Drought In Pacific
pp. 52-53 · Read in the full issue
Islands
ALMOST the whole of the islands , of the South Pacific from Fiji to the Samoas have been in the grip of a severe drought this year from June onwards.
The “dry" season in most of these islands can be anything but that and is a comparative term rather than one of fact. But even Suva, Fiji, notorious for its rain, has had a drier and colder season than old residents can remember before.
Apia, Western Samoa has its lush greenness tinged with brown and
Pago Pago could not this year live up to the reputation given it by Somerset Maugham in the famous story which he called “Rain."
Northern Viti Levu, the Lau Islands, Niue, Nukualofa and Vavau are really dry and parched and in the riverless islands —Niue, Nukua lofa and Vavau—vegetables and fruit crops are already being affected.
Vegetable crops have been affected in Samoa also but the dry season has not harmed the bumper cocoa crops which are now being har vested.
Although I had been told that mangoes did not amount to much in Suva because of the wetness, this year I saw numerous trees covered with large fruit. On the other side, this fruit is developing fast and most of the kids in Lautoka seem to spend their time trying to knock them off the trees in the park opposite the hotel.
Weather in Nukualofa in Septem ber was positively cold, even for a visitor from Australia; and earlier in the winter had sunk to a record low of 42 degrees.
On numerous occasions in Fiji in September it was cold enough for woollen clothes and on one occasion at Tavua I wore a sweater to bed for extra warmth.
The cold, which, in theory, should be “good" for residents did ppt please them overmuch. They said it gave them colds and the ’flu— and certainly there was plenty oi both about.
Samoa expected that the drought would break in October —when th€ Palolo rose. Apparently it always rains when this phenomena oc
curs.
JT.
o revert to their custom of obtain ig water from caves. This water aries considerably both in amount nd quality in the several caves rhere it is obtainable.
There are no running streams nd the known springs and caves rhere water is found are not umerous; nor is the water always rinkable.
It appears that although Niue id not get the proposed air strip, Jofi at least may benefit by a good r ater supply.
It may also be possible to sink r ells in other parts of the island d tap the subterranean supply hich apparently lies at about 200 ?et below the surface, in good uantity.