A.—3

12

Appended is a tabic showing tho population of the island at Various dates and including all available figures : —

Vital statistics are complete from the Ist April, 1901, te) the 31st March, 1924, and these elisclose the fact that deaths exceeded births during that period by 19 only. Yet from the above table it appears that since 1900 there has been a drop of 219 in population. It is therefore clear that migration and not an excessive mortality is the real danger in Niue. It is also fair to assume that the big drop visible in the mission period is largely due; to migratiem. If further proof bo wanted, the settlements of Niueans in Rarotonga, Apia, Pago Pago, anel the larger islaneis of the Tongan Group provide confirmation. Other Niueans are spread through the remaining islands of the Pacific; many are; at sea as sailors; anel there is also a iarge colony in Auckland, whence a few of. the hardier spirits are beginning te) scatter through New Zealand. The majority of the Natives who are away are now permanently domie;ilcd in the islands in which they reside ; many have, through marriage, acquired homes and plantations, and some of the younger Natives have even forgotten their own tongue. The prospect of seeing them again in Niue is therefore remote;. Formerly practically every young man spent some time at sea or abroad. Also, the scope for day labour in Niue is small. Therefore the; younger men are clamorous to go ; and, though they are willing to promise to return, the Resident Commissioner is satisfied that such promises for the most part would not be honoured. It is only a lack of shipping which has kept these men here of late ye;ars. In his report for 1922 the Resident Commissioner at Rarotonga recommended that there should bo ample power to prevent Natives from leaving these islands without good reason, and such authority is urgently needed here. Such a step will no doubt be regardeel by some as an unwarrantable liberty with the frocelom e>f British subjects, but personally the Resident Commissioner regards these people as children —in a state of tutelage and as yet unfit for a full freedom. As/they themselves have not yet acquired a regard for the future welfare of their own island, it is surely our duty to take some such step in their own interest. Medical Service. During the; year an extensive campaign has been carried out against yaws, as a result of which the island can now be saiel to be fairly clean. The cases that remain are for the most part in the form of crackoei foot, which is not an infectious form of the disease, and has accordingly been left to the last. Dr. Dorset, of the Western Samoa Administration, who relieved Dr. Collins in November, brought a simpler and less painful method of injection, which has founel much favour with the; Natives. Another important advance was the discovery by Dr. Dorset of the existence e)f hookworm in Niue. So far as can be ascertained., this disease has never been treated here, but the probabilities aro that it is extremely common, and that the very prevalent cases of anaamia are due to it. Fortunately the treatment is both simple and cheap, and immediate steps are being taken to provide it. It is proposed to treat the whole population, village by village, for this complaint. It will be observed that the deaths for 1923 are 103, as against 82 the previous year. During the; year Tupeli, the Samoan probationer nurse who was on loan to this Administration, completed her term and was returned to Samoa. Dr. Dorset is of opinion that the Niuean probationers aro superior to the Samoan, anel that there will be; no further need to look outside the island in staffing the hospital. During the year 144 patients were treated at the hospital, the average stay being seventeen days ; 2,383 persons visited the elispensary, and the Medical Officer visited out-villages on 224 occasions, in most cases more than one patient being visited. In addition 846 injections for yaws were given. Postal. The following figures show the postal business transacted during the; year, the; total volume eif business amounting to £5,566 3s. 7el. Monoy-orelers—issued, £846 14s. 3d. ; paid,' £547 15s. Savings-bank —deposits, £2,017 J 4s. ; withdrawn, £626 lis. Postal notes —issued, £90 3s. lid. ; paid, £12 17s. 6d. Miscellaneous payments, £1,038 Is. Bd. Meteorological. Summarized, the readings for 1923 are as follows : Barometer (mean for year), 30-03. Thermometer —highest, 98, in February; lowest, 56, in October; mean maximum, 83-71 ; mean minimum, 68-48. Rainfall, 84-71 in. Rain fell on 115 days. There is nothing special to chronicle under this heading. The hurricane season passed without the least semblance of a blow. The rainfall was abnormal, but there was very little of the oppressive heat usual at that time of year.

Year. Population. Remarks. Year. Population. Remarks. .859 .864 .875 883 .884 .887 .891 893 895 .900 4,300 5,010 5,076 5,126 5,070 4,726 4,482 4,463 4,433 4,015 ) I I I [Mission estimate (inf complete). i I J 1902 1906 1911 1916 1921 1921 1922 1923 1924 4,051 3,801 3,943 3,876 3,761 ■3,781 3,779 3,780 3,796 >Census, June. Census, November. Census, October. Census, April. [ Registrar's records, f 31st December. Registrar's records, 31st March.