Pacific Islands Monthly - 15 August 1940

Fiji

AN election of a European member to represent the Southern Division in the Fiji Legislative Council, held on July 20, resulted: — Alport Barker .. .. 320 votes A. A. Ragg 185 Mr. Barker was the retiring member.

On the same day, an Indian member for the Southern Division was elected, as follows; — Vishnu Deo 783 K. B. Singh 366 Mr. Vishnu Deo was the retiring mem-

ber Mr. Singh formerly was one of the Indian nominated members.

Mr. H. H. Ragg, who was returned un opposed for the Western Division, donated his election deposit of £25 to the Fiii Bomber Fund.

The'election of an Indian member for th'' North-western Division resulted:— Brahma Dass Lakshman .. 1,010 Sada Nand Maharaj .. .. 447 In this poll, no less than 293 votes were informal, spoilt or “unaccountable”.

Mr. A. H. Cresswell, of Lila-na-kaia Plantations, New Guinea, arrived in Aus tralia recently, and has joined the A.I.F.

An Election Poster in Suva

Aeroplane Mishaps

This biplane of the Stevens Company, when it arrived over Salamaua, New Guinea, on the morning of July 28, found the aerodrome and coast blotted out under thick rain-clouds. It flew around for three hours; and then, fuel exhausted, the pilot came down safely in the water at a point near Chinatown.

The photograph, taken from the main land, shows the machine in the water, and the town and isthmus of Salamaua, on the other side of the harbour.

A Lucky Escape

On August 3, when a Gipsy Moth plane was leaving the Wau aerodrome, with W. Hargraves as pilot and Mechanic D. Muir in the front cockpit, something went wrong with the control, and the machine left the fairway and headed straight for Guinea Airways building. The pilot tried to get through between buildings, but a wing struck a bungalow, and the machine swung across the roadway and crashed straight into the Customs-house. Muir, with great presence of mind, leaped out and saved himself. The pilot was bruised and badly shaken.

Two Steamers

Carpenters Buy

THE head of W. R. Carpenter & Co.

Ltd., Sir Walter Carpenter, will return to Sydney from U.S.A. on August 17.

While abroad, Sir Walter completed the purchase, from American interests, for use in Pacific freighting, of the steamers “Admiral Day” and “Admiral Chase”, both of 5,000 tons, and they will arrive in Sydney shortly, to enter the service of the firm. They will be regis tered at Port Moresby or Samarai. They have no passenger accommodation.

This is important news for the Paci fic communities. If a market can be found in U.S.A. or Mexico for our copra, these two steamers will be able to lift 8,000 to 10,000 tons of it every three or four months.

When war broke out, the Carpenter Line comprised three vessels —“Suva”, “Salamaua” and “Rabaul”—and, as they had been registered in Suva, they passed automatically from Carpenter & Co. to British Department of Shipping control.

New Papuan Taxes Objected To

Port Moresby, August 10.

TO-DAY, representative merchants and planters met the Executive Council and urged rigid economy, and a thorough overhaul of and reduction in this year’s estimates.

The new taxes (primage, 21%; gold production, 31% on gross value; rubber,

5% when the price is Sid. Australian, or more) were discussed. The gold and rubber taxes were opposed, on the ground that they were class taxes, and were imposed actually to make good a shortage in public accounts caused by a demand for £9,000 for pensions There were no objections to war taxa tion, if it were equitably imposed. It was’pointed out that most of the owners of profitable rubber plantations were carrying, also, unprofitable copra

plantations.

Pacific Governors

Difficulties of French Pacific Governors M. Pelissier Criticised in New Caledonia :: Reported Resignation of M. Sautot

IT was learned in Sydney, early in August, with much regret, that M. Sautot had resigned his post as Resident Commissioner of France in the New Hebrides; and it was reported that this was a development from the action taken by M. Sautot on July 22, when he sent a lengthy radiogram to General de Gaulle, in London, pledging the support of the French community in the Condominium to the leader of the forces of Free France.

The radiogram is published in full in another column.

Officially, M. Sautot is subordinate to M. Pelissier, Governor of New Caledonia and High Commissioner for France in the Pacific, whose headquarters are in Noumea; and it is assumed that M.

Sautot’s action in communicating directly with General de Gaulle has been regarded with disapproval in Noumea.

M. Pelissier has been governor of New Caledonia for only a few months. He was a famous war aviator in 1914-18; and, in the course of his colonial service, he was Governor of Martinique. M.

Sautot has been for many years a high administrative officer in the Pacific, where he is held in much esteem.

M. Pelissier is described as a cautious man, who is acting with much discretion in a very difficult international situa tion. He has established cordial rela tions with the British governments, but it has been noted that he has not declared for General de Gaulle. M.

Sautot is a younger man, of more fiery and forthright temperament, and it is not surprising that he has announced his uncompromising support of General de Gaulle.

OBSERVERS cannot reconcile the attitude of New Caledonia’s Gov ernor with the outspoken declara tions (loyalty to Britain, eagerness to continue the fight for Free France, etc., as per public resolutions on June 25 and July 22) of the New Caledonian people.

