A.-3

48

In June last the " Kereru " arrived from Auckland with five active cases of measles on board, and was placed in quarantine by the Health Officer for twenty-three days. After this delay the captain, acting on the instructions of his owner, proceeded on the 18th July on a non-contract voyage to Tonga, and on the return voyage from Tonga to Niue the vessel was dismasted and had to make for Vavau for repairs. After repairs had been effected the vessel returned to Niue, arriving here on the 11th October. This non-contract voyage resulted in a delay of three months, in the busy season, during which time the traders of Niue had no opportunity of shipping their produce direct to Auckland. As a consequence of these delays, the vessel was only able to complete three of the five voyages contracted for between|Auckland and Niue. The effect of the absence of shipping facilities was that the Natives did not dry all their copra, and the trade of the island, which, given reasonable facilities, shows signs of steady expansion, was retarded. The following is a schedule of the voyages made : —

Auckland to Niue.

Average per trip, 20-23 days.

Niue to Auckland.

Average per trip, 19f days. Negotiations are now going on with the view of obtaining an improved service, either direct or via Nukualofa, Tonga. In the meantime the schooner " Kereru " has been subsidized for two more direct voyages between Auckland and Niue. Emigration and Immigration. During the year ninety-one persons, including three Europeans, left Niue for other places, while 168 person, including eleven Europeans, arrived in Niue, the gain being seventy-seven persons. The following are the particulars of the departures and arrivals : —

Of the ninety-one departures, seventy went to Maiden Island in August last under a ten-months labour contract which provides for the return of the men to Niue at the expiration of the contract term. I pointed out in my last report that the recent legislation by the Tongan Government was likely to considerably lessen the number of Niue emigrants to Tonga, and, as the above figures show, that has been the case. Simultaneous with the taking of the census in November last a return was compiled of the Niueans resident abroad, and no less than 513 Natives were accounted for. Of that number 222 were returned as living in the Tongan Islands, 104 in German Samoa, and the remainder scattered all over the Pacific islands. The exodus of Niueans to other islands has during the past five years fallen off considerably, the arrivals during that period having exceeded the depa-itures by some 150 persons, but the majority of those now away have made their homes in other islands and will probably never return to Niue. H. Cornwall, Niue. 29th April, 1912 Resident Commissioner

i " j Left Auckland. Route. Arrived Niue.* Number of Days. J i Lpril 6 .. i Direct .. .. j April 28 .. 23 'une 6 .. .. | .. .. .. J June 24 .. 19 Tovember 18 .. .. j „ .. .. December 7 .. 20 * Local time one day behind New Zealand time. r r

Left Niue.* Route. Arrived Auckland. Number of Daya. May 8 October 16 December 15 Direct tl .. May 24 November 6 January 9 .. 15 20 24 * Local time one day behind New Zealand time.

Place of Departure to or Arrival from. Departures. Arrivals. few Zealand Lustralia 'ongan Islands lerman Samoa anerican Samoa lalden Island look Islands I ' 5 7 9 70 19 3 64 13 6 56 7 Totals ■■■ 91 168