19 October: Niue

On this date in 1974, the Pacific island of Niue became a self governing island country in association with New Zealand. Here are 10 facts about the place:

1. First of all, where is it? Niue is located 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand. Its nearest neighbours are Wallis and Futuna to the northwest, Samoa and American Samoa to the north, Cook Islands to the east, Tonga to the southwest and Fiji to the west. It’s position on the International Date Line makes it one of the last countries to welcome in a new year. New Zealand and Niue are on opposite sides of the International Date Line, which means a three hour flight leaving Auckland on Tuesday morning arrives in Nuie on Monday afternoon!
2. It’s a tiny place. The total land area of Niue Island is 100 square miles (260 square kilometres) - around the same size as Birmingham. The population is around 1,600. Around 1,000 of them live in the capital, Alofi. In fact, because there’s free movement between Nuie and New Zealand, more Niueans live in New Zealand than in Niue. 22,200 Niueans live in New Zealand.
3. The first Europeans to see the island were Captain James Cook and his crew in 1774. Natives painted in what they took to be Blood (but the substance was probably made from a native red banana) refused to let him land, so he named it "Savage Island" and it was so called for a couple of centuries until it went back to its original name of Niue which means "behold the coconut".
4. Niue is the world’s largest uplifted Coral atoll, formed by volcanic upheavals 2-3 million years ago leaving a large island of limestone rock. Hence it is sometimes referred to as “the Rock”.
5. Niue is self-governing but has no political parties. It did have one, briefly, between 1987–2003, the Niue People's Party, but it disbanded. Each of the island’s 14 villages elects an assemblyperson to the Parliament of Niue every three years.
6. Niue’s highest point is part of the inland plateau, near the settlement of Mutalau. It is 223 feet (about 68 meters) above sea level.
7. Niue Island's national sport is darts. However, they are also into rugby, and like New Zealand, perform a Haka before games. It goes something like: 'We are cannibals, we are cannibals, we will catch you, we will tear you apart and then eat you'." There’s also boxing, but there are only two boxers. The pair regularly fight each other but there is a huge discrepancy in their size, which means the heavyweight Star Tauasi always beats the lightweight Hale Atutolu.
8. There was an Elephant on the island in 2015 when an Asian elephant called Anjalee was flown there to be quarantined on the way to the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand. Another animal you might be surprised to see there is a duck called Trevor, who has been living there since 2018. Nobody knows how he got there. Since the island has no rivers or lakes, Trevor has to swim in a puddle, which the Niue National Fire Service fill for him if it dries up.
9. Niue has no Traffic Lights, and it is customary to wave to other drivers you meet while on the road.
10. One site I found while researching this stated that Niue had no crime, but another mentioned that it does in fact have a prison, presumably a very small one, situated between the golf course and the bowls club. A former inmate allegedly went on to become the island’s golfing champion.

Killing Me Softly

Sebastian Garrett is an assassin. It wasn’t his first choice of vocation, but nonetheless, he’s good at it, and can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s on top of his game.

Until he is contracted to kill Princess Helena of Galorvia. She is not just any princess. Sebastian doesn’t bargain on his intended victim being a super-heroine who gives as good as she gets. Only his own genetic variant power saves him from becoming the victim, instead of Helena. 

Fate has another surprise in store. Sebastian was not expecting to fall in love with her.

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