A.-3.

34

in temperate climates, assume a very virulent form in tropical climes, and, as the Natives are wofully ignorant of the dangers to avoid in such complaints, fatal results frequently ensue. Generally speaking the health of the Natives of Niue compares very favourably with that of the Natives of other Pacific islands, but the many diseases which have been introduced since the advent of civilisation have gained such a firm footing that the services of a resident medical man are urgently required, in order that-an attempt may be made to at least check their ravages. One great thing m favour of the Niueans is, that they are not addicted to drinking alcoholic liquors, neither do they indulge in bush-beer drinking, consequently the many deaths and evil effects directly traceable to those habits in other islands are not experienced in Niue. The Niue Natives are, and always have been, strictly temperate, and drunkenness among them is almost unknown. With the present stringent prohibitory laws respecting alcoholic liquors, it is almost impossible for Natives living in Niue to become possessed of liquor even if they desired to do so. The following are the vital statistics for the past year, compared with those of the three preceding * ' Births. Deaths. Marriages. 1905-6 90 95 53 1906-7 •• ■• ..106 110 30 1907-8 :1 " , ■ 97 104 31 1908-9 115 95 56 From the above figures—which have been carefully compiled by the Registrar, the Rev. F. E. Lawes—it will be seen that during the last year there was a slight improvement, inasmuch as the number of births exceeded the deaths for the first time in four years. A movement is now on foot towards obtaining the services of a resident medical man, which I hope will be successful ; but, as in the case of the Cook Islands, the influence of the tohunga is very strong, consequently the advent of a European doctor is opposed by the Natives to some extent. However, I hope shortly to be able to place before you a definite proposal in the matter. Emigration and Immigration. During the year eighty-one persons left Niue for other islands, and 149 persons returned, the net gain being sixty-eight. There appears to be a growing disposition on the part of the Niue Natives residing abroad to return and assist in the development of their native land. The progress that has taken place since the New Zealand Government took over the control of the island in the matter of providing good roads, water-supply, school, &c, has no doubt been the means of stemming the tide of emigration to some extent, but there are still about five hundred Niue Natives residing abroad, principally in the Tongan and Samoan Groups. Following are the particulars of the departures and arrivals :— Place of Departure to Departures. Arrivals, or Arrival from. New Zealand . . • • • • ■ • • • .... 1 Tonga .. •• ■• •• •• •• •• 28 °7 German Samoa . . . . • • • • • • . . 18 36 American Samoa .. .. • ■ • ■ . . o Maiden Island S1 New Guinea . . • ■ • • • • • • . . 2 Rarotonga . . .. • • • • • • • • .... 81 149 Contract Labour. Niue has for very many years been a favourite recruiting-ground for labour-vessels, and the fame of the Niue Native as a good worker has spread throughout the Pacific. But the conditions of life in the Pacific islands are gradually changing, and the Natives are learning to value their labour more, consequently, the old-time contracts whereby the wages of the Native labourers were paid in highpriced trade goods of poor quality are passing, but not without a protest on the part of the employers. It may be of interest to quote a recent case in which Niue Natives were concerned. A vessel arrived at Niue last year and required thirty men to sign a contract to work at one of the guano islands for one year ■ wages, £2 10s. per month per man. After satisfying myself that the captain was fully empowered to enter into a contract, I informed him that unless he was prepared to agree to at least one half of the wages earned by the men being held and remitted to me at the expiration of the term, for payment to the men on their return to their homes, and also to abolish money fines, I could not approve the contract. The captain, knowing the worth of the Niue labourers, and recognising the force of my arguments, gave way on those two points. The contract was concluded, and the labourers departed Since the principals of the firm have learned the terms of the contract signed on their behalf, they have openly expressed their displeasure thereat, and state that the contracts signed in the Cook Group are much more acceptable to them. That being so, I presume all the recruiting will be done there in future, and that they will leave Niue severely alone. There appears to be a false impression in the minds of these employers of Native labour that they are conferring a benefit on the island by taking labourers away under contract; but the facts are, that unless the men are treated, and paid, in a reasonable manner, and return at the end of their term with a fair amount of money, instead of boxes full of shoddy goods, the island is a dist net loser by the system. It will probably be hardly credited that a gang of forty labourers that returned from one of the guano islands last year, after working there thirteen months, had only £89 cash to draw between them on their arrival here, while the total wages earned by them at the island amounted to £994. A sum of £78 was paid in advance to the men on the signing of the contract before leaving Niue, £3 was given by them to a mission fund on the guano island, and the whole of the balance of £824 had been deducted by the employers for trade goods supplied by them, and cash fines inflicted. Many of the members