44

A.--8

belongs to the class known as " uplifted coral," and in many places the surface is very rocky, tn general formation it takes- the shape of two terraces, the lower one being about 90 ft. above sealevel and the other about 220 ft. There are no natural streams of any kind, but the rainfall is very evenly distributed throughout the year. In 1909 there were 121 days on which rain fell. In December, which was the wettest month, 18"9 in. of rain fell, while the total rainfall for the year was 81"8 in. In the year 1907 there were 123 days on which rain fell, the total rainfall being 72"8 in., while in 1908 99"9 in. fell on 141 days. The mean maximum temperature in the shade for 1909 was 856°, and the mean mimimum temperature in the shade was 68"9°, the mean range being only 16"7°. You will therefore see that the climate is a very equable one. " The island contains a Native population of some four thousand people, who are very industrious, and there are twenty-five whites, all British, most of whom are engaged in trading pursuits. Niue is a dependency of New Zealand, but the Natives have been granted local government. If the cotton-seed of the variety which it is thought most suitable for Niue is obtainable in England, I should be glad if you could procure, say, about 2 bushels, and consign it to the Resident Commissioner, Niue, care of W. F. Utting, Esq., Auckland, New Zealand. Should the seed be sent, I will arrange with Mr. Utting to pay the freight and charges upon arrival in Auckland, and upon receipt of your invoice I will remit by Post Office order the cost of any seed supplied. t C T 1 P 1 have, &c, " H. Cornwall, " Resident Commissioner of Niue. "The Secretary, British Cotton-growers' Association, London."

" The British Cotton-growing Association, 15 Cross Street, Manchester, " Deab Sir,™- 28th June, 1910. " 1 am in receipt of your letter of 11th April, and assure you that we shall be only too glad to help you in any way to reintroduce cotton-growing in your island, which I am ashamed to say I never heard of before I received your letter. I find it is not very far away from the Fiji Islands, and 1 should imagine therefore that there should be little doubt about the possibility of growing cotton there —that is to say, if the conditions are at all similar. "I am sending you copies of 'The ABC of Cotton-cultivation,' and of the bulletin published by the West Indian Department of Agriculture, which I think will give you the most useful information there is on the subject. I should imagine, also, the conditions in your island might be somewhat similar to those in some of the West Indian islands, where cotton-growing has been reintroduced with very useful results. " I am arranging to send you 501b. of Sea Isla.nd seed, and also 501b. of Allen's Improved, which is an upland cotton. There will be sufficient seed to plant about 2 acres of each variety. It is, of course, necessary that the two varieties be kept entirely separate from one another. Perhaps the best plan would be to get two or three of the best farmers to try small experimental plantations, but it is not advisable to give out the two classes of seed in the same district. "As soon as the cotton ripens, it would be advisable to send us a sample immediately, and if the quality seems at all promising we would send you out a hand-gin immediately, to gin up the rest of the crop. The cotton will not hurt by not being ginned immediately if it is carefully stored in a dry place. As a matter of fact, it is always better to keep cotton in the unginned state for one or two months before ginning, as the fibre feeds on the oil in the seed, and improves very much by the delay. The seed could then be replanted, and the lint cotton shipped here for sale. " We will, of course, make no charge for the seed, and will have it forwarded to New Zealand at once, in accordance with your instructions. In the same way we shall be very glad to supply the hand-gin free of charge. " If we find that the second year's cotton continues to be satisfactory it would then be worth while considering what steps might be taken to develop the industry, and also to put down a small steam ginnery, but it is not advisable to go to any expense in the way of machinery until it has been ascertained whether cotton will grow in a satisfactory manner or not. ....■• " Tours, &c, " J. Arthur Button, Chairman. " H. Cornwall, Esq., Niue Island Administration, Niue, New Zealand."

" Gentlemen, — " Niue Island Administration, Niue, 3rd September, 1910. "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 28th June last, in reply to mine of 11th April, on the subject of reintroducing cotton-growing in Niue Island. I have to thank you for sending copies of 'The ABC of Cotton-cultivation,' and the bulletin published by the West Indian Department of Agriculture; also for the promise of 501b. of Sea Island seed and 501b. of Allen's Improved seed. " At the time of writing the seed has not arrived, and it cannot reach me until early in October, which, however, will be in time for planting this season. The Sea Island variety is one of the kinds which flourished in this island some years ago, and I do not think the Natives could do better than again cultivate that variety. As the conditions of life in this partially civilized country are somewhat peculiar, I do not think it would be advisable to cultivate more than one variety, as, owing to the ignorance of the Natives, there would be considerable risk of the cotton becoming mixed. I understand from old settlers here that the quality of the Sea Island cotton grown in Niue many years ago was considered very satisfactory.