A.—3

14

Meteorological. Summarized, the readings for 1919 are as follows: Barometer—Mean for year, 3003. Thermometer—Highest, 96, in March; lowest, 61, in July; mean maximum, 8566 ; mean minimum, 68-93. Rainfall—Rain fell on 108 days : total fall, 7P26 in. On the 29th April, 1919, at 7.53 p.m., there was a severe earthquake, lasting five minutes, followed by a tidal wave Which destroyed some seventy canoes. This was the disturbance which el id considerable damage in the Tongan Group. On the 17th and 18th January, 1920, what appears to have been the tail-end of a hurricane passed over Niue. The glass dropped very gradually, reaching 2950 at 12.30 a.m. on the 17th January, when warnings were sent out to all the villages. There was a tremendous sea on the western side of the island that night, although the wind was from the east. At dawn it was a magnificent spectacle, but as the wind increased in violence the sea abated. A few canoes were lost, and the concrete surface was stripped from the Government jetty at Tukaiavi, Alofi, for about half its length. The blow commenced on the afternoon e>f the 17th and attained its maximum force during the early hours of the morning of the 18th. Throughout, the direction of the wind was east and south-east. The lowest recorded reading of the barometer was 2926 at 2 a.m. on the 18th. Niue was extremely lucky in. the small amount of damage done. The banana and breadfruit crops were destroyed, and 1,220 coconut-trees and 107 leaf houses were blown down. Although a number of nuts were so damaged that they fell prematurely, I elo not anticipate' any great falling-off in the crop of cejpra for the coming year. As a result of extensive cleaning of the plantations there would have been an excellent crop but for the blow, while neiw I anticipate that it will reach the usual average. Postal. The following figures show the postal business transacted during the year : Money-orders — Issued, £318 18s. Bd.; paid, £646 10s. Bd. Savings-bank—Deposits, £1,880 95.; withdrawals, £245 7s. lid. Postal notes, etc.—lssued, £39 12s. Ud. ; paid, £21 10s. Bd. War pensions, soldiers' allotments, efec, paid, £676 18s. (id. The Savings-bank deposits are the highest on record, anel generally the volume of work compares favourably with previous years. Peace Celebrations. It had been decided to make the planting of coconuts the main feature of the Peace celebrations, and the idea was most enthusiastically taken up by the Natives. Some of the Natives set apart a piece of land in their village as a Peace plantation, others planted along the roads, while some elected to plant individually in the usual plantations. In all over fifteen thousand nuts were planted, anel the idea will probably be kept up on a smaller scale in future years. In aelelition, festivities were held in various villages, anel returned soldiers played a big part in these. I may mention here that the returned men have also erected a fine monument in Alofi in memory of their fallen comrades, I have, <fee., Guy N. Morris, Resident Commissioner. i The Hon. the Minister in Charge-, Cook Islands Department, Wellington.

Niue Island Administration. Statement, of Revenue for the Financial Year ended 31st March, 1920. £ s. el. £ s el. Customs duties .. .. .. 1,805 10 II School fees .. .. .. .. 43 2 0 Aid to revenue .. .. . . 508 15 0 Emigration fees . . .. . . 24 0 0 Dog-tax .. .. .. .. 30 2 6 i Copra-export duty .. .. ..1,110 9 2$ High Court fees ami fines .. .. 295 19 3 New Zealand Government contribution to Native Land Court .. .. .. 22 12 0 Medical Fund .. .. .. 450 I) 0 Licenses .. .. .. .. 168 15 0 Bedanoe in hand, Ist April, 1919 .. 1,340 3 lo£ Liquor-sales .. .. .. .. 204 19 II Registration fees .. .. .. 29 19 0 £7,903 5 0 Revenue from Prist Office .. .. 1,808 16 4 ==-= Statement of Expenditure for the Financial Year ended 31st March, 1920. £ s. d. £ s. d. Niue Island Council- .. ... .'. 53 15 0 Liquor purchased .. .. .. 140 0 I Police' .. .. .. 262 I 3 Niue Public Library .. .. .. 617 10 Prisoners -Fooel and supervision .. 101 16 8 Rent, officers'quarters .. .. .. 18 0 0 Medical supplies and assistance .. . . 486 19 3 Refund to New Zealand GovernmentMedical Officer —Local travelling-expenses.. 108 7 3 Salary of Mr. A. MacDemald .. .. 490 7 0 Resident Commissioner —Local travelling- Compensation for land acquireel . . .. 33 0 0 expenses .. .. .. .. 107 11 10 Miscellaneous services .. .'. .. 72 1 0 Interpreting .. .. .. .. 58 14 0 Printing and stationery .. . . 20 5 6 3,661 10 Office fittings and requisites . . .. 118 1 Cash in hand on 31st March, £ s. d. Tufukia Sohool working-expenses .. 353 11 10 1920 .. .. .. 1,013 5 0 Maintenance, Government imilelings .. 453 13 3 Cash in Bank of New Zealanel 2,628 3 9 Maintenance, reservoirs.. .. .. 42 5 11 4,241 8 1) Maintenance, jetty, &c.. . .. .. 27 I 8 — Maintenance, roads .. .. .. 800 911 £7,903 5 0 Furniture, officers' quarters .. .. 13 8 II