THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 21 October 1886, Page 3

THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

(Rangitikci Advocate.)

That remote portion of Her Majesty's colonial possess ons, known as the Chatham Islands, situated about .400 miles nearly due east from Wellington, is under the New Zealand Government, The islands consist of the main island, which is between 30 and 40 miles long, and varying in width from 5 to 30 miles ; Pitt Island, a smaller Island, about 10 miles long, and about 12 miles from the main island ; and a lot of small islands, or uninhabited rocks, where the natives collect very large quantities of albatrosses The population < f Europeans and Maoris (s about 400, aud there are a lev Monocles, a very inferior race, who are fast dying out. The rich quality of some of the land cannot be surpassed in the world, while other parts, of course, are not so good. There Is a large lagoon, of brackish water, in the island, which abounds In kawai, enormous eels, etc. The game consists of pigeons and wild ducks, which are very plentiful, wild geese, black swan, and Californian quail. Fish of many kinds are to be obtained In almost any quantity on the coast. The land is principally taken np by sheep farmers. Horned cattle are not numerous. The sheep thrlye well, and yield very fine fleeces, while the mutton Is of superior quality. Hot much in the way of cultivation goes on there. The Maoris grow a few acres of oats and wheat, and a considerable quantity of potatoes are grown, which are certainly of the very best quality and flavor—one rarely, if ever, meets with anything to be compared to them in Hew Zealand. Strawberries do wonderfully well, and can be indnlged in for about four months in the year. Apples and currants are also very plentiful; peaches do not sncreed so well. The bush, of which there Is a belt nearly round the island, and clumps in several places, cannot, properly speaking, come under the term of timber. There are no pines of any kind, and the principal trees are akeake and karaka, which are used for firewood, fencing, etc. The latter grows to a much larger size than in this country, and the natives cut them down to feed the stock,"and In 3 oi 4 years after large quantities of fungus grow among the rotten tranks, and this article always finds a ready money market in Hew Zealand. The Maoris are a pretty orderly lot, but are almost to a man Te Whitl-ites. The horses are remarkably hardy, and will stand any amount of work without any other food than grass or karaka leaves. There are some lovely spots on the island for homesteads, and Nature has been beautiful in many ways, but counteracting the gifts are the want of society, and isolation from 'the world Under the existing state of things, life i« necessarily extremely monotonous snd Rip Van Wlukleiah. Even month’y communication with New Zealand would be an Immense boon to the people. An opinion has bean held for some time that, with a comparatively small outlay, and the necessary enterprise, a fish tinning and curing establishment would prove a profitable undertaking. There is an opening here, in these stagnant times, that should tempt someone to give it a trial. The material is readily obtainable in large quantities and varieties, and the distance for export either to this country or Australia, where there would undoubtedly be a good market, would not of itself stand in the way of success. There Is a capital harbor, almost landlocked, at Whangarra, where any sized vessels ean lie In safety. Land could easily be procured for the establishment close to the harbor, and to an energetic man, or a small company, there would be no real difficulty in starting the concern, Chatham Island is pre-eminently healthy; it might, in fact, be said of it that it is one of the healthiest spots in the world, and, in proof of this, statistics show that during the last thirteen years only three children have died there, and almort all the deaths ef adults have been through drowning, os some violence. In fact, disease of any kind Is unknown there. As a sanatorium, Chatham Island fls par excellence the place. A further proof of the salubrity of the climate is the fact that the Maoris are increasing there, and In their settlements numbers of healthy children are to be seen, a picture the reverse|of what is generally observed in Hew Zealand. As a resort for invalids, or those requiring a general renovation, no better cure could be found than a visit to the Chathams during the summer months. If a few people would taka the lead and try it, there is no doubt suitableaccommodstion would be provided, and the example would soon spread. . As to the Islanders, no more pleasing or welcome sight could greet them than visitors to their shores, and the mote the better.

Harrow B»c»pe. * * * Rochester, June 1, 1882 “Ton years ago I was attacked with the moat Intense and deathly pains In my back and —KidneySi •• Extending to the end of my toes and to my brain 1 “ Which made mo delirious ! “ From agony ! ! 1 ! 11 It took three men to bold me on my bed at times ! “ The Doctors tried in vain to relieve me, but to no purpose. Morphine and other opiates !, “ Had no effect !

“ Af i er two months I was given up to die ! ! ! !

“ When my wife heard a neighbor tell what Hop Bitters had done for her, she at ones got and gave me some. The first dose eased my brain and seemed to go hunting through my system for the pain. The seeond dose eased me so much that I slept two hours, something I had not done for two months. Before I had used five bottles, I was well and at work as bard as any man could, for over three weeks; but I worked too hard for my strength, and taking a bard cold, I was taken with the most acute and painful rheumatism all through my system that was ever known. “I called the doctors again, and after several weeks they left him a cripple on crutches for life, as they said. 1 met a friend and told him my ease, and ha said Hop Bitters had cured him and would cure me. I poohed at him, but he was so earnest I was induced to use them again. In less than four weeks, I threw away my crutches and went to work lightly and kept on using the bitters for five weeks, nntil I became as well as any man living, and have been so for six years since. It has also cured my wife, who had been sick for years ; and has kept her and my children well and healthy with from two to three bottles a year. There is no need to be sick at all If these bitters are need. J. J. Berk, Ex-Supervisor.

“ That poor invalid wife, Slater, Mother, “ Or daughter ill! “ Can be made the picture of health

“ with a few bottles of Hop Bitters ! “ Will you let them suffer ! ! !

Proaecnte the Swindler* ! If when you call for American Hop Bitters (see green twig of Hops on the white label and Dr Soule's name blown in the bottle ), the vendor hands out anything but American Hop Bitters refuse it and shun the vendor as you would a viper ; and if he has taken your money for anything else indict him for the fraud and sue him for damages for the swindle, and we will pay you liberally for the conviction. _____________