NORFOLK ISLAND NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 17

NORFOLK ISLAND NEWS

SETTLEMENT ANNIVERSARY [from our own correspondent] NORFOLK ISLAND, March 13 March is a month of special interest to Norfolk Islanders. On March 2, 1788, Lieutenant P. G. King and a few of his party landed at Cascades from the armed tender Supply, preliminary to forming a penal settlement here. Four days later, on March 6, the Supply went round to what is now Sydney Bay and landed the stores and material for the settlement —first named Sydney, then King's Town, and finally Kingston. The weather on the island at present is extremely dry and most of tho tanks are nearly empty. The roads are inches deep in dust. Tho bean cargo has been harvested under ideal conditions. Nearly 400 sacks —1200 bushels —were exported to Sydney by the last steamer. For many years there has been only one public hall available on the island. Now two inore have been added, the big Methodist hall at Middlegato and a citizens' hall at Anson Bay. Tho Wanganella is scheduled to call at Lord Howe Island at Easter.

The Katoomba leaves Sydney on March 31 for a. pleasure cruise round the Pacific islands, arriving at Norfolk Island on April 11. The Morinda was a very full ship by the time she r* ached Sydney on her last trip, being crowded with returning holiday makers. Seventeen through passengers from Vila were on board when she reached Norfolk Island, whore another 36 embarked. Tho usual crowd of pleasure-seekers boarded her at Lord Howe Island.