It is significant that, on August 10, Sydney “Sun” published a message from its London correspondent, reporting General de Gaulle’s grateful acknow ledgment of M. Sautot’s New Hebrides resolution. He said “the New Hebrides is the first French Colonial Administra tion to range itself officially under the free French flag”; and he has cabled to M. Sautot, asking him to continue the duties of protecting French interests in the New Hebrides. The correspondent added: — “General de Gaulle’s supporters have expressed the opinion that the New Caledonians will most probably soon emulate the New Hebrides, and add that they have already disowned a vacillating Governor.”

Paralysis Of Copra Industry

p. 9

Buyers Virtually Cease Operations :: But Government Assistance Promised

THE copra industry of the South Pacific faces the greatest crisis of its history. The European copra market has disappeared. Great Britain has six months’ supply. Even if there were markets, freighters can not be spared from urgent war work to lift the copra from the Islands

ports.

Governments are now planning to give sustenance relief to planters, in the hope that plantations somehow can be carried on until a market is available.

It should not be assumed, from this, that the Pacific Territories are “ruined”.

That might have been the case ten years ago. But, now, nearly all Territories have alternative industries, all of which are booming. The coconut planters are hard hit: but producers of rubber, cocoa, coffee, sugar, oranges and bananas, and all gold-mining concerns, are doing very well. Only two small territories, Solo mons and Gilbert and Ellice, are now solely dependant on copra.

Hereunder is a summary of the month’s events in the copra industry.

Aid For Australian Coconut

Planters

ON August 12 the Minister in Charge of Australia’s Pacific Territories was asked by the “Pacific Islands Monthly” if he could make a statement of the position in relation to the copra industry in the Islands; and Mr. Nock made the following information available.

During the past month, the parlous condition of the copra industry in Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea has been very carefully examined by the Commonwealth officials concerned, who have had the assistance of the Administrator of New Guinea, Sir Walter McNicoll (who has made a spe cial visit to Australia) and they also have had advice by radio in relation to the situation from Papua and other places.

Mr. Nock indicated that it obviously was impossible to do anything on the basis of financing the output of copra.

Copra cannot be stored indefinitely; the market overseas now was extremely limited and apparently was fully sup plied at the moment; and in any event there were insufficient freighters avail able to lift the copra from the Islands ports for carriage overseas —all ships were needed for other purposes.

It has been decided, however, to recommend to the Commonwealth Gov ernment the adoption of a plan whereby necessitous planters in Papua and New Guinea would be tided over the present difficult period. This would be temporary financial assistance to planters, pending the formulation of a scheme whereby the industry as a whole could be assisted to carry on during the period of difficulties created by the war. The method employed would be similar to that used by the Farmers’ Relief Board which operates in N.S.W. The assist ance given would be in the shape of advances, which would carry interest at the rate of 4 per cent.

In reply to a comment by the “P.1.M.”, that such a system merely would add to the debts and future embarrassments of the plantation owners, the Minister

said that the utmost consideration would be given individual cases, as was done by the Farmers’ Relief Board of the mainland.

It was gathered in conversation with the Minister that the plan is now in process of formulation, and it is hoped to put it into operation at an early date; that it may be necessary to appoint a special committee to deal with this method of giving relief; and that, of course, some method of close co operation between the Governmental authorities, the big firms and the individual planters would have to be devised.

The financial assistance that is being made available to Australian-Pacific planters is believed in some quarters to have been made available by London, and not by the Commonwealth Govern ment.

It was officially announced in New Guinea on July 26 that “the Govern ment has made arrangements to afford interim relief in the form of recover able loans to employers, other than companies, who are engaged in planting and who notify in writing that they are unable otherwise to meet their obliga tions.

“Under this interim form of relief, the Administrator will advance money to pay current wages of native labourers, and to pay-off time-expired labourers, pay the cost of their sustenance pend ing repatriation and the cost of their repatriation.”

Position In Papua

IT is presumed that the same form of relief is being given in Papua.

In Port Moresby, in response to an inquiry from Canberra, the Acting Administrator (Mr. Champion) called a meeting of planters on July 29, to supply information and make sugges tions. It was ascertained that, last year, in Papua, companies produced 5,500 tons of copra, and individuals 4,000 tons, at an average cost of £7/5/- per ton, f.o.b. port of shipment. Over 4,000 tons now are on hand, awaiting ship ment, representing £29,000. Over 6,000 natives are employed in the industry.

It was urged that, if production must cease, planters be assisted at the rate of £3 per ton on last year’s production, which would at least allow maintenance of plantations.

IT was announced in this journal, in July, that the principal trading firms had virtually ceased to buy copra in the Solomons, New Hebrides and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea.

Barter System In Fiji

HAVING bought copra to the limit of their financial capacity and their storage, the big firms operat ing in Fiji announced that, after July 24, they could no longer purchase copra on a cash basis. Hitherto, the firms have bought copra whenever submitted, at some price; but, now, they will accept it only on a barter basis. This means that they will take copra, at a price to be arranged, from their regular cus tomers, in return for goods or service.

