A.—3

2

COOK ISLANDS. REPORT OF THE RESIDENT COMMISSIONER OF RAROTONGA FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 st MARCH, 1921. Sir, — Rarotonga, sth August, 1921. I have, the honour to submit my report to the 31st March, 1921. As I did not take charge here until the 7th February this year, I am not in a position to deal in detail with matters that are usually covered by Resident Commissioners' reports, and I. think it better lo leave what I have to say on these matters until I have had the experience of a full year's term of office. I enclose herewith return showing values of imports and exports, High Court and Native; Land Court returns, return of vital statistics, census return, estimates for the year 1921-22, and statement of receipts and expenditure to the 31st March, 1921. The Medical Officer's report for the year has already been forwarded to the Secretary. T wisli to draw particular attention to the financial position of the Administration as on the 31st March. The statement of receipts and expenditure shows a credit balance, of £7,939 15s. Id. This balance is .made up as under : — £ s, d.■ Fixed deposit witli Bank of New Zealand, Auckland .. .. 1,000 0 0 Cash on current account, Bank of New Zealand, Auckland . . .. 3,069 7 2 Cash in Treasury, Rarotonga .. .. .. .. .. 1,305,17 7 Debts due to Administration ... .. .. £3,152 3 I Less amounts owing by Administration .. 587 12 9 2,564 10 4 £7,939 15 1 The amount mentioned above as being owing by the, Administration —namely, £587 12s. 9d. — is made up of sums deposited by Natives for safe deposit—trust funds that should at all times be available to meet applications for withdrawal. The actual working balance is therefore reduced to £3,437 lis. 7d. Against this there were debts due by the Administration, incurred prior to the 31st March, amounting to £7,126 19s. lOd. Of this amount £5,126 19s. lOd. has already been paid, and the balance will be paid as soon as funds are available. There are sums amounting in the aggregate to £4,649 due to the Administration for wireless receipts, stamp salesj High Court fines and fees, &c, for the period 1920-21, and as these come in the pressure will be much relieved. As the position is at present it is not possible for me to undertake any new work, and I am confining myself to general organization and to carrying out some very necessary repairs to Government buildings and officers' residences. I estimate the revenue for this year at between £16,000 and £17,000, and expenditure at £21,895. This expenditure, of course, includes the debts due before the 31st March, already referred to. I have, &c, J. George L. Hewitt, Resident Commissioner. The Hon. Dr. Pomare, C.M.G., Minister for the Cook Islands, Wellington. EXTRACT FROM REPORT OP CHIEP MEDICAL OFFICER, RAROTONGA (Dr. R, S. TROTTER). Rarotonga,, 30th April, 1921. In Rarotonga 7,160 visits and attendances were made upon Maoris, and 431 upon Europeans ; total, 7,891. In the outer islands 2,484 visits were made. The, sickness rate has been less than for the previous year. Ten islands outside Rarotonga were visited during the year, but owing to lack of communication we were unalble to call at Takutea, Suwarrow (at present uninhabited), Palmerston, and Nassau. In the northern islands there has been a marked decrease, of tuberculosis, and this has been progressive during the past three years. Hospital : 139 in-patients were treated at the hospital during the year: the average stay was eighteen days. Eighteen major and thirty-five minor operations were performed, and a large number of minor operations upon out-patients. Under the latter category came a number of injections of salvarsan, which were given by the Assistant Medical Officer for the treatment of yaws, will) good result. Dentist: The appointment of a dentist would be a great boon In the island. Dental caries is most common, and good prophylactic, work in this respect would save, endless trouble for these people in later life. Aitutaki: Four visits were paid to this island, where the Assistant Medical Officer performed thirteen operations, and treated eighteen cases of yaws with salvarsan injections, with apparently good, results. Then 1 are now only two lepers left at Moturakau, both in an advanced stage of the disease. Mangaia : The settlements were all inspected and found to have little sickness except of a chronic nature. A nurse is being sent to Mangaia.