April i, 1892.] 
THF TROPICAL AQRICULTURIST. 
7S3 
ageiatum and iluk grasi, the two last being (rouble- 
gome weede, particularly the Hub grass, the roots of 
which spread rapidly. Laud cau be easily aud cheaply 
puccbased cither from the uatirea or from early eet- 
lers who have obtaiued large tracts. It can also bo 
leased from an Australian Co. The Uritish are at 
present baudicapptd to a cortaiu degree, as tlic 
French are allowed by their Oovernmont to porchaso 
laud for rifles and ammunition while wo of neceseity 
must pay iucasb or trade. Many iu Australia interes- 
ted in these islands are now urging the authorities 
either to allow us the came advantages as the French 
or to get them to preioot their subjects selling 
firearms which would place ns on au equal footing. The 
soil on most of the islands is very rich, chiefly 
volcanic, but in Aneityum it is evident that no volcano 
has been active for many years, as there is a deep 
layer of surface soil composed of vigetable mould, 
formed by deosyed leaves aud timber. In seme islands 
particularly the northern ones the climate U hot but 
pleasant ; climates cau bo gut on high elevations, even 
on Santo, tile most northerly. Thereseemed to mo to 
be a marked difference between the places north sud 
south of Vila, Sandwich Island. These south of 
Vila being otldtr, many of the missionaries aud their 
children got fever. In some cases this can bo ac- 
counted for by tile fact tiiat the lionses are built on 
low ground and surrounded slmcst by fon st. Some 
on the other hand who liavo been able to obtain favour, 
able situation from ibo natives aud particularly those 
living in the southernmost islands do not c..>mplBin of 
the olimate. In proportion as estates are opened ai d 
the laud cleared so will fever di-appear, as in most 
countries covered with forest and dense vegetation. 
There are two soasous : summer or the wet and Lot 
season from November to April, and winter or the dry 
aud cool season for the rest of tho year. The driest 
mouths being July and August and those with the 
largest rainfall February and M irch. The temper- 
ature at Aneitynm 3-aO p.m. on 2.1th June was 77° in 
tlce shade. At llavauiish harbour further north in 
July at fi-40 a.m. it was 63°, at 12-30 p m. 74°, and at 
3-15 p.m. 76. I was told that the highest known 
temperatnro there in the shade wss 92o. At the island 
of Apii further north still it was much higher, owing 
probably to the honse being so closed iu. The temper- 
ature there at 8 a.m, being 74^ aud in the atteruoon 
88°. Temperatures cau be had iu the idsnds from 
63° in tho morning at Aneityum in the s .uth to 76° 
or 78°in tho atterooon and iu the n.orth at Santo on 
the sea coast from 73° or 76° in the morning to 90 or 
95 in the afternoon. At a high elevation on Santo 
where the inouiitsius go to 4.000 or 6,000 feet the same 
tomporaturo would be found as at Aneityum. F'lom 
the records that 1 conld get it app. ars that the rain- 
fall on tho different islands is from 70 to 120 inches. 
Hurricanes are to bo , feared ; some years they occur 
aud some they do not, while sometimes acme i.vlaods 
got them aud otbera do not. I have heard they do a 
lot of damage principally to eoconnts and vegetation 
on the sea, coast, yei the coffee I have tetu shortly 
after a hurricane which I experienced did not seem 
to have been affected by it, owing no doubt to the 
fact that coffee is planted under tho shsda of and 
sheltered by forest trees and not in the open as in 
Ceylon. 
The popu. alien of the islands is about 60,000 in 
some islands, tbero being but few inbabitants and they 
are de.;reavinK, the probable osuses of tliis being the 
introduotion ot diseases snd epidemics, infanticide and 
tribal wars, exportstion of Isbour to other countries snd 
last though not least inaction anil Iszincfs among some 
O' them. That inaction aud laziness produce enervation 
and degradalion in a raceis wcll-knosn, and examples iu 
other countries are not wanting. Were tho British to 
e^ottle there and open up urtates wtich I Ucl sure will 
nappen when the islands are liett.r known and that 
th„ -®i “OW fioing to see 
cXm- 1 . ’ oommnmnicnt-on hss born 
smblished the natives would be emplojod at regular 
1 ‘®"' Pfoaent couditiou wonld thereby, bo 
1 l“'athen that 
nave seen are a powerful looking well built people. 
