Niueans Petition To Minister
p. 85 · Read in the full issue
Minister
From Our Own Correspondent NIUE, November 6.
PHE petition asking for the re moval from the Island of Mor ion missionaries, sent to the Hon. lifton Webb, NZ Minister for land Territories, by the Niueans ceived a good deal of publicity in le New Zealand Press, although as te as September 18 Mr. Webb de ed ever having received it. Mow er, notwithstanding the ministerial nial, the Niueans received an ack awledgement of the receipt of the tition with an August date line and so an official reply dated October At a recent meeting of islanders, committee representing all the vil ges sent another letter to Mr. Webb iting that they now wish to send eir complaints to Great Britain, ley asked also that the promise ade at the time of the Annexation the island—that Niue should have ne Church only, forever” be up- Id.
There is a distinct trend in Island : airs at the moment to re-establish e rule of the Patu (A Patu is a arried man who has a voice in the 'airs of the village) as there is ssatisfaction at the impotence of 2 Island Council to adequately ex ess the voice of the majority of e people. Many of the Niueans are ing even further and want to elect Patuiki (head or chief) or king as ey did in the old days.