Mild Hurricane.

Samoa and Niue.

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, January, THE new year had a rough and inau spicious start in Samoa, when a cyclone broke on New Year’s Day and stormy weather, combined with torren tial rains, continued for the first week of 1933.

A strong north-westerly wind was blowing, the centre of the storm being reported at Rotuma Island. Rainfall on January 1 and 2 amounted to about three inches. A second cyclone developed in the Cook Islands on January 2, and exceeded in force the first cyclone.

On the Samoan coast mountainous seas prevailed. Shipping in Apia har bour had to seek shelter in Mulinu’u, and one of the large mooring buoys in Apia harbour was torn off the moorings and thrown on the beach. Luckily no damage to the shipping is reported, due, probably, to the timely warnings given by Apia Observatory.

Again the storm increased in force on January 5, 6 and 7, the blow again com ing from N.W. right into Apia harbour, causing exceptionally high seas and mountainous breakers, which caused considerable damage and inconvenience on the waterfront. Shipping was at a standstill. On the plantations breadfruit, coconut and cocoa trees in large num bers were blown down, while most seri ous damage was done to banana planta tions. A lot of old native houses crashed to the ground, whilst European houses suffered damage to a lesser degree.

On January 7 and 8 (Saturday and Sunday) 12 inches of rain fell in a con tinuous downpour. The rivers and creeks overflowed and in their course down the mountain sides were carried all kinds of trees, plants, livestock and debris. A number of bridges were damaged by the latter. There was no loss of life, except a native girl aged six years, who fell into the Fuluason River, near Vaimoso village, and was drowned before help could be rendered.

The district of Samatau and Falelatai, west of Apia, and the Manono straits suffered most severely from the blow.

The cocoa plantations of the West Coast report a lot of damage, especially to the young plants, while many of the larger cocoa pods of the maturing crop turned black from the effects of the continuous rain.

The island of Niue apparently was in the way of the cyclone, as conditions there, reported by wireless, were much the same as in Samoa.

By January 11, the weather had cleared up and the disturbance died out.

The rainfall for the week ended January 11 was reported by the Observatory as about 15 inches.

The Hurricane Season.

Rarotonga, Dec. 20.

Penrhyn offers the best haven for vessels dur ing the hurricane season, and shortly both the “Tagua” and the “Tiare Taporo’’ will go north to Penrhyn and remain there until February or March.

At present the “Tagua” is at Rarotonga pre paring for her final trip for the year to the Lower Group.

Both the lagoons at Penrhyn and Manihiki are open for pearl fishing. The percentages of pearls which are saleable on foreign markets is rela tively small—sales apparently being confined to pearls of a particular colour rather than to perfect shape.

The “Tiare Taporo” is at present on her way to Tahiti, where she will have her Diesel engine overhauled.