NIUE ISLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19981, 24 December 1926, Page 14

NIUE ISLAND.

AN OFFICIAL VISIT. STEADY PROGRESS REPORTED. (Special to Dailx Times.) AUCKLAND, December 25. By the Hinemoa, which reached Auckland to-day after a round voyage to the Kermadecs, Niue, and the Fiji group, Mr J. D. Gray, secretary oi the Cook Islands Department, returned from an official visit to tiio Niue Island Administration. It is just three years ago since ho paid (, is previous visit to the island. The first vas on, the occasion of the parliamentary tour of our Pacific territories early in 1920. Mr Gray said that,much as he had been impressed by the progress which had been achieved since the parliamentary visit, he had on this occasion rioted further improvements and developments which far exceeded his expectations. He paid a warm tribu.o of praise to the resident commissioner, Mr A. A. Lackham, and his olfioials, who, without any professional assistance or guidance, had carried out some important harbour work with complete success.

Mr Gray spent two days ashore and, in addition to conferring with the Island Council and the representatives of the trading community, visited all the principal villages in company with the Resident Commissioner. He found the island just recovering from the effects ol the severe drought, which had continued for over year up till early in November, and had cau.-ed considerable hardship to the people owing to its effect upon the native food supplies. However, the beneficent rains of the past few weeks had had a wonderfully revivifying effect on all vegetation, and the young bananas, which had been extensively planted in anticipation of the row steamer service, gave every promise of good crops. The Island Council had recently passed a new planting ordinance which required each native land-owner to extend his cultivation each year, and it was made plain to the otdcial visitor that the drought and the hardships resulting from it wore stimulating the Niueans to respond to the urgent invitation of the Resident Commissioner to increase extensively their plantings of coconuts, bananas, and other food crops. , , In conclusion, Mr Gray stated that he had returned from this visit convinced that iu o and its people are making steady progress along the road to health, eduoation° and prosperity.