NIUE ISLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1928, Page 4

NIUE ISLAND

PROFESSOR MACMILLAN BROAA’N’S lAIPEESSIONS.

AUCKLAND, Aug. 20,

Recognised as one of the foremost authorities on the peoples and problems of the Pacific, Professor J. Macmillan Brown, Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, returned by tbe Alnui Pomare from one of bis periodic Pacific pilgrimages. On this occasion he lias been to Niue, a New Zealand dependency, which is one of the few islands of the Pacific be had not previously visited. After a pleasant month on the tropical island lie has returned with many interesting impressions, chief of which is admiration for the manner in which the Dominion is administering that part of her island dependency.

In the production of copra and bananas there arc great possibilities of development at Niue, the Professor said. Unhappily, an epidemic of influenza has recently laid many of the natives low, and they are unable to -supply their customary quantity of either commodity. The epidemic had scarcely any fatal effect among tho younger classes, although a number of the older natives had been unable to withstand its effect. It was in the possibility of pneumonic complications that great danger lay. However, there was a well-equipped hospital on the island, and the natives received every care and attention from tho medical officer, Dr Boyd. A fruit which grows prolifically on the island is tho papawea, or mummy nipple. In sampling the fruit, which lie found very good, the Professor incurred the disdain of the natives, for they fed it exclusively to pigs. “1 found it the most digestible of fruits, and' I must say pigs are admirable judges,” said- the Professor, with a smile. “Unfortunately, the mummy apple will not keep sufficiently long for bringing to Now Zealand, although I tried the experiment. The mummy apple conies from Central America, and is as big as a melon.” The Professor found the natives of Nine to be singular people. He had not seen so mixed n race on any other Polynesian island. Natives with Melanesian features could be seen side by side with others cast in typical European mould. Some had the characteristic negroid head with black hair, while in others there was evidence of a strong blonde strain. That was not in itself remarkable., for there was, for instance, a tradition of a- blonde race among the Maoris of tho Urewern Country. Dr Afacmillan Brown said his enquiries showed that the blonde strain was not due to inter-marriage with European stock. It appeared, to ha vie crept into Alclnnesia through Polynesia. He conjectured that the Niue mixture was a result of individual .migration, particularly from Tonga. There had been only one considerable general migration to Niue, that led by Alulalau, himself half Niuean and half Tongan, a century ago.