ISLANDERS' FRIEND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1928, Page 3

ISLANDERS' FRIEND.

HINEMOA'S ROUND TRIP. LEPERS TAKEN TO MAKOGAI. INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE. The Government steamer Hinemoa returned to Auckland this morning after completing her fifth voyage among the atolls and islands of the Cook Group, and collecting lepers for removal to the segregation settlement at Makogai Island. Strong gales were experienced between Auckland and Rarotonga, but for the rest of the voyage the weather conditions were perfect. Calls were made at Aitutaki, Penrhyn, Eakahanga, Manihiki, and Pukepuka Islands, and 21 lepers were collected, the majority of them being "suspects." On June 2 a call was made at Apia, Samoa, from where the Jlinemoa towed the Government steamer Lady Roberts to Suva for repairs and docking. The leper station at Makogai Island was reached on June 1. The Hinemoa returned to Suva on the evening of the same day, and coaled and loaded a full cargo of bananas for Auckland. Dr. E. L. Christie, chief medical officer at EarotongJi, was in charge of the patients throughout the voyage. The lepers were comfortably accommodated in a specially erected house on the after deck of the Hinemoa, no member of the crew, other than the chief officer, being allowed to go near them. After the patients were removed all fittings, bedding, and everything they had come in contact with was burnt, and the ship was disinfected. Some Lepers Cured. There are now 413 leper patients on Makogai Island, the majority of them being in a convalescent state. Four patients returned to Suva in perfect health, and two returned to Auckland, a Maori and a Penrhyn native, the former being one of the original Quail Island patients. All the returned patients speak in glowing terms of the treatment shown them by the Eoman Catholic Sisters who arc in charge at Makogai. They state that between f>o and (50 patients are hoping to be sent home on the next voyage of the Hinemoa.

Reports made by the resident officers at the different islands visited show that the natives have now implicit confidence in the Department's treatment of lepers. A few years ago, whenever anyone was suspected of being a leper he was hidden away in the bush by his friends, and when discovered he was usually a hopeless case. Penrhyn Island has long been recognised as having more lepers than any other island in the Pacific. When H.M.s. Pylades visicd Penrhyn in 1899 it was discovered that 30 per cent of the population were lepers, a special atoll being set apart for them. The Hinemoa has removed 10(> lepers from Penrhyn during the past five years, 13 being removed when visited this.voyage. Over fifty have been cured and returned to their homes by island schooners. Economic Position Improved. At Manahiki tiie islanders celebrated the arrival of the Hinemoa with a concert and dance, and the festivities lasted all night. As a spocial compliment the old-tiine war drums were brought out and a team of stalwart natives haka-ed themselves to a standstill. At all the islands visited considerable improvement was noticed hv the Hinemoa's officers in the condition of the natives and their villages. A few years ago the islanders existed in a hand-to-mouth fashion, but now, owing to the organised system of marketing their surplus copra and bananas, they are practically independent. Ten years ago a steady decline in population was noted, but for the past five years, since the inauguration of the regular visits by the medical officers of the Cook Islands Department the increase of births over deaths is very considerable.

The Hinemoa was in constant wireless communication with Captain Kingsford Smith's aeroplane for three d.iys prior to its arrival at Suva, all the* reports sent out from the aeroplane bein™ clearly received. Her Last Commission. Captain \V. li. McDonald, of the Cook Islands Department, was in command ol the Hinemoa for the voyage, with him being the following officers:—Messrs. F. AYilson, chiet; ,7. Osborne-\Ynite, second; G. Allen, third; J. Richardson, chief engineer; R. Logan, second; 1". Kedfern, third. The Hinemoa pays off to-day and goes out of commission, her regular running in the Norfolk-Cook Islands trade being taken up by the new motor vessel, .Maul I'omare, which is due at Auckland tomorrow. The Hinemoa celebrated her tittv-third year in the service of the New Zealand Government on June 1 last.