NIUE, THE "SAVAGE ISLAND" OF CAPTAIN COOK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 330, 17 June 1911, Page 10

NIUE, THE "SAVAGE ISLAND " OF CAPTAIN COOK.

.«. (By Louis liecke, in the Sydney Telegraph). hi the Daily Telegraph Mr. 11. C. Cornwall, Resident Commissioner for the New Zealand Government at the isolated Likud of iNieue, gave an interesting but u.ll too brief description of that place and its people. Some supplementary particulars by an old resident may add 10 throw more light upon the character oi the inhabitants and the island itself tnan can be obtained except by delving | into official reports since Niue was annexed in 11)01, or by referring to the records of the London Missionary {society lor the past forty years. The appearance ot the island is by no means attractive when compared with such beauty spots as Tahiti or Upolu in Samoa, it rises in most parts almost steep-to from the sea, faced with grim, stark dill's of grey upheaved coral rock. The inevitable coco-palms certainly grace the loreshores, especially on the western or lee side, but there are no beaches, no harbors, and no barrier reel enclosing pale green waters within the line of ever-restless surf. Short shelves of Hat rock stretch out liens and there aiong the coast; in other places the dill's start sheer up from the turbulent seat at their bases. Cook searched for a harbor of some sort on the lee side, but found none. At a village named Tamakautoga ins landing party were assailed by savages "with the ferocity of wild boars,'' and the boats put off again after landing two pigs as a peace-oil ering. The present natives assert that their ancestors, never before naving an animal larger than a rat, were so terrified at the appearance of the strange monsters that they clubbed the poor animals to death. Long after Cook's time the American sperm whalers began to touch at the island, and a semi-friendly intercourse was established, though until 1843 the natives were still known for their rude and insolent manner to strangers. At the present time they are quiet enough, and known throughout the Pacific for their keen business instincts. In 1886, when the present writer was living there, there were also the following white residents:—Rev. F. E. Lawes, of the London .Missionary Society (then a resident for twenty-three years), his' wife and family; Mr. Nicholas (trader), his wife and family; Mr. George Head and family, and another trader named Patterson. Although there was a yearly-elected king, the real ruler of the island was Mr. Lawes, who had an extraordinary influence over the natives. They bore him the utmost respect—T may say affection—and were extremely jealous of him. For instnnce, the people of his own town, Aloli, did not like his visiting any other town unless it was absolutely necessary.

The interior of the island is, for the most part, very rough and overgrown with guava shrub. Yet the soil is wonderfully fertile, and amidst the broken coral may be seen growing oranges, bananas, melons, custard apples, grenadillas, sugarcane, and many kinds of European vegetables, such as oniorts, French beans, tomatoes and cabbages. The Xiuean cabbages are unique and famous all over Polynesia. Imagine a stalk from three to six inches in circumference, and leafless, but out of the stak grow at intervals ea.mages from 31b to 51b in weight. The highest part of the island does not exceeil 2floft, fresh water is scarce —there are no streams—and is conserved in the rains in large wooden bowls. The kava tree grows profusely, but the use of the beverage made from its root is forbidden. Nevertheless, one can always get a drink of kava at any time sub rosa. Fish is somewhat scarce except at certain seasons of the year; pigs and fowls are plentiful. The Savage Islanders make excellent boatmen, and some years aco there was scarcely a trading vessel that did not carry a boat's crew of them. For handling boats in the surf thev cannot be excelled. Then as laborers on the guana islands they have always been in great demand, receiving £3 per month and being found. In the missionary cause they are liberal contributors, ami one of the London Missionary Society's small schooners, the Niue, was built from the proceeds of the natives' donations. The main product of the island is copra (about 500 to 700 tons annually); then comes fungus, cotton and yams.

The climate is extremely healthy, and the natives are a vigorous, stalwart race;; but Nine, like all the "Wine Islands, lias its drawbacks. The plague of flies is a perfect curse, and next to that is the pest of grass seed. The guava shrub is also a great nuisance, and greatly retards cultivation. When the fruit, which is of large size and excellent flavor, is in season, a basket holding •200 or 300 can be bought for Gd or less. Hat-making is a great industry on the island, the retail price being from Is to 2s. They are made bv the women from the leaf of the fala (pandamis or screw pine tree), but are of a poor quality. Life on Nine is monotonous to the white trader except during the copra-making season, when he is kept busy. There is nowhere to go in the evenings, no feasant walks, no ripling streams as in Samoa or Fiji, and the people have no dances or amusements of any kind like the merry-hearted Tahitian's and Samoans. Twelve months was enough for me.