The Kermadec Settlers.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 2 May 1890, Page 2

The Kermadec Settlers.

Tbe steamer Hinemoa arrive) brin ing hack thirteen of tht settlers who left New Zealand a short time ago to take up their abode on Hunday Island. The returned settlers are—Mr and Mrs J. Wells and family, Mf-ssrs McCulloch, T. Jackson, A, H. Keckefct, T. McNaught, J. Robson, E, Cotter, H. Carver, and A. B. Taylor. One of the settlers states that Sunday Island is extremely rugged and mountainous. The flat at Denham Bay was of poor land, consisting for the greater part of sand and pumice, and it was impossible to oaltivate the slopes of the mountains. Vegetables ot all kinds suffered severely frbm the attacks of four or five different speoies of caterpillar, whilst ia* the beginniug of Januury rats . showed themselves and destroyed everything within reach. What had escaped the caterpillars was taken by the rats, who devoured the unripe cobs of maize and the pods of peas and beans, and even burrowed in the ground to the kumera and potatoes. A few patches of vegetables near the houses were saved, but the returns from them were unsatisfactory, and the maize cobs and potatoes were small. Beanß and kumeras gave the best returns. There are on the island groves of bananas, wliich, however, are stunled. The settler 3 say that had it not been for the timely ar* ival or the Hinemoa they would have been on short allowance before winter was oh. The leaders of the abandoned K er. madec settlements, Messrs Hovel and Carver, still remain on Sunday Is* land, lhe former was desirious of leaving, but was obliged to stay b«* ca.-se of the delicate state of Messrs Hovell's health. In addition to their scanty crops of pumkins, ku. meras. and beans, the settlers had laid in a lurge supply of mutton ' biids for the winter. Fish are p en* tiful during th*> summer, but the dangerous high sea prevents any be* ing caught. Dm ing the winter three of th • settlers — Mr aud Mrs Bacon a.id boy — having found that Denham Bay was quite unsuitable for cultivation, have leased * portion •f land fron. Mr Bell, who-w run 1»

•*■__*■—__■ » .AL ■ ■ ' — - a . the other end of the island* %nd is good rich laud with -a *Snny* aspect . Three others •fTaybr, Lord, and An' Jfoewi) also shifted their abode fron: tthe bay to the centre of the mountain -where there is some good soil "\VUi_en t was found that the supplies Tw«re running short — in fact, onlj about lewt and a small quantity ci ••tea and suggar was remaining at tht time of arrival— Mr John Bell most generously placed the contents of his plantation at the disposal of the settlers. The returned settlers say they are heartily sorry they ever went to Sunday Island.— Press Association.