NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13875, 8 October 1908, Page 7

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

TONGA. [from OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] Nukualofa, October 3. By last mail from the island of Niuafoou word, was received of the death by suicide of a Tongan native. This is a very rare occurrence among these people, as their happy-go-lucky nature 1 usually is proof against, the depression that drives the members of civilised races to take their own lives* . In this case the .man had been suffering from a painful malady, and in despair of relief lie ended things by cutting his throat with a razorOn the arrival of the last mail from New. Zealand, bringing the particulars of the agitation now being raised in your country against the importation of Island fruit, in consequence of the prevalence here of the fruit fly, there Were great discussions among the local shippers of bananas. In the absence of any direct prohibition from the New Zealand Government, ifc was resolved to ship bananas as usual by the incoming AtUa, and there will be a rather large consignment for this time of the year going forward. • No doubt the fruitgrowers of New • Zealand are fully justified in the action they are taking to protect their orchards from the scourge of the fruit fly, but it will be a serious thing for all parties if the Island fruit should be shut out altogether. From this group alone the fruit exported last year was valued at £10,000, and it would mean a great decrease in the spending power of the natives and Europeans here if this source of revenue were to be suddenly cut off. There is another matter to be considered, by the Auckland people especially, and that is that if the Tongan fruit is prohibited it will, make a good deal of difference in tlie trado between Auckland and the • South Sea Islands.. Nowadays-there is very little cargo from New Zealand, outside of timber, fruit boxes and foodstuffs, and if the market .for the fruit is.closed in Auckland it will mean that a, lot of the Orders for these goods will bo' placed in Sydney, freight being tho same to Tonga from both of the abovementioned ports.

The total catch of whales for this seasou ha« fecen seven full-grown " fish, " and one calf, two of them being socured last week. The calf was harpooned, and tethered in the little bay in front of the whaling station, but the rope parted, probably having been chafed on the sharp coral rocks, and the captive .escaped for a while. Chase was given by,, Mr. Cook and his crew, and -a second harpoon secured and killed the calf, which was tried down in the usual way, and yielded a good deal of oil. ' Mr. L. M. Sandstein, who has been on the survey staff of the Tongan Government for some months, leaves to-day for New Zealand, having decided to give Up Island life. . An illuminated address was presented to hiiri by his friends And admirers on his.leaving. News was received by last mail of the death in Auckland of Mrs; Louis Harpfnor, late of Haapai, at the advanced age of 86." Deceased : was one of the very early settlers in Haapai, where her husband carried On business for many years, and she was" well known and respected in all the islands of the Tongan group.

- SAMOA. y ■ [FROM OTJU OWN' COERKSPONBENT.] : ,t - ' ' Apia, September 28. During the past month the weather in German Samoa has been rainy - ,' and in consequence little business has been done, for the natives could not get sufficiently clear weather, to dry copra* As the weather still continues. unreliable it is doubtful if next month will make a better, record. The output of copra from Samoa this year will ' probably exceed 1.0,000 tons, nearly 7000 of which have already been marketed. ' This 60 far exoeedg the whole output of last year by over 1000 tons. , v • •, It looks as if the kava output has come to a sudden and complete end. Hitherto the natives have never planted this produce as a means of raising money. It has generally suited them to grow an abundant supply for their own purposes, but of late, as a considerable demand arose in Fiji for the, root, the Samoafls have been glad to harvest all. they could get, clean and dry it, add cut it | fine for the market. . . Probably £3000,; worth of kav&'has been sent ;to Fiji during the past year, and at this moment the market here is ' entirely denuded, without a chance of recuperation short .of three or four years. The : root takes from four to six years to fully mature.' ' ' Considerable annoyance is felt because of proper carrying space not being left •in the steamers visiting the port, and it is with some astonishment practical men note that the steamers that do come have long, been placed in a most exposed position, while a safer and smoother roadstead is- at their disposal further in. Possibly this view of matters may be accepted and ,a change made that will bo mote beneficial and less harmful to the lighterage system. The real fact is that Apia actually needs a j wharf, and ought to have one. The Government . is entirely out of debt and is [easily paying ita way, and the time has I now arrived when it should lay down a useful wharf. To do this in proper style ■ would involve an outlay of about £30,000, which could all be recouped by a toll system over the wharf for freight and passengers. If remunerative concessions were granted it is probable that a construction company oould be formed either in Apia, or in Auckland or Sydney, to undertake the work. - ; On most of the plantations the cacao trees are in full blossom, and it is thought that a good crop can be depended on before Christmas. Some of. the places are a bit j more advanced, and cacao cutting is now | proceeding on them. Everywhere the young rubber is growing with amazing rapidity,, and up till now, no disease has attacked the most favoured variety, the Havea, ■or Para rubber. Castilloa is occasionally affected with ' the limumea and the annoying fungus growth which seems almost incurable when once a tree is vigorously attacked. The growing of " Manila hemp might be an occupation entirely suitable for the stalwart natives of Samoa, So far_jiono of these plants are known to exist in Samoa, but there is not a doubt that they., would flourish exceedingly well.