ISLAND NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 300, 18 December 1895, Page 2

ISLAND NEWS.

(fbom our own correspondent.)

Norfolk Island, December 12. After a period, which has extended considerably over a year, of much sickness, conseauent upon two epidemics of influenza and their sequels, the Island is once more enjoying good health. The spring jaeb past has been an excessively dry onej-so dry, in fact, that the maize crops are a failure, and sweet potatoes, the staple food of the Island, are very scarce. Fruit too has suffered. Strawberries, usually bo good, have suffered severely from tbe want of rain, and from a small brown beetle, eighteen thousand and ny>re of which were picked oft one small strawberry bed and destroyed. The cottony-cushion scale (icerya purchasi) has been very destructive of late; as it always is in dry weather. Onions too are small and have wanted more moisture.

The whaling season has been a good one, and to a certain extent counterbalances the farmers'losses, but the low price of _oil renders the business barely remunerative. It is gratifying, too, to state that there hara been no casualties.

Messrs Hordern Brou., of Pltb-sfcreeo, Sydney, have opened a general store upoD tbe islaad and seem determined to try and make it remunerative. Regular steam communication with Sydney ceases with the year when che mail contract ends, and no new arrangements, so far as we know here, have been made.

The Horticultural Show, which was as usual held in the middle of November, was poorly attended, and exhibits were »o" plentiful nor particularly good. Id IS extremely difficult! to keep alive m interest of the Islanders in such matters. At the Melanesian Mission, Bishop Wilson has been working hard, and taking several new departures both for the good■ ot Melanesians and the-Norfolk Islanders, aa has just returned from a voyage to tne Islands. He and hie staff are in. g«W health, but Captain Bongard's health ana thab of the crew has suffered much from ague. n Mr Forresb still remains ab Sb. Ltm, where, although he haa had great trouble caused by influenza, attributed by tne natives to permitting: the white man *° build a church, he soema to have mflae tbincs quieter, Some months BR° tr |'g was shot at, but nob injured. nabive« threatened fco blow him and onu mission premises up with dynamite. M Forreat has done much good work in w» Santa Cruz Group, and has overcoma many difficulties by bis bravery ana per severance.