LITTLE-KNOWN GROUP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16975, 5 March 1926, Page 4

LITTLE-KNOWN GROUP.

DOMINION'S .-RESPONSIBILITY

THE POPULATION PROBLEM

The Union (or Tokelau) Islands have only recently been transferred from tho control of the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific to the control of the Governor-General of New Zealand. Since all government means responsibility. and 1 there can be no sense, of responsibility without knowledge, it would seem to be tho duty of every New Zealander "to know liis Pacific," says the Dominion, not only because his political destiny is wrapped up with it, but because an increasing proportion of it is becoming territorially his, to make or to mar.

While the Union (Tokelau) Islands are. oven to-day, in a condition of health and welfare that does great credit to the British Government (which annexed them in 1916). or rather to the High Commission of the Western Pacific, they are yet facing new problems mid needs that make New Zealand's new responsibility no light one. The islands consist of four atolls. One, Swain's, is American-owned, and can at once be dismissed from the story. Tho other three are Atafu., Nukunoun and Takaofu. Each of them is a composite Unit, containing islands, islets and rocks; the unit being fenced! off from the ocean by. an outer coral reef. Atafu contains 19' islets within the reef; Nukunoun, 22 islets; Takaofu, 61. The islets in each of these three atolls wary in length from 100yds. to three miles, but all are fairly uniform as to width (approximately 100yds. to 400yds.). and (with one or' two exceptions) all are from eight to ten feet high. ROWS INSTEAD OF WALKS. "Generally speaking (reports Administrator Sir "George Richardson) neither the men nor tha women of the Tokelaus arc so good-looking or have such fine physique as the pure Samoans. Their poorer physique may be accounted for by the fact that they do not have to exert themselves, and work so hard as the Samoans, who walk miles almost daily to their plantations and carry heavy loads, while the Tokelau Islandee walks very little, as he lives on a, small islet and leaves it only in a canoe to cross the lagoon to his plantation." There you have, in a few words, an illuminating sidelight on these islanders whose main roads are tho waters of the lagoon, and in whose villages there is hardly enough room to swing a cat. But if in some ways the Tokelaaii islander is ( rated below the Samoan, his bill ol health compares more than favorably with general Pacific standards. "The health of the people," reports the Administrator, "is apparently excellent; only a few cases of elephantiasis were noticed, and these were said to have been, contracted in other islands. Only a few bad cases of Tokelau ringworm were seen. The children - were well nourished and healthy with clean skinS and there was an entire absence of eye diseases. LIMIT OP POPULATION.

The total acreage of the islands is not great (Atafu 550, Nukunoun 1350, Takaofu 650); the productivity is limited (even allowing for the possibility of conveying soil from Samoa, which is under consideration); and it is estimated that "for the present the numbei of. people who can live comfortably on these islands should not exceed 1250." And the existing population is estimated at 1021 on October 1 last, excluding certain persons (more than 50 in number) working or schooling in other groups, and liable to return.

There seems to be room, and a welcome, for a limited number of Tokolau Islanders in Samoa. At present the Tokelau population returns indicate an excess of women by at least 57; therefore, emigration must be strictly controlled, or increased inequality of sexes will lead' to undesirable results. But )f the resident population were allowed to increase unduly, land disputes, now few, would bo likely to ansa Now that the Islands have been placecT under the Governor-General of New Zealand, geographical and other considera'ions make ii convenient that His Excellency's authority should'bei exercised through tho Administrator of the mandated territory of Samoa, General Richardson. Takaofu is about 290 miles from Apia. The distance from Takaofu to Nukunomi is 42 miles, from Nukunoun to Atafw 53 miles. There is no European official on the Tokelaus, and it is not intended to appoint one. It is proposed that the Islands be visited from Samoa, twice a year—onco by the Administrator and once by scmo other official representing him.