NORFOLK ISLAND NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19939, 7 May 1928, Page 12

NORFOLK ISLAND NOTES.

LOSS TO BANANA-GROWERS. [FROM our own correspondent.] NORFOLK ISLAND. May 2. The steamer Makambo, with a record shipment of bananas from Norfolk Island for Sydney, touched a rock at Lord Howe Island. As a consequence her bananas arrived in very bad condition. The loss to the islanders will amount to about £2OOO, quite a large sum to such a small community. The Makambo having to be docked at Sidney, another heavy loss menaced the islanders, who were in danger of having a big shipment of bananas becoming too ripe for export. By wireless, however, the steamer Suva, on her way from Tahiti to Sydney, was instructed to call at Norfolk Island. She took from here nearly a thousand packages of produce and a dozen passengers. The Makambo is due here from Sydney to-morrow with 150 tons of cargo and a large number of passengers. Anzac Day was commemorated by a combined sacred service at Kingston. The speakers were the Revs. F. Berry and A. T. Martin (Anglican), and Mr. T. Adams (Methodist). There was a good parade of returned soldiers. The Acting-Adminis-trator, Mr. K. S. Edgar, his secretary, Captain E. J. C. Stopp, and the registrar,, Mr. E. Stephenson, were present, and there was a good attendance of the public. In tho evenir.g community singing was led by a combined choir, under Mr. Charles Evans. There was an excellent programme of favourite hymns, including several old Pitcairn numbers. The takings, which wore in aid of the local hospital, totalled £64. The one-dav race meeting of the island is a fixture for Easter Monday. It is generally favoured with delightful weather. This year, however, rain necessitated a postponement until the following day, when the programme was carried out under showery and unpleasant conditions.

A feature of Easter week was the tremendous seas breaking all round the island, evidently the aftermath of a big storm somewhere in the Pacific. The south-east coast is somewhat noted for the huge rollers that break on to it. At one or two "blowholes" the display was magnificent.

The Hinemoa, which arrived from New Zealand on Tuesday, brought 37 passengers and 110 tons of cargo. She dropped anchor at Kingston, but later steamed round to tho Cascades, where the sea was perfectly calm. She was able to anchor only short distance from the landing pier. Cottage hospital matters are causing the islanders serious heartburnings. The little place has been running for some ten months. Thirty-five patients, each paying two guineas a week, have been treated, and the expenditure has totalled £640. The long spell of dry weather broke completely last Saturrlav, and some 4in. of warm rain fell in 48 hours. The growth of vegetation has been most rapid and tho island is now looking its very best.