NORFOLK ISLAND NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20218, 1 April 1929, Page 11

NORFOLK ISLAND NEWS.

SURVIVORS OF MIGRATION. TIMBER MILL ESTABLISHED. GRIT OF TWO NEW ZEALANDERS. [rilO.M OU It OWN COUKESPONHENT.] NORFOLK ISLAND, March !25. Miss Eva Buffett, who died oa February 26, camo to Norfolk Islaixl with hoi parents as a child of seven years, in the great migration from Pitcairn Island, 73 years ago. Of the 182 migrants who tamo from Pitcairn Island in 1856 less than a dozen survive, three men and eight women. The oldest, 87 years of age, is a comparatively active man and still rides everywhere.

A cigarette butt set lire to the tinderlike grass beside Cascades lload on Sunday last, and in a few minutes the Methodist Church, Mrs. Byron Adam's homestead and Mr. Geo. I'inley s store and motor-bus garage were in imminent dan gcr. Mr Finley at onco rushed round with his bus and collected a load of firefighters. Soon about 40 people were battling with tho flames. By a strenuous fight they managed to save Mrs. Adam s homestead, hut her banana plantation was burnt out. On (ho other sido the fire nearly beat tho fighters and got within three feet of the garage before being overcome Two determined New Zealanders, Messrs. Pollack and Frazcr, liavj established a timber mill here. After purchasing a milling plant in New Zealand they found that tho steamer Maui Pornaro could not ship the eigine, even when stripped down to three tons weight. Consequently it had to be shipped across to Sydney and there again reshippsd to Norfolk Island. To land it was a problem, as no cranes were available. However, a raft was constructed of balks of timber mado buoyant with eight casks. On to this the engine was received from the ship's slings and floated ashore. I lie greatest difficulty was to haul it up tho skidway to dry land. A stump extractor was the only tackle available, and with this, inch by inch, it was dragged to tho top, where its wheels were mounted. Hero ton horses were required to drag it up tiie steep hills to its final destination. At every stage of the work the crowds of onlookers murmured "never do it." but grit conquered, and on Tuesday last steam was got up and the shrill wbisl'o made the Norfolk Island pines ring again with its "cock-a-doodle-do" of triump'i. Both men are well known in Auckland, where Mr. Eraser has been trading in and out of the harbour for years. Tho long spell of hot, parching weather terminated with February, 3in. of most welcome rain falling on March 1. The effect cn vegetation was almost magical, grass springing up a couple of inches in a few hours.

The control of Norfolk Island affairs has recently been transferred from the Department of Home and Territories in the Commonwealth Government to that of the Prime Minister. Something in the nature of " a bolt from the blue " fell upon the island owners of motor vehicles when notice was received from headquarters last week that, by a gazette order-iu-Council governing motor vehicles on the island, all such vehicles were to be taxed 2s per horse-power and 2s per cwt per annum, with a minimum of £3. The grumbling was loud and deep. This is the first direct tax ever levied on the island, and even those not hit by it view it with alarm as a portentous innovation. Tha New Zealand steamer Maui Pomare and the Sydney boat M.'kambo took away some *3400 cases of bananas this week. Mainland buyers are paying 13s. 15s and 17s per case, according to grading, f.o.b, at which price banana growing ;s a highly remunerative proposition. During Christmas week the police, raided three houses where liquor was being made and secured samples, which were sent to the Government analyst, Canberra, for analysis. Prosecutions followed A. Goodman. A. Tosh and 11. Richardson were each fined the maximum penalty, £lO, and costs.