9

A.—3

The death figures are particularly satisfactory, a steady improvement being visible. Great credit is due to the Medical Officers and their staff for their work. Much remains to be eleme in the preservation of infant-life, and in dealing with old people, who die much earlier than is necessary. These are purely matters of education, by which means alone it will be possible to do away with many foolish Native customs. As to migration, arrivals totalled thirty-two and departures fifty-one. This includes eighteen Europeans arrived and fourteen departed. High Court and Native Land Court. During the year 1922, 333 criminal cases were dealt with by the High Court. There was no crime of a serious nature. Civil work was, as usual, negligible. Fees and fines for the financial year amounted to £137. In the Native Land Court only three applications for adoption were dealt with. Public Works. Roads. Prior to the arrival of the new Commissioner in November, repair work had been carried out on the Alofi Liku and Alofi-Tuapa Roads, and a start had been made in surfacing and providing water-tables for I'eta Hill, Alofi, which is the main road from which branches go to the three villages at the back of the island. This work has been continued, and is nearing completion. Mainly, however, the new Commissioner has been occupied with the' new route from Alofi to Tamakautoga. This road will be little if any longer than the old one. and it will avoiel two difficult and dangerous hills. A start was made on a three-quarter-mile section from the Hospital to Amanau. over which a cart-track already existed: this was completed in December. Gangs were then put oil at both ends. The Tamakautoga gang completed a mile and the Alofi gang 73 chains. The Administration was then compelled to call a halt owing to lack of funds. The remaining seel ion is about one mile and a half. There is some very rough rock-work to be done, and progress will necessarily be slow, but nevertheless it is hoped to complete the road before the end of 1923. Although in his last report the previous Commissioner describes the condition of the roads as shocking, and although very little repair work has been done sine'e then, nevertheless the roads as a whole are in very fair order and will certainly bear e'omparison with the roads in Rarotonga, Nukualofa, Vavau and Samoa. There are many country districts in New Ze-aland which are much worse off. Theie IS only one road, that between Alofi and Tamakautoga, which is unfit for motor traffic, and the completion of the new road will overcome that difficulty. Government Buildings. The completion of the Hospital is the principal event of the year. The buildings look very well, but the grounds are as yet in poor order. Prison labour will be used from time to time' to improve these. Additional office accommodation has been provided at Alofi no addition had been made since the Administration commenced operations here. The Hakupu School has been roofed in iron to provide a water supply for the school. A dispensary has been built at the Hospital, and the use of the old one at Alofi discontinued. The' old building is at present in use as a public library. A motor-shed has been erected at the Residency, and a public urinal rebuilt at Alofi. As far as possible all necessary repairs have been effected, but latterly a shortage of paint and oil has prevented completion of this work. The>, remaining buildings will be attended to as soon as fresh supplies arrive. Reservoirs. —All existing reservoirs have been thoroughly overhauled and painted. Large concrete tanks have been built at the Nurses' Home and the Registrar's house. As time goes on, the galvanized-iron tanks at other houses will be replaced in this way. A reservoir of 8,100 gallons has been completed for Hakupu School, and this will serve in times of scarcity as a reserve supply for the village. Second reservoirs are required in the larger villages, particularly Mutalau and Liku, but tinResident Commissioner is unable to see his way to undertake this work at present. Medical Service. The main event of the year was the opening of the Lord Liverpool Hospital at Tufukia, which took place on the 18th August. About two-thirds of the total population were present, and there is no doubt that they appreciate what has been done for them. It is only very rarely that sick Natives now object to coming in for treatment, and the' objection is fast disappearing. The Matron, Sister Peers, has with her Tupeli, a Native nurse, on loan from the Samoan Administration, and three Xiuean probationers. The relatives of the sick provide native food as required, following the custom in Apia and Pagopago Hospitals. The equipment of the Hospital is a long way from complete, and this matter will receive attention as money becomes available, While Drs. Ellison and Collins were both in Niue a number of operations (notably elephantiasis eases) were performed. If it were possible for a Medical Officer from Samoa to spend a month or two here occasionally many other cases could be dealt with, and this matter has already been placed before the Cook Islands Department for consideration. A large number eff injections for yaws have been given with entirely satisfactory results. Those treated so far are' mostly children, and in some cases the visible improvement in health is wonderful. There are a large number of Natives still to be treated, and as soon as fresh supplies arrive tins work will be continued. A leper who was living under very little supervision has been provided with quarters on the cliff handy to the Hospital. The general health of the island has been good during the past year, with an entire absence of epidemics of any kind. In concluding this subject the- Resident Commissioner places on record his appreciation e>f the' services rendered to the island by Dr. Ellison during his term as Medical Ollieer. Dr. Fllison came at a time when the death rate was high and the confidence of the- people in the Medical Service was small, lie left with the love and confidence of the whole people, and one must have been living here at the time to appreciate the disadvantages under which he laboured and the difficulties which he overcame. The Medical Officer's report for the year follows. Extracts from Report of Resilient Medical Officer. The Lord Liverpool Hospital, opened in August, has been of considerable benefit to the island. Ninety-four inmates, averaging twenty-two days' stay, have been treated. Considerable work has

2—A. 3.