THE CHATHAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 16, 19 January 1940, Page 5

THE CHATHAMS.

COLOURFUL HISTORY.

LITTLE-KNOWN ISLANDS.

" SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE." Little known to the average New Zealander, the Chatham Islands, situated off the east coast of the Dominion, have a colourful history, and their isolation from the outeide world adds a touch of glamour to life on this Pacific outpost. After two years' residence on the islands as teachers at Te One School, one of the five schools on the islands, Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Johnstone have returned to New Zealand.

The Chatham Islands are. situated about 500 miles from Christchurch. They were discovered on October 29, 1791, by Lieutenant Broughton, who was in command of the Chatham, one of the two ships under the command of the famous navigator Vancouver, who was on an expedition to New Zealand. The Moriorie, the natives of the islands, were a bright, pleasure-loving people, and were an easy prey to the Maoris, who enslaved them till 1808. From then on inter-marriage with the Maoris played as great a part as earlier hardships in thinning out the pure-blooded Morioris. In 1870 reserves of land were set aside for the survivors, but they continued to decline until the last pureblooded Moriori died in 1931.

A man named Jacob Tealing, eaid Mr. Johnstone, was the first white man to live on the island, but in 1842 five German missionaries landed at Whangaroa, and some of them took up farming. Today the population of the main island was about 750 people, chiefly engaged in sheep farming. There were about 119,892 sheep on the island, 20,000 of which were, shipped to New Zealand and over 2000 bales of wool. There were aleo 872 horsee and 4861 head of cattle. The two chief industries on the islands were sheep fanning and fishing, the fish being frozen and eent to New Zealand.

For a time dairy farming was carried out, but now the factory had been closed and cowe were milked for home use only.

The chief part of the island was Waitangi, and it was here that the Te One School was situated. Altogether there were five schools and one household school on the islands, and about 100 children were taught by eight teachers. Shipping Service. The only means of communication with the outside world until 1913, when a radio station was erected, wae that brought by the Tees on her visits to the islands. When the ship arrived in port it was a great day, and Mr. Johnstone stated i that on one. occasion when the boat had not visited the islands for three months he received as many as 72 private letters. Some of the smaller islands were uninhabited, he said, except when the shearers land to shear the sheep. On South East Islands were many birds, which had attracted many scientists of recent years to study their habits, the principal species being the burrow | birds. Swans were also to be found in abundance and their flesh was considered a great delicacy. They lay practically all the year round, and in one hunt in which Mr.- Johnstone took part, his party secured 400 eggs. An interesting photograph shows egge being carted into hie house in a wheelbarrow. The islands were also famous for the great variety of shells to be found on the beaches. Transport on the Islands. Until 1938 the only means of transport on the islands was by bullock wagon or by horse, the bullocks carrying out the heavy work and the horses being used for the faster transport , . Practically everyone on the islands rode a horee.

Mr. Johnstone said he considered the Chatliams the sportsman's paradise. Tennis and football were the most popular of the athletic pastimes, and although there were one or two private golf courses, the. game was not yet popular. Clay bird shooting and -range shooting were both very popular, while duck and swan shooting was part of the life of the islanders. The only restrictions were that duck shooting wae [restricted to the months May to July.

Pig hunting was also popular and there 1 were wild cattle. The young albatrosses were hunted in the nearby islands, being killed with sticks, and a party of hunters often returned with as many as 300 birds in the boats.

There was no butcher on the island, said Mr. Johnstone, but meat could be procured from one or two farmers who sold the meat at 4d per lb all over. On account of this the return of any hunting parties was eagerly looked forward to by the housewives.

Most of the homes were practically self-supporting, and ae there was no baker on the island, the housewife had to make her owji bread. Some wonderful gardens, both flowers and vegetables, were, seen, and as the island was practically free from frosts, new potatoes were generally on the menu in October. Sausages were considered a rare treat and tinned sardines were also much in demand, and, while children generally spent their sixpences on ice-cream, the iciland child bought a tin of sardines.

The first motor car was introduced in 1938, and at present there were four ears, two tractors, one lorry, 12 motor cycles, and a number of bicycles in use. The roads were only in their natural state, and if they were more suitable for mechanised traffic, the faster transport would mean a big improvement to the islands. The county council was the, official local body and the rates to carry] out its work were collected on the wharf by a special charge on all goods entering 1 the island. Sea transport wae very' costly and the sheep owners had been known to lose money on a consignment sent to New Zealand. It cost approximately 10/ a head for sheep and 25/ a bale for wool. So far the only moving picture machine was a privately-owned miniature one.