IN FAR OFF NIUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18468, 3 August 1923, Page 11

IN FAR OFF NIUE.

BRIGHTENING DULL LIVES.

AUCKLAND'S GIFT BOOKS.

DELIGHT OF /INHABITANTS,

; An interesting descripticn of the way in which donations of books and pictures from Auckland have brightened the lives of the natives of Nine Island was given by Mr. W. W. Bolton.at the annual meeting of the Mayoress' . War Memorial Library Comr '•...'■ ' ; : Mr. Bolton is the master of one of the two Government schools at Niue, being stationed at Hapuku, about; eight miles, from Alof , the capital. From time to time cases of picture books and other literature have been sent to Niue by. the committee, and Mr. Bolton was able yesterday to express personally,. for the" first, time, the gratitude and appreciation felt by himself and by all the children of the lonely little island for these most acceptable gifts. . It was hardly possible for , New Zealanders, he said, to appreciate the -blank*. ness of the native mind upon matters :of common, everyday interest and occurrence in civilised parts of the world. There •'were 800 children 'on the island, 80 of them attending Hapuku school, and it was literally true that they -, had never seen running water, a tall house, nor cattle of any kind. There had been one cow on the island some years ago,. but it had died. There were two horses, but many of ! the children in the bush villages had; never seen them, nor any other kind of Stock- ;, ■.';.-,;■: ■.'^-.',.-....:. ; . ' - ;; ; I The reason for this was that Island ! was a coral island, and although possessing luxuriant, bush, there, was .no soil l which would grow grass or crops for fodI der. There were ; only 24 white people .oil''the ) island, which carried a- . native population 'of .-1000. .... The immediate result _of ,- education anions the native children is to arouse an intense curiosity," said Mr. 'Bolton, "/and it':,will be readily realised that, having done this, it is of utmost importance that we shall give their minds' something to feed upon.- Only by the supply of reading and pictorial matter can this be done. We must have libraries connected with ' the schools, so*' that, after .we -have ; given them knowledge of English,- they can gain further information from books. I have managed to establish a library at Hapuku, but one is required in every settlement. The adults, who often have a smattering of English, enjoy the books and pictures just as much ,as the children. If youi,' who have so kindly sent us so many donations, could only see the joy with which they are received, you would feel well repaid." '. ' : ; ■ V*. :':'.!'. ■'■'~'"'•■: '•■■'■'■; .'■'■' '':.:' The pictures were an absolute revelation to the children, continued Mr,' Bolton, and once a; week, .while; supplies lasted, they each received a picture. A picture from the Auckland Weekly News was always a specially coveted treasure, and happy 'indeed was the child whose j good conduct, had "Won : for it a double-* page illustration. Some of the books had been sent to the local hospital, a place devoid of any kind of interest" or entertainment for the patients, and after all others had; seen them, t they were finallypassed on to an unfortunate; leper, who lived a lonely life on a little promontory, removed from all of his fellow-creatures. ■ An eloquent picture of this sad plight of this - poor outcast, ' and of the long, dreary days . spent :in ; hospital by ■ other patients, was drawn by the speaker, who made an appeal for a gramophone for the benefit of the sufferers.; f; '"} , ' . r' ~-:; Specil reference was made by. Mr. Bolton to a gift of 800 postcards received from the committee last year. ?As there were " just 800. children' on the island, he had sent a cart.to every child on Christ-' mas Day, and -their delight had known ho : bounds.' Auckland was nobly, doing its part in "mothering" one <of the native villages, and if only f- one or two ; of • thq other cities; could ;bei induced to take ; a: similar kindly and practical interest in the ■people of this far-off dependency of the Dominion, it would ;bring; a wonderfully increased store of happiness to the lives of adults and children alike, v-'