NORFOLK ISLAND.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17294, 4 November 1921, Page 14

NORFOLK ISLAND.

(ntou OITB OWN CORRXSrONDKNI.) SYDNEY, October 25. Norfolk Island, Australia's most re-. moto island dependency, is making salisfactory progress, according to tho' annual report of the Administrator (Mr J W. l'arnell) for tho year ended June 30th, which has just been tabled; in the federal .Parliament. This tiny; Commonwealth possession, _of . acies, was taken over liom New South ; Wales in '.UW, and tho April census | gave its population as 717. Air l'ar- j well's report is mostly a chronicle of " small beer. The Isaaud's export trad'j ,■ is cbieily with- tho Commonwealth, but/ iate»y an experimental shiphient ot fruitand prouuoo nas been sent to iN ow Actr, land, which is only 400 miles distant from Noilolk Island, compared with; yao miles to Sydney. The inadequacy• ot tho shipping service is the greatest draw back to tne progress ot tho iiuand. The MaKambo cuats oniy once in two months, and is too smail to accommodate tne passengers and cargo. l''i>h abound, but the umount for export has had to be curtailed owing to lack of iieezing space. Tno Isiuud is extraordinarily lertile, lemons and other lruits growing wild. l'assiou lruit nouri&ncs proliiically and tho export ol preserved iruits uuu jams otters •'annuel unlimited possibilities.' 1 The Auniinittrator directs aitent.on to tho potentialities ot tho wnui.hg industry u developed witn modern appliance, as hundreds of Wiiaies pass iNonoik duiingtno season. " ttitn; impioved shipping tacnities," remarks Jir i'arneii, "tho progress of the Lslund would be assured. If tho service were bettor oui, moie frequent, quito apart fiom export consideration, tno tourist tramc woUlil increase lap.uly, lor a» a health resoit and beauty spot iN ori'oik lsloiia is unsurpassed." ane climate is bUo-tiop.tW and wonderfully mud, and jts saluu.ious nature may bo interred irom the lnct that tho avoiage uge of the zi s.ui>ivonj ot Wie flUairu isiuiiders who arrival, in iob6 is 73.