But they will not accept copra from anyone, and they will not, in any cir cumstances, pay cash for it.

The firms say that, as it means a

continued increase in their stored and unsaleable copra, even this system will embarrass them.

The Governor of Fiji, recognising the serious position that is developing in Fiji, and other territories under his care (Solomons, Gilbert and Ellice, New Hebrides and Tonga, especially), owing to the absence of a copra market, has been actively conferring with planters and merchants, and has made an urgent appeal to London.

There is a gleam of hope in a state ment made in the House of Commons on July 24 by the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, who had been asked about the present inability of the British Gov ernment to draw “a substantial portion” of its copra needs from the Pacific (especially Fiji and other territories in the Western Pacific) as it wished to do.

He said the Government was urgently considering the position of the copra trade of the Colonial Empire with a view to ameliorating matters.

It was reported in Sydney on August 12 that Japanese buyers are offering £9 per ton, Suva, for Fiji copra. There is no confirmation of this report.

How Long Can Copra Be Stored?

IN July we wrote to the Department of Agriculture, New Guinea, and asked how long copra can be held in store. Hon. George Murray, Direc tor, replies: “This Department, in the past few years, has made three authori tative tests and has proved that well cured copra, with not more than 5% moisture content, can be stored for 15 to 18 months.”

Mr, Murray adds that New Guinea has storage capacity for 30,000 tons, and that he had been informed that Messrs.

Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd. would store in bulk on their own plantations.

Another correspondent says that coco nut oil, if thoroughly refined, will keep indefinitely. He urges that the Com monwealth Government should use some of New Guinea’s rich gold revenues for the establishment of a big copra crush ing plant in Port Moresby, where hydro electric power presently will be avail able, and where there is plenty of cheap labour. Port Moresby would be a suit able collecting point for copra from all over the Western Pacific.

So far as the Australian territories are concerned, it is being urged that the situation would be saved if Britain would contract to take 50,000 tons of copra p.a. from New Guinea and Papua.

It also is argued that, if Territories shippers were allowed to operate at a free exchange rate, instead of the official conversion rate, 30,000 tons of copra could be sold annually to Mexico.

Another suggestion is that U.S.A. be asked to modify the internal processing tax on oil extracted from copra, which at present gives copra from the Philip pines a preference of 2 cents, a pound over copra from any other source, thus closing the U.S. market to Pacific copra.

One serious effect of the present paralysis of the copra market is the withdrawal from service of many of the small inter-island vessels, especially those run on a fairly regular schedule by the big firms. This will cause great inconvenience and hardships to Euro pean residents on the more isolated islands.

“The Morobe News”, the first news paper printed on the Morobe Goldfields, New Guinea, was published on July 20 at Wau, by Mr. John Wholey. It has six pages, each of four columns.

Included Shortly

p. 10

United States, Australia and New Zealand Now Linked by Trans-Pacific Air-Mail Fiji Omitted From Inaugural Flights, But May Be Included Shortly

T>AN American Airways’ Boeing flying-boat “American Clipper”, which left San Francisco on July 12, arrived in Auckland, N.Z., on July 18, just as Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat “Awarua” arrived from Sydney. Thus was inaugurated, under Anglo-American co-operation, a Trans-Pacific air-mail service that will have an incalculable effect upon the future of the Pacific nations and territories.

THE P.A.A. flying-boat, American Clipper, which carried out the inaugural flight, arrived in Auck land a few minutes after 3 p.m. on July 18, after having covered the following stages:— Miles 'Frisco-Los Angeles 368 Los Angeles-Honolulu 2538 Honolulu-Canton Is 1915 Canton Is.—Noumea 1994 Noumea-Auckland 1122 It had been decided that two trips should be made before the carriage of passengers and mails should be under taken. The flying-boat carried, in addi tion to 175,000 letters (mostly philatel ists’ “first air-mail covers”), a crew of 10 and 25 officials of the United States Government and Pan American Air ways. Captain John Tilton was in charge, with Captain R. J. Nixon as first officer. Colonel Clarence M. Young, manager of the Pacific Division of Pan American Airways, and Mr. Harold Gatty, P.A.A. manager at Auckland, were in the official party.

The flight from San Francisco to Auckland appears to have been com pletely uneventful. The weather was fine.

Following the award on June 12, by the United States Civil Aeronautics Authority, of the Certificate of Con venience and Necessity, to operate the 8,000-mile South Pacific air route from San Francisco and Los Angeles, via Honolulu, Canton Island and New Cale donia to New Zealand, the C.A.A., Post Office Department and Pan American Airways settled upon that date for the first mail flight.

Service for passengers and commer cial express was expected to become available 30 days after the inauguration of air mail service. Los Angeles is a port of call, both inbound and outbound.

Announcement of the date for the

inaugural flight found stations along the line ready for service. The ocean bases, where construction work was under taken more than a year ago, had been

on an operating status for months, and had had experience in receiving and dispatching clippers on two preliminary flights to New Zealand and return, plus one as far as Canton Island.

