Norfolk Is. Notes.

“Karoola’s” Tourists Welcomed.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Norfolk Is., May 26.

ALTHOUGH the Boxing Day visit of the super liner “Strathaird” was such an outstanding success that half the passenger list announced their intention of some day returning to settle here, we were subsequently informed that we could hope for very little more in the way of tourist traffic; owing, partly, to our lack of safe anchorage— which certainly is a serious handicap in the development of the island —and partly to the fact that the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, with their foreign flavour and more tropical atmosphere, were considered to offer greater attrac tions to the traveller. None of the Easter holidays sailings from Sydney even considered a visit to Norfolk.

On May 5, however, the interstate steamer “Karoola,” homeward bound from those islands, dropped anchor here —more because we lay on her direct course to Sydney than for any more flattering reason—and landed a couple of hundred passengers for a few hours ashore. It was a wonderful day—as blue and beautiful as that which had greeted the “Strathaird” —and the resi dents had made preparations for the entertainment and pleasure of their guests. On this occasion they were landed at Cascades, on the eastern side of the island, where a long, steep hill leads down to the rocky shore beneath frowning cliffs and a narrow stone jetty thrusts its way into deep water between enormous boulders.

From the head of the jetty cars and lorries were drawn up in a rank and beyond them, extending to the first upward curve of the hilly road, were stalls and refreshment booths reminis cent of an innocent little English country fair. Behind the stalls and within the booths were assembled our own rank and fashion, intent, in equal measure, upon their own amusement and the garnering of whatever profit might be made from the sale of our simple offerings. And it may be taken as a fact that whatever entertainment the visitors found in contact with us was equalled by that offered by them; for we number here in surprising quantity, people who have travelled ex tensively and lived all over the world.

When the passengers were assembled once more at Cascades, preparatory to going aboard after encircling the island and visiting our more notable beauty spots and the little mission chapel, which is one of the gems of the South Seas, they were most enthusiastic about everything they had seen and done, and wished, with one accord, that Norfolk had been their main objective on the cruise. They admired our scenery, our manners, our charges and all arrange ments made for them, and thought our climate gorgeous beyond compare. Like the passengers from the “Strathaird.” half of them intend to spend their de clining years with us. Sweet are the uses of advertisement and we fully an ticipate that as a consequence of these two successful visitations, Norfolk Island will become more and more widely known and recommended as a holiday resort or a place of permanent settle ment.

As an outcome of the extraordinary wealth of dramatic ability discovered and developed on the island by two rival producers of professional experience, a movement is on foot to organise it under one banner and play for the benefit of any deserving cause. At a meeting called and held at the Rawson Hall a week ago, a big membership was en rolled and a rough charter drawn up.

There is a musical affiliation under the direction of Mr. Fred. Hyde, whom we are so fortunate as to have here for an indefinite period, and there is no limit to our ambitions. The enterprise will form an additional attraction for visitors and we hope to swell consider ably the funds available for charitable aid.