steps forward

Niue takes some new steps forward

From a Niue correspondent The Niue Assembly has dis cussed and approved a scheme

whereby water supplies to

villages can be provided from

the deep well bores.

THE scheme involves the use of windmills and engines to draw ip fresh water and deliver it through jipes and storage tanks to a reticula ion system in the villages.

In each village there would be itandpipes every 300 feet so that no louse would be more than 150 feet Tom water.

It is not known what the exact cost if the scheme will be. But a favour ible reply has been received to an nquiry sent to the United Nations or assistance.

It is hoped that the cost will be plit three ways—one-third from JNICEF, one-third from the Govern nent of Niue, and one-third from he villages in the form of unskilled abour for digging trenches, laying )ipes, erecting tanks and so on.

It is expected that village councils, ret to be set up, will look after the vater supply. [N another step towards self govern ment, the local courtroom has ieen cut in half to provide office pace for the executive committee of he Assembly, The members will have a regular neeting on Mondays and will also ittend to the business of their port olios and be available to the public >n the same day.

A SHIPMENT comprising 140 lbs of siratro seeds, a tropical egume which was introduced to in 1962, has been sent to New Caledonia and the New Hebrides.

The Niue Agriculture Department lopes to build up seed production ind open up markets in other Pacific erritories.

A NYTHING is news on a small island like Niue—even the fact hat a tree fell to the ground in \vatele village recently.

It was not, perhaps, a very nomentous piece of news, but to the ishermen of Avatele, it was a disaster n its way.

The tree, a telie tree, was a land

mark to fishermen who used the landing place of Maiehi at Avatele.

In falling, the tree smashed across three canoes, damaging two irrepar ably. The fishermen were especially sorry because the fishing had been particularly good for a few days before the disaster and they are now landbound.

ANOTHER steel lighter has joined the Niue fleet. It has been named Maui-Tama after one of the ancient legendary folk of Niue, and has joined the other two, Sihamau and Mata-Kuhif.

Maui-Tama was named by Mrs.

Pat Rex, wife of the Leader of Government Business, at its recent launching, witnessed by the Resident Commissioner, members of the Administration, the Public Works Department staff and the boat builders.

A fourth steel lighter is being built.

THERE is still no news on when or if the Niue airfield will be constructed, but formalities for the acquisition of the land are largely completed.

Next to the airstrip is land obtained for a farm. It is planned that the proposed farm supply fresh milk for the island.