News from Norfolk Island

Shipping Services and the Disappointing Tourist Traffic

From Our Own Correspondent

NORFOLK IS., August 20.

ON the evening of August 26, a fancy-dress dance was held at the Rawson Hall, for the purpose of raising funds for our little local hos pital.

The new committee elected at a crowded public meeting had the affair in hand, and, with the help of the Ladies’ auxiliary, they made a most successful business of it. The hall was thronged—wonderful and most credit able fancy costumes were evolved—and somewhere round about £20 was real ised. That doesn’t sound much, per haps, to larger and wealthier commun ities, but the tickets were cheap in order that everybody might afford to go, and also, times are hard here as elsewhere. Half-way through the en tertainment, Mr. Wickstead, the new chairman of the Hospital Board, made a most effective speech, which was greatly appreciated by all who have the interests of our public institutions at heart. It is believed that the hospital will be most ably administered during the coming year.

It is reported that the Lady Morinda is revising her recently drawn-up itin erary and will only be seen making her stately way up Sydney Harbour once in every five weeks, instead of more frequently, as was first arranged. It seems that since her initial appearance in our waters she has been running at a considerable loss and if there is one word not to be found in the bright lexicon of Messrs. Burns, Philp, it is the word “loss.” So she proposes to make one round trip of her two dis tinct services and, on her next depart ure from Sydney will be outward-bound as follows: Lord M Norfolk Island—Auck land—Norfolk—Vila and other parts in the New Hebrides—Norfolk—Lord Howe—Sydney. It is possible that, in response to a recommendation by our Planters’ Association, she may also call in at Noumea (New Caledonia) which lies not so far out of her course be tween here and the Hebrides. This inclusion would provide us with a pos sible market for fruits, vegetables, eggs and poultry and would only be a re sumption of what was once a most profitable inter-island trade.

All negotiations and arrangements,

of course, are conducted with the ut most stealth and secrecy; and then burst upon us, supposedly, like a thun der clap. But things leak out and we are seldom taken completely by sur prise, no matter what methods are employed. That famous wild duck, the canard, flies high and wide and handsome about the island; but the equally well known little bird dwells also with us, and truth falls from his beak.

But —as regards the Morinda run ning at a loss. Much of it is due, no doubt, to the fact that the banana market in Sydney is at such a low ebb that it is not worth our while to ship produce over, especially as we have a certain market in New Zealand and the choice of two steamers. But the disappointing traffic in tourists—from which we hoped so much, is undoubt edly due to the shortsighted policy of whoever drew up the table of fares between this island and the Dominion. I was told, on most reliable authority, only a few days ago, that a world-wide firm of tourist agents in Wellington reported a total loss of interest on the part of intending visitors since the passage rate became known. Previ ously, and while the proposed exten sion of the B.P. service to Auckland was under consideration, and fares were not yet fixed, endless enquiries were made and berths provisionally booked. That activity died upon a breath of horror and astonishment somewhere about the middle of June.

New Zealand is very little better off at present than Australia, and her people must either renounce holidays altogether or limit them within the boundaries of their own land, if pro hibitive rates are to be charged for such unambitious oversea excursions.

Even so, land is moving and buyers are coming in. Nothing can deprive us of our beautiful climate, our fer tile soil, our exquisite scenery, and our society, drawn from all classes and all parts of the earth. Two golf courses, innumerable tennis courts, cricket and football, bridge and Mah Jonggh (if that’s the way you spell it,) swimming and picnics, all the year round. Island boarding houses, mainland boarding houses, catering to all tastes. No one could do better.