarotonga, Cook Islands. — Otago Witness, 23.8.1921
A coconut grove at Rarotonga, Cook Islands. — Otago Witness, 23.8.1921
A planter at Rarotonga writes to a relative in Masterton as follows: "Here, like everywhere else, we are feeling the depression. Never before was trade so bad. This state of affairs is chiefly due to the fact that we cannot ship our produce. In addition, the price of copra is low, so there is very little money circulating. The new Resident Commissioner (Mr J.G.W. Hewitt) is quite a success and everyone likes him. He found an empty treasury, so there is no money for anything. Our roads are in a deplorable state. Mr Hewitt will visit New Zealand shortly to try to raise money to carry on with. There exists a very bad feeling between the whites and the Maoris, which will take years to remove, so the new Commissioner has some grave difficulties to overcome. Government money has been lent freely to natives all over the group. One wonders how and when it will be repaid. There is plenty of labour offering just now, but when the Union Steam Ship Company won’t carry your fruit what is the use of planting? We can only hope for better times soon."

Civic welcome to Springboks

The Springboks were accorded a civic welcome at the Octagon Theatre yesterday afternoon. The Mayor (Mr J.S. Douglas) first introduced the New Zealanders, and later the Springboks. Both teams were given a hearty reception. Many ladies and representative citizens were present. The Mayor extended a welcome to the visitors as representatives of the great dominion of South Africa. Twenty-one years ago they had met their visitors in conflict as foemen worthy of their steel (applause). The South Africans, however, were now here as partners in our great Empire, to take part in another conflict. In the same manner as they appreciated them as worthy opponents 21 years ago they welcomed them today as worthy foemen in the Rugby Championship of the world. They all realised the big part South Africa played in the late war, and they felt grateful to their leader and soldier, General Smuts (applause) — who fought for honour and justice. The people of New Zealand also remembered the great hospitality extended to New Zealand boys by South Africans when proceeding to and from the war (applause). He was proud to extend a hearty welcome to the South Africans, the more so because the honour had been conferred on Dunedin of being the city in which the first test match was to be played.

A family of ‘pirates’

A family which has earned some notoriety in the Auckland district has just been broken up by six members being committed to the Auckland Receiving Home. In the family there were 14, all illegitimate. The father had been resident in New Zealand for 30 years and the mother came here from Australia 37 years ago. She was a quarter Australian aboriginal, a quarter Irish, and half Maori.  None of the children could read or write, and only two had attended school. The six committed to the home range in ages from two to 12. Two of the members not committed were recently in gaol. The whole family had been living in the ti- tree near the Wairoa River, and gained a livelihood by a campaign of thefts from goods lying at a nearby wharf. The plunder collected included goods of all kinds, from silk blouses and other clothing to a bicycle and a launch anchor.  An official report on the case shows that members of the family have not paid anything for goods for years, but have cheerfully followed a career of piracy on the Wairoa River.

Rugby player gets life ban

It is seldom (says the Manawatu Times) that a rugby union takes the extreme step of suspending a player for life. The Manawatu Union has done so. The captain of a team not only disputed the rulings of the referee, but used most objectionable language, and ultimately called his men off the field. Conduct of this sort cannot be condoned. If the services of referees are to be made available for matches, these officials must be protected against insults from the players. The game of rugby has been showing signs of deterioration in the Manawatu district for some time past, and the conduct of players has on more than one occasion been reprehensible. If the high traditions of sport are to be maintained and rugby is to occupy the prominent place to which it is entitled in the world of athletics, all conduct that is calculated to bring it into disrepute must be rigorously suppressed. The Rugby Union, by making an example of a serious offender, will do much to protect the same game from such abuses as will tend to bring about its extinction.

— ODT, 10.8.1921.

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