As to flying equipment: The flying boat fleet, for operation on both the North Pacific and South Pacific routes (three Boeing 314’s, 2 Martin M-130’s) was completed with arrival in San Fran cisco on June 21 of American Clipper, returning after nearly a year of service in the Atlantic Division, first on the trans-Atlantic run, and then between New York and Bermuda.

THE American Clipper left Auckland on July 20, and the return to San Francisco was made without incident.

The Boeing flying-boat Honolulu Clip per, which carried out a survey flight between San Francisco and Auckland in November, 1939, left San Francisco for Auckland on July 27, on the second flight of the new service, arrived in Auckland on August 1, and left Auck land again for San Francisco on August 3, all according to schedule.

The third trip of the service, which commenced on August 11, and which is carrying 13 passengers and freight is being undertaken with the California Clipper —which was the first Boeing seen in Auckland, when she visited there on a survey flight in Sep tember, 1939.

And so at long last, after heart breaking delays, caused at first by dis putes between P.A.A. and American officialdom and, secondly, by the out break of war, the South Pacific air service has been commenced. rE one disappointing factor, so far, is the non-inclusion of Suva as a port of call. Mr. Percival, “Sydney

Morning Herald” representative, cabled from Auckland on August 3 that Mr.

Gatty, of P.A.A., and Captain Burgess (flight superintendent of Tasman Empire Airways) were then in Suva, and that they were trying to make arrangements for the inclusion of Suva in the service. Mr. Percival was of opinion that the inclusion of Suva, either in the P.A.A. service, or in a Tasman Empire Airways service extended from Auckland, would result in a round fly ing-trip of considerable interest being made available in the South Pacific, namely: Brisbane - Noumea-Suva-Auck land-Sydney.

Two Australian newspaper corre spondents left Sydney early in August to travel over the P.A.A. route to the U.S.; and at the same time a party of American newspaper correspondents left San Francisco, to travel by the P.A.A. and Tasman Empire Airways route to Australia, and endeavour to give America some idea of the new world that has been opened up by the enter prise of Pan American Airways.

Accommodation For 40

AN inspection of the clipper at Auck land showed that two cricket pitches could be arranged on its wings with a reasonable run for bowlers, said the ‘‘Sydney Morning Herald” corres pondent, on August 2. There are 40 bunks at the rear of the upper deck.

There are separate rooms for mail, cargo and bullion.

The wings hold 1,200 gallons of fuel.

There is an off-duty room on the flight deck for junior members of the crew, in which hammocks can be slung. Tun nels lead from the flight deck into the wings, along which the engineer can walk to attend to the engines. A new feature will be introduced on to-mor row’s north-bound mail flight, when a buffet bar will be opened at which it will be possible to secure “snacks” at any hour.

Passenger And Postage Rates

IT is reported that the single fare, from Auckland to San Francisco, on the new service, is £2OO, Austra lian or N.Z. currency.

The postage rates on letters sent from New Zealand by the service are:—To New Caledonia, 1/- per half-ounce; to Canton Island, 1/9 per half-ounce; to Hawaii, 2/6 per half-ounce; to the United States, 4/- per half-ounce. This is inclusive of any despatch by surface transport or internal air services.

Map showing P.A.A. route from U.S.A. to New Zealand, and the connecting link with Australia by Tasman Empire Airways.

The Tasman Empire Airways flying boat “Awarua”, in foreground, and the Pan American Airways Boeing Clipper moored side by side in Auckland, Harbour (N.Z.) in July.

Copra as Food For Pigs

Interesting N.Z. Experiment

MR. H. M. Rushworth, Auckland pre sident of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, visited Fiji recently and arranged for a shipment of two tons of copra to the Dominion. He paid £8 for the two tons, but the landed cost in New Zea land was £lB/7/-.

According to the “N.Z. Herald”, this copra will be distributed among N.Z. pig farmers, who will experiment with it both alone and with a combination of other foodstuffs. If it proves a success as a food, the Government may be approached for facilities to deal with the commodity on a large scale. Landing costs could be substantially reduced, and exchange eliminated by importing from Western Samoa.

Mr. Rushworth said the important thing to be ascertained first was infor mation concerning the precise food value of copra and its effect in producing bacon. He had been told by the Fiji Director of Agriculture that the protein content was very high, and might make the bacon fat and flabby unless topped off with some hardening substance, such as skim-milk.

The idea is excellent; but although copra sheds all over the Pacific are filled to capacity„ copra at £4 per ton is hardly profitable for European planters —in fact, it would barely pay the cost of production and shipment to central ports.

Death Of Fiji Pioneer

Mr. Herbert Charles Swann

a period of 70 years—from 1868 until 1938 —Mr. Herbert Charles Swann was a resident of Fiji, and he saw that important group change from “The Cannibal Isles” into one of the leading Colonies of the - British Empire.

He was born in New Zealand, and went to Fiji with his parents when only a few weeks old. During his life, he was en gaged in coconut planting and inter- Island trading, and for many years he t*as a member of the staff of Messrs.

Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd., Levuka. It was Mr. Swann’s father, the late Mr. James Sutler Swann, who established the busi ness of a retail chemist in Levuka, about 1870, and who, with members of his family, extended the business to Samoa and to Suva in later years. Although a number of generations have come and gone, Swann’s big business is still in existence, and the shop is one of the landmarks of Suva to-day.

Mr. H. C. Swann, two years ago, re tired from Fiji, at the age of 70, and he died in Auckland, at the residence of his son, last month. He is survi/ed by his wife, nine children, 23 grand-children, and 4 great-grand-children.

The "Bulolo"

THE following report by the Australian Associated Press will interest readers in Papua and New Guinea: A Retain Government communique, issued after a Cabinet meeting, declared that the British “cruiser”, “Bulolo”, which had been anchored at Duala (Cameroons, West Africa) since June 24, was replaced by the “Dragon” on July 21, when armed British patrols landed and marched through the town.

Mr. A. Sherwin arrived in Madang, T.N.G., recently, to take up duties in W.

R. Carpenter & Co.’s branch.

be an administrator in the fullest sense of the term, and would not be a figure head.

It is unlikely that an appointment will be made to Papua before the Minister has had an opportunity of visit ing both Territories and meeting a number of men who are interested in the appointment: and it is unlikely that the present Minister will be able to make that visit before the Common wealth general election.

The belief held in some quarters that, as a result of Papua and New Guinea being formed into an Australian military district, with headquarters in Port Moresby, it is necessary that a high military official be appointed Administra tor of Papua, is not regarded seriously in Ministerial circles.

One Minister said to the editor of the “P.1.M.”: “Why should we appoint another military officer? If we want military service in connection with the newly-formed military district, we have a highly-graded military officer at Rabaul, in the person of Sir Walter McNicoll, whose services presumably would be available for the benefit of the entire military district. What is needed is a highly qualified administra tor for Papua, who may be expected to assist the progress of that Territory and make it self-supporting in an economic sense.”

Likely

Administrator Of

Papua

No Early Appointment Likely

THERE is no immediate prospect of an appointment being made to the vacant position of Administrator of Papua.

The Papua Bill, which was introduced into the Australian Parliament some months ago, and which is designed to bring the Papuan Administration somewhat into line with that of New Guinea, passed all stages on August 8.

Members took the opportunity to dis cuss Territory affairs with considerable vigour, and the Bill was strongly opposed by Mr. A. E. Green and others, on the ground that it tended to cen tralise the administrative machinery in Canberra, and make the Administrators of Papua and New Guinea complete “figureheads”.

The Minister in Charge (Mr. Nock> declared that the man who would be appointed to administer Papua would

With this issue of the ‘ P.I.M.”, accom panying all copies addressed to New Caledonia, New Hebrides and French Oceania, there has been circulated a special “Supplement*’, in French. It contains a report of the notable address to French Colonists, made in Port Vila, New Hebrides, by M. Sautot, Resident Commissioner, on July 22, and the full text of M. Santot’s radiogram, in French, to General de Gaulle. We have been glad to publish this supplement, for the information of our many French sub scribers, in the three Territories named : the statements of M. Sautot may be an encouragement to them, in the tragic hours through which their great nation is passing.

Immortelle! ’

pp. 11-12

‘Vive La France Immortelle! ’

French Colonies Carry on Bravely, in Association With Great Britain

FOLLOWING a period of nervousness and commercial and financial chaos —the natural result of being cut off suddenly and completely from the Mother Country—the French Colonies in the Pacific, late in July, returned to normal life, in close association with the British Colonies and Dominions.

As described in an article on page 22, Australia has helped New Caledonia to restore partially her economic situation; and a new trade between the two coun tries is rapidly developing.

The French community in the New Hebrides also is forming a closer com mercial relationship with Australia; while French Oceania, of which Tahiti is the principal unit, is turning to Aus tralia and New Zealand for most of its requirements. It is not known exactly what is happening in French Oceania— that important French Colony, in a shipping sense, is extremely isolated— but it is assumed that, like New Caledonia, Oceania is carrying on under its own administrative power.

In fact, if not officially, these French Colonies are under the protection of Great Britain; and recognition of the fact is seen in the warm and cordial relationship that exists at present be tween the French citizens in the different colonies and their British neighbours.

The Australian Government made a satisfactory arrangement with the Governor of New Caledonia for the maintenance of economic relations. Mr.

B. C. Ballard, who has represented Australia in certain directions in the New Hebrides, is now official represen tative of Australia in Noumea.

The Governor of New Caledonia, addressmg the Conseil-Generale in Noumea on July 22, expressed his grati tude to the Prime Ministers of Austra lia and New Zealand, and the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Sir Harry Luke) for assistance given him in making arrangements which would allow the French colonies in the Pacific to be carried on despite the severence of their communications with the Home Government.

