39

A.—3

Niue to Auckland.

Average time, 16 days. One additional trip was made from Niue to Tonga and back, giving an extra mail and cargo connection, which occupied twenty-one days—viz., leftJNiue]April 23,*arrived back at Niue May 10 ; time n port, three days. Average duration of stay at Niue, five days. New Ordinance. During the year the Nine Island Council passed an Ordinance entitled the Niue Island Undesirable Immigrants and Vagrancy Ordinance, 1909, which received the Royal assent and became law on the 23rd October, 1909. Under this Ordinance it is sought, inter alia, to prevent persons of undesirable character from landing or remaining in Nine. The island has been unfortunate in this respect in the past, as, while most of the neighbouring islands have framed laws attempting to grapple with this question in some way or other, Niue had no law covering such matters; consequently, this island, owing to its isolated position, became a refuge for men of a very undesirable class—men whose dissolute lives set a bad example to the half-civilised Natives, who are easily influenced for ill, and renders the work of the Administration and the missionaries much more difficult than it would otherwise be. Meteorological. During the past two years a complete record of the daily readings of the various instruments installed at Niue has been kept. The results disclose the fact that Niue possesses one of the most even tropical climates in the world, the moan range for the past year being 16 - 7° Fahr., while in 1908 the mean range was only 15-3° Fahr. Following are the results compiled from the daily readings for 1908 and 1909: —

Mission Changes. The Rev. F. E. Lawes, resident missionary of the London Missionary Society in Niue for the past forty-two years, has retired, and left for England in February. The Rev. Gavin Smith, M.A., of Aberdeen, who has lieen appointed as successor to Mr. Lawes, arrived at Niue last October. During Mr. Lawes's very long term in Nine he has succeeded single-handed in accomplishing much for the good of the Natives. He was largely instrumental in persuading the Natives to accept British rule, and since the Administration was established in 1901 he has rendered it valuable assistance. His great knowledge of the Niue Natives, and their language and customs, has at all times been readily placed at the service of the Government. Education. Ihe Niue Government School was opened on the 10th August, 1909, with an attendance of 64 boys. On the 31st March. 1910, there were 71 pupils on the school-roll—viz., 66 boys and 5 girls. Four boys and 1 girl, the children of Europeans, attend the school as day-scholars, while 66 Native pupils (61 boys and 5 girls) remain at the school as boarders. Mrs. Malcolm, the wife of the teacher, arrived during December, and commenced giving assistance with the teaching

Left Niue.* Route. Arrived Auckland. .Number of Days. _ j May 13 July 3 August 18 October 8 December 18 .. .. Direct .. .. .. June 6 .. 22 .. July 16 14 .. August 30 11 .. I October 24 15 .. January 8 .. .. 20 i * IxKial time one day behind New Zealand time.

Temperature in Shi ide. Rainfall. Year. ■ •a w Ha a o a Is sis a 3 s fl-a IH 0 a- _ 05 1909 Deg. Fahr. 97 | Jan. and March Deg. Fahr. | ,-r. | July and \ \ August eg (June, July, \ and Sep. Deg. Fahr. Deg. Fahr. 1 85-6 68-9 I I 85-2 69-6 Deg. Fahr. 16-7 15-3 121 141 Inches. 81-8 99-9 i908 97 Jan.