LORD HOWE ISLAND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1116, 2 May 1911, Page 5

LORD HOWE ISLAND.

THE PALM SEED INDUSTRY. By Tdleeraph—Press Association—Gopyrieht (Rec. May 1, 9.5 p.m.) Sydney, May 1. Mr. Langwell.'a Royal Commissioner, in reporting on the palm seed industry at lord Howe Island, recommends the Crown to retain control of the trade in order to protect tie islanders' interests. Lord Howe Island is a dependency of New South Wales. It lies 438 miles north-east from Sydney, and 300 miles from Port Macquarie, the nearest part of the Australian continent. It was discovered on February 14, 1788, bv Lieutenant' 11. L. Ball, of H.M.S. Supply, while on his way from Port Jackson to found a. settlement at Norfolk Island. It is of volcanic origin'- and crescent shaped, about seven miles in length and from one-half to one-and-three-quarters in width, containing about 3,220 acres. It is of great beauty throughout, and covered with a denso and most luxuriant vegetation, but from the peculiar bouldery character of the formation of the major part of its floor, it has scarcely more than 300 acres\suitable for agriculture. The soil of these few acres -is extremely rich, and will produce almost any sub-tropical vegetation. \ It was first occupied by a small party consisting of three men, accompanied by Maori women and two Maori boys, who were taken there by the whaling barque Caroline, in 1833 or 1834. These were afterwards bought out by Messrs. Dawson and Poole, two gentlemen from Sydney, who founded a small colony there. No lands have been sold, and the pe6plo jiay no rent, occupying the land upon suffer-ance-bnly~the Government reserving the right of resuming whenever thiy may see fit. Tho population in December, 1907, was 101. The principal product is the seeds of the Kentia palms, of which thousands of bushels are shipped .annually to all parts of the world.