and I do not believe they will ever become extinct 
as they can and will work. Large numbers of them 
have been taken to Queensland every year for many 
years, New Caledonia aud other places, there having 
been perhaps as many as a dozen vessels engaged in 
that trade up to 1891. This traffic I am glad to bo 
able to say has been stopped as far as Queensland 
is concerned, and I trnst the deportation of these 
i-lsnders will entirely cease before long. 1 say this 
in their own interests and also ol those who will open 
up land there in the near fatnre. 
AVild animals there are none, hot there are anakea 
however, they are non-venomous. Many apeciea of 
pigeons, bush turkeys, | jangle-fowl and some duck. 
Tenure of land : the besfmethod for securing a title 
to land at present is to make out a deed defining the 
land bought and from whom, as there may be many 
people having a share in the land. Getting the 
acquiescence of the chiefs aud natives in the vicinity, 
witnessed by a missionary if there should be one and 
where near aud the chief and some of the natives 
about getting the deed registered by the French in 
Noumea and by tho British High Commissioner for 
the Pacific in Fiji, Such a deed would be recognised 
were either tho Itritish or French to annex and would 
not be dispnted by the natives. 1 have no hesitation 
in advising people to buy laud there now and were 
the laud occupied at once all disputes would bo 
obviated. Neither England or Prance has annexed 
the islands. They are looked after by a joint oom- 
mission of British and Prenoli man-of-war. A speoial 
Oommiasioncr or one of each nation meantime is 
required to live in the group who will, have power 
to register titles and sgroemtnts between settlers and 
their labourers and to enforoe same as well as power 
to settle disputes. The necessity for this cannot be 
too strongly brought before the authorities and the 
sooner the better to avoid future oomplicatiuni. There 
are I dare say 500 acres already planted up with 
coffee in different parts of the islands some 10 years 
old, and the coffee I have seen is very fine and I do 
not think can be surpassed in any part of the world. 
In flonolusion 1 would suggest to those in Australia 
and those who have come for a trip to Australia who 
would wish to spend a holiday away from the cares 
of bnsiuess. to take a run down to these islands, lasting a 
month and costing t:25 return ticket from Melbourne, 
''®® »;>methii.g new snd unlike 
anything they have seen in Australia in point of 
scenery. It is a rich and fertile country and I (eel 
sure when better known that this valuable group of 
islands will be opened up. I have beard it said, “ AVe 
don I want annexation, ' and 1 have seen it written. 
If a British minister in a weak moment consent to the 
banding over of this gronp, Anstralasia will assuredly 
when the time comes take steps to regain her heritage 
in the AA'estern Pacific. But meantime the natives 
will dwindle away, and then of what use will the 
islands be? It may he presnmptnons of me bat I tav 
of no use. AVe have not yet got machinery that 
will plant tea and oollee. Action should be taken at 
once. AVhy mt petition the Home Authorities to 
send a commission there and they wonld then know 
their value to Australia and the necessity for annexa- 
lion. Leaving that aside, how can we think of giving 
up what out miseionaries have gained for us by their 
peat labour and trouble, having had to bear many 
ardships and frequently been in danger of their 
hvt8 1* indeed aevec«l have been killed while doius 
their duty, " 
Ihe subject would demaud to have its olaims and 
menta put forward by a more able exponent than 1 
am, but I trust this will have created f<ome iuiereHt 
amonjfRt there here; and wore I to know that it had 
done 80 iu the smallest degree I ehall feel folly repaid. 
N OTES ON 1 niOl) UCE AND FINANCE. 
Co-OPERslTION KEGAROINO LaBOUR IN Ahkaxt rr, 
are glad to note that at a largelv-attendmi a** 
tlie General Committee of the Can 
Ten Association, held this Week n resnlnst^ Districts’ 
nimously passed in favoi. bf^rpSlnrUir;"::: 
