HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1929, Page 13

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

LEPROSY DYING OUT. The name of Father Damien, a Belgian priest, will ever be remembered for his devotion to the lepers on the Hawaiian Island of Malokai. He died of leprosy in 1889, and Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a eulogy of his great sacrifice in the interest of sufferers from the dread disease. To-day there are two priests, four Catholic brothers and four* sisters at the Catholic mission on the island, and theirs also are lives of devotion. By the Niagara there arrived at Auckland on a health-recruiting trip the Rev. Father Valentin, who, 40 years ago, was selected by the Order of Pickpus Fathers to take Father Damien’s place. This young priest on arrival at Honolulu was given other work, and for 40 years has been attached to the Catholic Mission of the East Pacific, with headquarters at Honolulu. NOT CONTAGIOUS. In the, course of conversation Father Valentin stated that 40 years ago there were 1700 lepers on Malokai, as against 650 to-day. In addition, there were 200 in Honolulu either under observation or awaiting transportation to the island. “They are mostly Hawaiians or Filipinos, with a few Portuguese,” he said. “I am glad to say that the disease is dying out. Leprosy was introduced in 1854 by a Chinese, and was much more readily communicated in those days. It is not a contagious disease, as many think, and is less dangerous, therefore, than cancer or tuberculosis. It is contracted by innoculation —a person with a cut or a sore can contract it easily enough. The Hawaiians were virgin soil for leprosy, and that is why there were so many cases in the early years. They had not the resistance.” Father Valentin said he visited Malokai on his arrival at the Islands 40 years ago, and fumigated all the effects of Father Damien. “I rode his horse,” he said, “using his saddle and bridle, but I did not contract the disease, nor did I think I would. I have visited the island since on social work and established a brass band among the patients.” INCREASE OF POPULATION. Referring to the population of the Hawaiian Islands, Father Valentin said when he arrived the total inhabitants numbered 25,000. To-day the census showed 275,000. Japanese and Filipinos predominated, totalling about 175,000; there were 40,000 natives, about 8000 Koreans, 8000 whites and 40,000 other mixed races. The growing of sugar cane and pineapples occupied over 90 per cent, of the population. This year 950,000 tons of sugar had been exported. One pine-canning factory alone put through 60,000 tins per hour. Land was easy to acquire. There were three crops every five years of cane and pineapples. A person taking up land was advanced by the sugar or canning companies 60 per cent, of its value for implements and improvements.

Father Valentin is enthusiastic over the beauties of the islands, and states that he. is doing everything he can to attract tourists, 5’