8 9 2 , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁ass ented ▁to . ▁The ▁proposed ▁flag ▁had ▁consisted ▁of ▁three ▁horizontal ▁stri pes ▁( red , ▁white , ▁red ), ▁with ▁a ▁Union ▁Flag ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁left ▁corner , ▁over la id ▁by ▁a ▁black ▁co con ut ▁pal m ▁tree ▁on ▁a ▁white ▁circle . ▁When ▁the ▁islands ▁were ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁flag ▁was ▁used ▁instead . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁a ▁contest ▁was ▁held ▁to ▁design ▁a ▁new ▁flag , ▁with ▁ 1 2 0 ▁entries . ▁The ▁winner ▁was ▁chosen ▁at ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁cabinet , ▁jud ging ▁panel ▁and ▁the ▁flag ▁design ▁committee , ▁a ▁green ▁en sign ▁with ▁ 1 5 ▁gold ▁stars ▁in ▁a ▁circle . ▁The ▁gold ▁was ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁" friend lin ess ▁of ▁Cook ▁Island ers ▁and ▁their ▁hope , ▁faith , ▁dedic ation , ▁love ▁and ▁happiness "; ▁the ▁circle ▁represented ▁" unity ▁and ▁strength ▁of ▁purpose ▁and ▁the ▁m ould ing ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁islands ▁into ▁one ▁un ited ▁people "; ▁the ▁stars ▁were ▁" symbol s ▁of ▁he ave , ▁faith ▁in ▁god ▁and ▁the ▁power ▁that ▁has ▁gu ided ▁Cook ▁Island ers ▁throughout ▁their ▁history "; ▁and ▁the ▁green ▁background ▁was ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁" n ation , ▁the ▁vital ity ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁and ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁ever green ▁and ▁last ing ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ". ▁The ▁new