NIUE ISLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 6 March 1930, Page 2

NIUE ISLAND

SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS INSPECTED.

VISIT OF HON. J. G. COBBE,

AUCKLAND, March 1

A special correspondent, writing at; sea on the Maui Poraare on February. 18th, says that after a somewhat uncomfortable voyage of six days in the motor vessel, the Maui Pomare,' which maintained her ■ celebrated - corkscrew roll over a lumpy sea raised by a northwest wind, the Hon. ,T. G. Cobbe and Mrs Cobbe landed at Niue on the evening of Sunday, February 16th, according to the local calendar, which is one day behind that of New Zealand, the travellers having had a week in which there were two Wednesdays. It was a perfect evening, and the ship approached across the long, lazy Pacific swell, which during the last few hours had lost what Niue Islanders might call its Aitu—the evil spirit—in strictly comparative .sense. The landing wasv'easy, and Mr and Mrs Cobbe spent the night at the resideitqe of the Commissioner as guests of the Assistant Commissioner, Mr Box, who in the absence of his chief, Captain Luckham, in New Zealand, was in charge. The next day Mr Cobbe visited Alofi School,' the larger of two schools of administration, where Mr Hamilton hasffa/; staff of native teachers. and presented prizes to all the children. .

STATE AND -’MISSION SCHOOLS.

Considering that the population is only 3750, the island is very well served educationally, if or in addition to two State .schools, which have, a total roll of about 250, there are ten schools run bv the London Missionary Society. It is to the credit of the missions that the attendance of children at the mission schools satisfied the requirements the Administration. The children may attend whatever school is nearest. At the State schools children are taught in their own language up to the first standard, after which both languages are used in varying proportions.

The mission schools, which handle about 500 children, do not introduce English, and as in State institutions devote considerable attention to handcrafts. The work at Alofi School, a structure of plaster and concrete with a concrete floor, which is ideally designed for hot weather but for the fact that there is no ceiling to turn the heat reflected from the lofty roof otf galvanised iron, was a revelation. Apart from splendid bag and basket making by the older children, their progress in the three R.’s, particularly in writing was remarkable. The average standard of writing was quite as good as in any large New Zealand sixth standard, ahd some specimens would put the best New Zealand child on his defence.

The Niue people have a marked sense of time and drill, and marching evolutions carried out in the wide, grassy playground, which occupies part of a point from which one of the most perfect views imaginable is secured through a fringe-of., coconut palms were excellent. The girls played a game of basketball, and some of the boys boxed vigorously after the fashion of those who believe that attack is the best form of defence. But most interesting of all w r as an old native game in which a ring of singing children moves round a group ■who imitate the actions of birds fishing on a reef. They hop on one leg round and round a stick placed in the ground, and endeavour to pick it up with their teeth and hop away with it before the next competitor can hop into position to contend if or it. Apart from the realistic impression given of birds, it was a significant illustration of a sense of fair plpv in the little people whose fathers and mothers had played it before them for countless generations. In no case was there nnv jostling. Each tried for the stick when a chance was presented, hut if he missed he cheerfully hopped awav again. A nice sense of sportsmanship is indicated hv the manner in which the game is played.

Healthy, happy children,

In school there was a welcome song by the whole body of children and several action songs by a party of white-clad girls, who wore garlands of sweet-scented greenery that were slightly reminiscent of Maori poi. The songs came pleasantly to the ear, but the Niue people pay more regard to volume than to the finer harmonies o'f some of the other Island races. Most of the boys followed the youthful European fashion in respect to hair hut here and there was seen a closely cropped head, in the centre of which the thinnest pig-tail sprouted. This is the result of an old custom for which no European can account, and a boy chosen for the honour—purely a parental matter—apparently is in due course given a feast when the pig-tail which represents the full growth from babyhood, is. cut off and the whole head shaved. Thereafter he follows the custom.

All the visitors echoed the feeling of the Minister wdien he told the children df his pleasure at the wfiole function and his delight in their radiant health, and obvious happiness. Later in the day Mr and Mrs Cobbe visited the hospital, of perfect design for the climate. The medical authority is Mr Dean Young, a New Zealander who does his country credit in this lonely outpost. The matron is Sister Butler, formerly of Samoa and New Zealand. Slie has no European assistance, and all her nurses and probationers are native girls, who go about I

the institution in bare feet. Some of tlie patients who were not confined to bed lounged around in spectacular costumes consisting of copper-brown skin and red lava lavas. Tuberculosis and filarial infections (elephantiasis) are the chief diseases of the Island, where until some years ago the population was on the decline ; but now that trend has been arrested and an increase has begun. Unfortunately, the Niue Islander is very ready to attribute ill-health to Aitu, or evil spirit—a fact which some times complicates health measures. Injection treatment has generally reduced the incidence of yaws.