In Port .Vila, on July 20, a large meeting, representing most of the French people in the New Hebrides, heard an address by M. Sautot (French Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides) in which the general situation was explained; and the meeting, prac tically unanimously, acclaimed the action of the Commissioner in sending to General de Gaulle, in London, leader of free Frenchmen in the French Empire, a radiogram, an English trans lation of the text of which is reproduced on the next page.

The two chief problems facing the three French Colonies in the South Pacific are transportation, and markets for their products. The French South Pacific Line, between France and the French Pacific colonies, via the Panama Canal, has ceased running, and the French colonies are now dependent to a large degree on the ships of other coun tries. New Caledonia and New Hebrides fall naturally into the Australian ship ping orbit, and can be serviced; but the position of French Oceania is a little

difficult. There has been some expecta tion that the Matson Line (running between San Francisco and Australia) will alter its course to include Papeete, the chief town of Tahiti, but there is no indication of this, up to the present date.

There is only a limited market now for the products of the French Colonies.

Australia is taking as much as possible of the New Caledonian metals, but she cannot take all. There is some demand for the cocoa and coffee of New Hebrides, and the vanilla of Tahiti; but the copra of the three Colonies, which previously had a protected market in France, now must enter an exceedingly depressed market, along with the copra of British and Dutch Colonies.

Radiogram to General de Gaulle

The following is a translation of the radiogram sent on July 20, by M. Henri Sautot, Resident Commissioner of France in the New Hebrides, to London, to General de Gaulle, Chief of the Forces of Free France:— “In the name of the French people of the New Hebrides, I transmit the follow ing message to Your Excellency: ‘ln view of the fact that the official government of France is no longer free or independent, we must endeavour to restore our Motherland by employing, to that end, all the forces of the French Colonial Empire which are intact. ‘ln view, also, of the facts that the only chance of salvation for France rests in the victory of our noble Ally, Great Britain; and that His Brittanic Majesty’s Government has appealed for the co-operation of all French colonies in pursuing the struggle to the bitter end. promising in return all assistance, poli tical, economical and financial, and the aforesaid Government having recognised Your Excellency as the only legal head of the Free French beyond the seas; and in further consideration of the fact that Your Excellency has on many occasions expressed our desire to struggle side-by side with Great Britain for the honour of our flag, for the liberation of the Motherland and for the respect of our pledged word, the French population of the New Hebrides place themselves, with confidence and respect, under Your Excellency’s authority, and place at your disposal all their members who are able to bear arms. ‘The French population of the Neiv Hebrides — who, for forty years, have worked in the Condominium at the side of our English friends, whom we have come to appreciate and to admire —ask you to accept this unanimous declara tion as an unshakeable resolution to struggle with you until final victory is attained. ‘The Fi'ench Adyninistration of the Condominium, and the Resident Com missioner of France are associated to the fullest extent in this declaration and range themselves with pride under your flag. ‘Long live immortal France! Lorig live England! ‘A copy of this declaration has been placed by me in the hands of the Resi dent Commissioner of the Government of His Brittanic Majesty.’”

Mr. J. H. Jones, of the New Guinea District Services Department passed through Rabaul at the end of July on his way to Wewak to take up duties as District Officer. He recently has been in Australia on leave.

About Islands People

pp. 13-14

Mr. Charles B. Nordhoff, the well known American writer who has been settled in Tahiti for so long, is expected to join the “Aorangi” on her next trip South, from U.S.A., and tranship at Suva for Tahiti. Mr. Nordhoff has been visit ing his family on the American main land.

Captain George J. McMillan, U.S. Navy, recently took over the office of Governor of Guam Island, replacing Captain James T. Alexander, who has been given the post of commanding officer of the U.S.S.

“Astoria”. The island, which is an A.merican Naval outpost, is situated at the extreme southern end of the Mariana Archipelago (Japanese), in North-West Pacific. It is used as a stopping place by Pan American Airways Clippers in the North Pacific Service, from U.S.A. to the Philippines.

Mr. J. L. Taylor, who is well known in New Guinea for his exploration work in the Hagen-Sepik region, returned to Rabaul in July, after some months in Australia, during which he compiled a valuable report on his 1938-39 patrol through unknown Central N. Guinea.

Mr. Ted Reed, who was for so long associated with Rarotongan agriculture, arrived in New Zealand by the “Matua” recently. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have made several attempts to settle in New Zea land, but have always returned to the Cook Islands. One of the last posts occupied by Mr. Reed was that of acting- Resident at Aitutaki.

Dr. A. zur Werra, a Swiss scientist who has been carrying out anthropological research in the New Guinea hinterland, returned to Rabaul late in July. He spent part of his two years’ study among the natives of the Upper Sepik; he also visited Dutch New Guinea and Papua in connection with his work.

Dr. Alfred Metraux, associate in eth nology at the Bishop Museum, Hawaii, after completing a course of lectures at the Graduate School, Yale University,

has left for Argentina. A Guggenheim Fellowship has made it possible for the French scientist to do field work there.

Dr. Metraux visited Easter Island in 1935, subsequently calling at Tahiti with other members of the Franco-Belgian Expedition, and his writings on the island have since attracted considerable attention. Since then he has been asso ciated with the Bishop Museum. His “Ethnology of Easter Island” is now on the press.

