CHATHAM ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9492, 23 April 1894, Page 5

CHATHAM ISLANDS.

[from our own correspondent.] April 2. We have had no New Zealand news since the last trip of the s.s. Kiwi, which vessel took her final departure from the island on the 16th of February last, carrying off the last of the wrecked Jessie Roadman's cargo, also taking Captain Burton of the " Jessie," and the remainder of his ship's company back to New Zealand. Shortly after that date a severe epidemic of influenza occurred, attacking most of the families on the island, and causing the closing of the public school, Mr. Foster, the teacher, and his family suffering severely, and indeed some of the victims to this most troublesome and oftentimes dangerous malady, have not yet recovered. On the 11th ultimo the annual birding expedition of the natives started in three largo whaleboabs with the intention of collecting cargoes of the Sooty albatross from the islets in the vicinity of Pitt Island, but the return of bad weather the day after the boats left, obliged the birders to land for shelter on the south-west coast, and detained them there several days. They then crossed to Pitt Island, but the succession of southerly gales and heavy seas, that we have had since, must have prevented them from going near the bird islands until the 24bh ultimo, when the weather changed for the better. The Chatham Island Church Vestry are busy preparing plans and specifications for a much-needed alteration and improvement of our local church (St. Augustine's), and hope to put the work in hand directly the necessary timber arrives from New Zealand. The s.s. Kahu is expected on the 3rd inst., and quite a number of passengers are going up in her to Lytteltan, most of them for a three months' visit. Among the ladies going are Mrs. Foster, sen., Mrs. Gascoyno, and the Misses FibzHenry and Blakiston; and, here I may remark, that the usual discomforts a poor woman has to endure on board a steamer, amounts to positive misery on the Kahu ; for, while giving her capable captain every credit for his kind care of his women passengers, and acknowledging the goodness of the Kahu as a seaboat, yet the absence of a stewardess, and all the conveniences and privacy usually provided for ladies and children, together with the scant room of four hard and narrow bunks being crowded into a cabin only six feet square, combine to produce about as much suffering and misery as can possibly be endured by anyone for the sixty hours of unhuppiness that the voyage to New Zealand bakes. I cannob but think that the owners of the Kahu and the customs and marine authorities are much bo blame in permitting any vessel to carry passengers without the most ordinary provision for the necessities of the unhappy women obliged to travel by her. I hear that a huge bank of sand has formed on the seaward side of the stranded ship Jessie -Roadman, which adds another obstacle to the many against the possibility of floating her again. In other respects the vessel seems to be quite uninjured, though her hold is said to be full of water. It is sad to see a fine-looking ship doomed bo slowly rust to pieces on the forlorn spot where she lies.

The Kahu arrived safely on the sth ineb., bringing a large number of passengers— no less than twenty-seven—and is leaving again to-morrow.