NIUE’S PROGRESS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19732, 29 December 1926, Page 12

NIUE’S PROGRESS

HARBOUR WORKS EXTENDED RECOVERY FROM DROUGHT NEW PLANTING ORDINANCE By the Government steamer Hincmoa which reached Auckland last week after a round voyage to the Kermadecs, Niue, and Fiji Group, Mr J. D. Gray, secretary. Cook Island Department, returned from an official visit to the Niue Island Administration. It is just three years since he paid his previous visit to the island. Tho first was on the occasion of the Parliamentary tour of our Pacific territories early in 1920. In conversation with an Auckland "Star” representative Mr Gray said that much as he had been impressed in ]923 by tho progress which had been achieved since the Parliamentary visti he had on this occasion noted further improvements, and developments which far exceeded his expectations. He paid a warm tribute of praise to the Resident Commissioner, Mr A. A\ Lackhani, and his officials, who without any professional assistance or guidance have carried out some important harbour work with complete success. “These are proving of the greatest value in safeguarding and facilitating the work of the port of Aiofi, ” r-aid Mj Gray. “Hitherto it has been difficult if not impossible for a shipmaster to pick up the anchorage after dark. It is true that the recent provisiem of a light on the wireless mast, and red. green leading lights oe th? cli?f die something to assist the navigator, but these were only visible in. very clear weather and at a short distance. On this trip the Hinemoa picked up the jisland about ten o’clock at night and | almost immediately after a row of gleaming electric lights came into view pnd enabled Captain A. R. Caut to bring his vessel up to her anchorage with perfect confidence and to disemmark his passengers and mails beforemidnight. These lights we found have been erected down a nowly constructed broad concrete causeway which runs in a series of almost level flights, each connected by half a dozen steps from the jetty at the cliff top. The electric current comes from the wireless generating plant. ‘The cut has been appreciably widened by blasting and is now workable to a much greater extent than formerly, the old six foot wide jetty has been enlarged throughout its length to about twenty-four feet, thus providing ample and safe room for the cargo workers, , and the lauding steps have been corres- ! pondingly widened so that the surf ■ boats can lie alongside for their full ; length instead of overlapping fore and i aft as formerly. Halfway up tho causeway on the right-hand side there is now a small iron shed which is used for the storage of cement, reserve bunker coal and the surf boats, and at the top lefthand side there are three substantial and commodious iron sheds with a capacity equal to tho amount of inward and outward cargo. From the lowermost of these sheds a concrete shute enabled the bags of copra to be delivered on the jetty with great expedition and a minimum expenditure of labour. The value of these improvements as an aid to the rapid handling of cargo was amply demonstrated on this voyage of the Hincmoa.” 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 of the severe drought which had conj tinned for over a year up till early in November and caused considerable hardship to the people owing to its effect upon native food supplies. Howlever, the beneficient rains of the past ifew weeks have had a wonderfully rei vivifying effect on all vegetation and the young bananas which have been i extensively planted in anticipation of {the now steamer service give every [promise of good crops. | The Island Council has recently pass- | od a new planting ordinance which reI quires each native land owner to extend his cultivation each year, and it ' was made plain to the official visitor that the drought and the hardships resulting from it were stimulating the i Niueans to respond to the urgent invitation of the Resident Commissioner to I extensively increase their plantings of ! cocoanuts, bananas and other food I crops.

In conclusion Mr Gray stated that he had returned from this visit convinced that Nine and its people are making steady progress along the road to health .education, and prosperity.