Mr. Brian Cobcroft, of Apia. Samoa, reached England in July with the Royal New Zealand Air Force contingent. He holds the rank of Sergeant-Observer.

Rev. J. W. Poole, together with Mrs.

Poole, will leave Sydney shortly for New Britain, where he will take up duties with the Methodist Mission.

Mr. L. Cay, manager of Mariboi plan tation, Papua, was married in Australia recently and has returned to Port Moresby with his bride.

Captain and Mrs. Frank Williams, of Suva, Fiji, celebrated the 50th anniver sary of their wedding on July 2 —they were married in Suva on that date in 1890. Captain Williams is one of the best known men in Fiji shipping and commercial circles. Having served an apprenticeship with the Norse Line, he went to Fiji and traded for many years with small inter-island vessels. In 1894, he joined the Union S.S. Co. in Suva and until 1933 was chief pilot and stevedore.

He founded the firm of Williams and Gosling, one of the most flourishing in the Colony. Unfortunately, Captain and

MISS D. E. WILSON, who has just been accepted by the Methodist Mission Board to do nursing work in New Britain, will leave Sydney within a few weeks for Rabaul. —“Mission Review” Photo.

Mrs. Williams were not in Suva on the date of their wedding anniversary — they were passengers on the “Niagara” in June, returning to Fiji from a holiday ta . N S W Zealand, when that vessel was mmed. The gay celebrations planned

SfnmldTfe? The w 7

ftbpfr r

hams family m Fiji comprises their four fiV6 daughters and 19 grandchildren.

Alr V of the N G Denartment

to RaSl at Te

rst^L July - atter spending leave in Australia.

Mr. G. R. Richardson, a medical assistant attached to the Australasian Petroleum Co. at Karivava. Papua, who has been spending furlough in New Zealand, returned to Australia recently to undergo further training at Melbourne Hospital. He has been in Papua for 14 years.

Tropicalities

pp. 14-17

Dr. George Mackaness Was En

gaged for 10 years on the work of collecting material for the biography of Captain William Bligh, commander of H.M.S. “Bounty” and later Governor of N.S.W. His search extended to all parts of the world and the discovery of docu ments and related facts involved feats of deduction worthy of Sherlock Holmes himself. Dr. Mackaness told the fascinat ing story at a meeting of the Pacific Is lands Society in Sydney on July 21. This distinguished historian’s work on Bligh has won him a great reputation abroad— especially in the United States. The chairman, in thanking Dr. Mackaness for his address, urged the Society to be active in gathering up, collating and pre serving the great mass of historical material now available in the various

Pacific territories, covering the events of the past 150 years; and he issued the warning that, as the older people dropped off, this material was steadily disappear ing, and was irreplaceable. * * * DURING the naval confusion in the Mediterranean early in July, when it was necessary that certain French warships should be destroyed to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy, it was announced that the small cruiser “Rigault de Genouilly”, 2,000 tons, had been sunk by a torpedo off Algeria.

This graceful little warship was well- • known in the South Pacific ports, having been based in recent years at Noumea and Papeete. The French officers and crew were welcome visitors in Suva, Auckland and Sydney. It was unofficially reported that the vessel was sunk by a British submarine, but no details have b.en published. * * * THE search for oil in Papua having covered most of the central and western districts is now concentrated on two points—the district inland from the Kikori River where plant worth hundreds of thousands of pounds is be ing assembled to put down a bore which should reach oil if it is anywhere within 5 miles under the earth’s surface; and the small area held by the Papuan Apinaipi Petroleum Company, in the same region. A private letter from a resi dent of Port Moresby to the editor says; “The Apinaipi company seems very con fident of finding good oil soon”. * * * AN Islands newspaper is bitter: “It is reported that the Germans are using a gas which produces ex treme lassitude. Spies have obviously ob tained the serum from this Territory, using trained mosquitoes which have bitten civil servants dozing at their desks. There is no other reasonable ex planation.” * * * EARLY this year, the New Zealand Government prohibited the importa tion of fresh pineapples. Recently, a small consignment of Queensland pine apples reached the Auckland market and sold at from 30/- to 35/- a case—each case containing between 18 and 25 pine apples. The pineapples were sold retail at from 2/6 to 3/6 each. This extra ordinary situation (reported in the “New Zealand Herald” of July 26) persists, al though there is an abundance of pine apples in the nearby Pacific Islands —in Fiji, for example, and in Tonga. It was the quality of its luscious pineapples which first put Aitutaki (in the Cook Islands) on the map. And the Cook Is lands are a dependency of pineapple hungry N.Z.! ♦ • THERE are various kinds of thrills; but even the following incidents gave at least a momentary relief from the monotony of ordering, and receiving about three months later, our regular lines of Islands needs. Also, a good laugh.

