NIUE'S PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 8

NIUE'S PROGRESS.

.ARBOUR WORKS EXTENDED. RECOVERY FROM DROUGHT. NEW PLANTING ORDINANCE. By the N__.G_j. Hinemoa which cached Auckland to-day after a round oyage to the Kermadecs, Niue, and Fiji Jroup, Mr. J. D. Gray, secretary, Cook slandS Department, returned from an ifficial visit to the Niue Island AdninisfSation. It is just three years ago ince he paid his previous visit to the sland. The first was on the occasion of he Parliamentary tour of our Pacific erritories early in 1920. In conversation with a "Star" representative Mr. Gray said that much aa he lad been impressed in 1893 by the progress which had been achieved Since the Parliamentary visit he had on this iccasion noted further improvements, md developments which far exceeded his ixpectations. He paid a warm tribute >f praise to the Resident Commissioner, dr. A. A. Lackham, and his officials, who vithout any professional assistance or guidance have carried out some importint harbour work with complete suc:ess. "These are proving of the greatest ralue in safeguarding and facilitating ;he work of the port <tf Alofi," said Mr. Jray. "Hitherto it has been difficult if lot impossible for a shipmaster to pick ip the anchorage after dark. It is true ;hat the recent provision of a light on ;he wireless mast, and red and green eading lights on the cliff did something ;o assist the navigator, but these were mly visible in very clear weather and it a short distance. On this trip the Einemoa picked up the island about :en o'clock at night and almost immediately after a row of gleaming jlectric lights came into view end enabled Captain A. R. Caut to bring his vessel Up to her anchorage with perfect confidence and to disembark his passengers md mails before midnight. These lights tve found have been erected down a newly .onstructed broad concrete causeway which runs in a series of almost level dighte, each connected by half a dozen steps from the jetty at the cliff top. The slectric current comes from the wireless generating plant, "The cut has been appreciably widened by blasting and is now workable to a much greater extent than formerly, the old six foot wide jetty has been enlarged throughout its length to about twenty-four feet, thus providing ample and safe room for the cargo workers, and the landing steps have been correspondingly widened so that the surf boats can lie alongside for their full length instead of overlapping fore and aft as formerly. Halfway up the causeway on the righthand side there is now a small iron shed which is used for the storage of cement reserve hunker coal and the surfboats, an_ at the top left-hand side there are thre. substantial and commodious iron shed. with a capacity equal to the amount oi inward and outward cargo. From th_ lowermost of these sheds a concrete shut* enables the bags of copra to be delivered on the jetty with great expedition and a minimum expenditure of labour. Tht value of these improvements as an aid tc the rapid handling of cargo was amplj demonstrated On this voyage of th« Hinemoa." Mr. Gray spent two days ashore and in addition to conferring with- the Island Council and the representatives of tht trading comi_-___ity, visited all th< principal villages in company with thi Resident Commissioner. He found th< island just recovering from the effect* of the severe drought which had con tinued for over a year up till early ii November and caused considerable hard ship to the people owing to its effec upon native food supplies. However, th beneficient rains of the past few week have had a wonderfully revivifying effec on all vegetation and the young banana which have been extensively planted ii anticipation of the new steamer servic give every promise of good crops. The Island Council has recently passe* a new planting ordinance which require each native land owner to extend hi cultivation each year, and it was mad plain to the official visitor that th drought and the hardships resulting froi iit were stimulating the Niuearis to r< j spond to the urgent invitation of th I Resident Commis-ioner to extensively ii crease their plantings of cocoanut: bananas and other food crops. In conclusion Mr. Gray stated that 1 had returned from this visit convince that Niue and its people are makin steady progress along the road to healt. education, and prosperity.