CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9056, 15 February 1908, Page 3

CHATHAM ISLANDS.

"(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Our annual race meeting is over, and was much better attended than was the case in 1906, owing, no doubt, to the .fact that the influenza was conspicuous by its absence. Everybody was there, and the weather behaved itself admirably. The racing was good likewise, and there were some good finishes. The big event, the Chatham Islands Cup, was won by last year's winner Nukuau, owned by Mr Thompson. Mr Palmer's Medico, now in his fourteenth year by the way, created a surprise by running an excellent second. There was no "divvy," for the simple reason that there was no totalisator, and bookmakers were also missing. The new Gaming and Lotteries Act, or whatever it is, would be a dead letter here. There were a few whirligigs in evidence, and they seemed to do a good "biz." A more orderly crowd could not be imagined, if about 150 people, mainly children, could-be called a crowd. It was like a big Sunday-school picnic, with a few horse races thrown in. This was on the 27th December.

The day previous, Boxing Day, was the occasion of a School Exhibition and Fancy Fair at Te One, in aid of the prize fund for the school there. Preparations had been going on for some months, and the result was eminently satisfactory to all concerned. The school-room was filled with exhibits, all the work of the children, at home or at the school. In the Institute, close handy, there was a fancy fair, conducted by Mrs Guest, wife of the head teacher, assisted by Mrs Ritchie, the junior teachers and others. Everything saleable wa? disposed oi in very quick time. In the afternoon a concert was given by several amateurs, notably Miss Clough, Miss Ritchie, Mr Cox, Mr E. Guest and Mr J. J. Guest. Garres of various kinds were provided, and there was a weight-guessing competition, a live sheep. It weighed 1221b5, and was won by Master John Clelland, who' guessed UGlbs. A dance was held in the evening, which was not the least successful part of the show. The total amount collected was a little over £3l, so the prizes should be fixed for a year or two at any rate. It actually rained here on January 31st. I say "actually" because it had not rained since Decsmber 25th, and everybody was right out of water- We have to depend on tanks of rain water; there are no wells or springs to speak of, so when it gets a bi*; dry we are aoon without water. Of course, there are plenty of lanes, lagoons, swamps, etc., all over the place, but they are full of eels and mud, so that the water is not very palatable and does not look any too clean. In Te One, which is close alongside Lake Huro (two miles long by one mile broad) the people carted their washing down to the banks of the lake,and did ths workthere. They find it easier and more convenient than dragging the water home. The general idea of the Chatham Islands held by the people of New Zealand is that it is always raining, and that blue sky is rarely seen. This is quite wrong, judging by the last two years at any rate. The tanks were nearly empty when it rained on December 25th, so that in the last two months there has hardly been more than 24 hours' rain.

The annual, examination of the main school, Te One, was held on January Bth and 9th, by Mr T. H. Gill, M.A., Assistant Inspector of Secondary Schools. The result was satisfactory alike to pupils and teachers. Mr Gill also conducted the examination of one of the pupil teachers, Miss Seymour, in the Teachers' Class D examination. The school gardens in this, the first year of their existence, are really a credit to the pupils and their instructors. The girls have a garden of their own and grow a large assortment of flowers. It is at present a beautiful sight, full of lovely blooms. The flowers seem to thrive here wonderfully, and grow half as big again as they do generally in New Zealand. The Inspector favourably commented on this and the boys' garden, which is full of vegetables of all descriptions. These are sold to anyone who will buy, and there are pienty of customers, so that the garden should be self-sup-porting in the future. The boys are very enthjssiastic, and as groups of boys grow different crops in different plots there is great rivalry among them.

The "Nora Niven" was down here again on January 9th, presumably for a load of fish. She was hovering about here for several days trawling and line-fishing for cod and hapuka. We have no idea o? what sort of a j catch she had. There are plenty of fish here, so they should have got plenty, as they had fine weather all the time. There has been great talk of a line of trawlers running backwards and forwards from here to Napier, but nothing definite has so far resulted. I am afraid the 500 odd miles that lies between us is a big obstacle to the accomplishment of the idea. Some day, no doubt, that will not be too far to come, but not yet awhile. Shearing is about over, and S3me six or seven hundred bales were taken to New Zealand by the "Ripple"_ on her last trip. Most of the show a good increase in the number of bales. It is to be hoped the price obtained will be satisfactory. It makes a great difference in a small community like this. We have a new postmaster in the person of Mr W. A. Matthews, late of Balciutha. He arrived, accompanied by his wife, in December last. Between the blight and the dry weather, the crop of potatoes here is very small. Instead of tiie settle) s here exporting them as in the past, it looks as if they will have to import them instead this year. The steamer on her last trip took a good many passengers to New Zealand, most of them islanders, several of whom are not coming back. The exodus of people from here is slow but sure, and the arrivals few and far between. There is really nothing offering in the shape of employment, for young people especially, and they leave for the main land as soon as they are old enough to look after themselves. It looks as if it were only a matter of time when the Maories will have the place to themselves.