Lost "Tin Con" Moil

Niuato'ou Evacuated by "Matua" in December

DURING her December trip, the Matua called at Niuafo’ou and evacuated all but a few of the 1.200 inhabi tants.

Niuafo’ou is one of the Tongan Group and was almost completely devastated by volcanic eruptions which occurred last September. Once known as the “garden of Tonga” Niuafo’ou has become less and less fertile and productive over the years, as succeeding eruptions have covered up arable land with lava and ash.

Niuafo’ou was best known to the out side world as “Tin Can” Island owing to the former practice of swimmers taking mail out to passing ships sealed in a tin.

This was later discontinued and for some years now Niuafo’ou has had an orthodox post-office.

After the last eruption (see “PIM,”

November issue) the Tongan government decided that the island was unsafe and that the inhabitants would be moved to another island in the Group. The Matua was to move the islanders on a former trip but was prevented from doing so by lack of time for them to prepare for the move. The evacuation was therefore carried out by the ship on December 21.

The islanders were taken to Nukualofa and will, for the time being, be accom modated in a camp outside the town.

An Auckland message states that 28 natives elected to remain on the island, where they had lived all their lives.

On this trip the Matua picked up also, the last “tin-can” mail. All postal equip ment had been destroyed by the eruption in September, and the Tongan postmaster personally cancelled all postage stamps.

These are expected to be of great value

to philatelists.