People Talked About

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue I, 2 January 1904, Page 2

People Talked About

A Venerable Methodist. The oldest Methodist preacher in the world—the Rev. T. T. N. Hull, of Dalkey, County Dublin, passed away >n December sth last, full of years and honour. Many of the facts of Mr Hull’s career are of peculiar interest. He was born at sea on August 14. 1806. His father was an officer in the army of H.M. King George the Third, and was on his way to Egypt with his regiment when his son first saw ’the light. Countermanding orders were, however, received, and the squadron returned to Plymouth., where the infant was baptized, receiving the name of Neptune to commemorate* his ma rim* birth. During his childhood Mr Hull resided with his mother a*t Donaghadee, co. Down. In 1826 he entered the ministry, and after eleven years’ service in Callow, Wexford, Sligo. Dublin, and Belfast, sought a foreign appointment, on account of the delicate state of Mrs Hull’s health. He was sent to Malta, where he spent tre years, and a like period afterwards at Gibraltar. 'Phen, after serving for two years under the direction of the Missionary Committee. Mr Hull was sent, in 1849. to Australia, where he spent five years in Adelaide, and another year at York-street, Syd ney. In 1855 he returned to the Home work, and was appointed successively to Dublin (Centenary), Cork, Belfast (Frederick-street), and Dublin (Rathmines), spending the full term of three years in each of these important circuits. In 1867 Mr I full retired from the

active work, and settled in Dalkey, co. Dublin. Mr Hull’s term in Australia coincided with the great rush to the gold-diggings, and he did good service both among the older colonists and the crowds of immigrants, gaining great favour with the people, and being presented with fine oilpaintings of himself and his wife. Mr Hull was a very able preacher, and a Hue, tall, handsome, eourtly gentleman, of imposing presence. Possessing private means, he was in all his circuits a m\»st , generous! givejt Among his brethren he was always held in the highest esteem as a man of spotless character. For some years he had been incapacitated for regular work.

A Strange Little Island.

Half-way between Samoa and Fiji, on the steamer-route, lies an atol named Xiou-Foou, the most outlying island of the Kingdom of Tonga. Perhaps one man in the proverbial thousand knows that there is such a spot on the map. and the proportion of those who know anything more definite about it is considerably less. Still, small as it is. there are several facts connected with it that make it very interesting. There are two settlements on this island, which may be best described as an extinct volcano. the principal one being on the northern coast, where there is a gap in the rocks. This is the only spot where boats can enter, and even here they have to wait for suitable weather.

Cargo is lightered either to or from the steamers or trading vessels, and worked ashore by a gibbet crane. The inhabitants—about a thousand in number—are Tongans, and there are only two or three trading stations, one of them being a branch of the big German firm of Samoa, the D.H.P.G. Like all the Paci-

who was killed by a fall on the di ck of the two-and-a-half ton yaclit Kia Ora, in which he and a companion named Sowdon were attempting to sail round the world. The fatality occurred during the lirst week in December, about 300 miles' off the Chatham Islands.

fie Islands, Niou-Foou is very fertile, and is specially noted for the great size of its eocoa-iiuts. (trnithologists know it as the only habitat of t he Malau Magopodius Britehardt, a bird re-

markable for laying an egg large out of all proportion to the size of its body. The method of delivering ocean mails to the islanders is decidedly out of the common. The photograph on this

page explains the process. If any of the steamers running between Samoa and Fiji have anything in the way of mail matter for Niou-Foou they run in close to the rocky shore, and without reducing the speed of the engines the mail is sent ashore to the settlement by a rocket fired from the bridge, the package being made fast to the stick. The natives watch the flight of the fiery mailman, and when they have captured it they fire a gun to let the steamer people know that the mail has arrived in good order and condition. As an instance of the promptness of this unique delivery, Mr. Bond, of the Union S.S. Co. (to whom we are indebted for these facts about the island), tells that when the newspapers containing the news of the death of the Emperor Frederick 11. were shot ashore the islanders had their flag lowered to half-mast before the steamer had passed. In the photograph we publish Captain Newton, of the Hauroto, acting as postman. A peculiar feature about the island is a brackish lake, situated in what might be called its crater. In the centre of this sheet of water are three very small islets, where there are signs of thermal action, and, strangely enough, they contain springs of fresh water, which is somewhat surprising, as the lake right alongside is distinctly brackish and unfit to drink. Like many <»f the islands in those latitudes. NiouFoou is subject to seismic disturbances at intervals