For my mission natives, I ordered; “Sankey’s Hymn-book, sol-fa edition, 2 doz”. Sydney price was about 11/- or 12/- per doz. That trip we received mail ahead of cargo, and my agents wrote that, in reference to my order of 2,000 Hymn books, they had to advise that Angus & Robercson had not enough in stock to meet the full order, but were sending what they could that trip, and would forward the remainder by next steamer.

Being isolated here, I couldn’t cable or do anything about it till the cargo

arrived. Imagine my relief to find a mere half-dozen of the dreaded lot of books; and 18 more followed next trip. It was the most comforting anti-climax I have experienced.

A few weeks ago a steamer call brought just the few lines of household stuff that a small family, living quietly, requires.

Among the cargo we expected 4 dozen small tins of assorted soup, and in the order, I had mentioned 5 or 6 varieties.

One or two of the cases were so heavy that I told the boys to open them at the beach, and bring the contents up in bags.

Up at the house, the soup began to arrive—soup, soup, and still more soup.

I don’t remember seeing so much tinned soup anywhere else before —enough for us for about five years. After the first annoyance, it became amusing. They sent merely the bare 4 dozen each of five of the varieties I had mentioned—2o dozen tins of soup! I ask you!—P. * * * BRIEF history of a South Sea island, as set out in the “Saturday Evening Post”: 4000 8.C.—1693 A.D. Uninhabited is land. 1694 A.D.—1778 A.D. Pirates’ Hide-out. 1779 A.D.—1845 A.D. Uninhabited is land. 1846 A.D. —1921 A.D. Treasure-Hunters’

Bonanza. 1922 A.D.—1933 A.D. Escapist Paradise. 1934 A.D.—1937 A.D. Naval Base. 1938 A.D.—1957 A.D. Air Base. 1958 A.D.—4000 B.C. Uninhabited is land. * * * A NOTE from Mr. Edward Auerbach, of the Trobriand Islands, referring to the pioneers of the New Guinea (Morobe) goldfield:— “The Germans don’t do things in the way that we do. Prior to 1914, they founded a company of lh million marks, for prospecting in German New Guinea.

The headquarters were at Luard Island, outside Morobe; Schlinck was their ex pert. I was up there in 1900, and they had in their stores thousands of pounds’ worth of mining machinery. I asked them what it was for, and they told me that when they found gold, the machin ery would be ah ready. I told them that we found the gold first, and got the machinery afterwards. I met Schlinck about 5 years ago, at Samarai. He had been to the Mandated Territory, report ing on oil, for Canberra. I believe he was one of the leading oil experts of the world. The funny part was that the Germans never went into the bush to look for gold. I suppose they expected to find it on Luard Island.” ♦ ♦ * A WELL-KNOWN hotel in Uganda con tains the following notice:— “Visitors are expected to take baths, which are provided at no extra charge; an additional charge of 2/- per day, how ever will be made if no bath is taken!” * * * BACK from a holiday trip to Suva, where he went to meet Lady Gepp, Sir Herbert Gepp is full of praise for the manner in which E. G. Theodore, as managing director of the Loloma and Emperor mines, has organised amenities for the staffs of 1,400 Fijians and 150 Australians. These folk seem to have all the comforts of home, down to —or is it up to? —a nine-hole golf course (says a writer in Melbourne “Herald”).

As a mining engineer, Sir Herbert told me to-day that he “takes his hat off” to Mr. Theodore for the job he has done in providing good homes in the middle of this huge extinct volcano, 140 miles due north of Suva. The Australians are en

gineers, metallurgists, mechanics and accountants, mostly from Melbourne and Sydney, and the mine manager is an American married to an Australian. * * * FTIHE Samoan fale, which aroused so X much attention when exhibited at the Centenary Exhibition in Wellington, New Zealand, will not return to the Islands after all. This marvellous exhibit of Polynesian craftsmanship, which had not a single nail in it, has been bought by Mr. H. J. Kelliher, of Auckland, a director of the Bank of New Zealand. Mr, Kelliher and his wife (who re-

cently visited the Netherlands East Indies) are the owners of Puketutu, an historic island in Manukau harbour, near Auck land, and there the fale is to be erected — just as it appeared at the Exhibition. Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher, who were in Tahiti and Moorea not long ago, have many friends in the Pacific, T\URING the past few months—in fact, JX as soon as the Nazis struck down their weaker neighbours and pro ceeded to overrun Europe—the eagerness among all the younger men of the Pacific Territories to volunteer for milit

ary service of some kind oecame marked.

Much disappointment was expressed lately when it became known that Britain considers that she has, for the moment, all the military forces she requires—the call is for airmen and technicians of every kind. “Footsloggers” may have their opportunity later—they are not wanted just now. Every kind of young man has been literally on the warpath. Three young Presbyterian missionaries in the New Hebrides were so anxious to enlist in Britain’s fighting forces somewhere that the Victorian mission body which controls them had to be quite stem in requesting them to remain at their posts.

The mission committee said that each missionary would of course exercise his own judgment and decide for himself; but the opinion of the committee was that, as that soldiers are actually not needed just now, the missionaries can perform better service for the Empire by remaining on their stations * * * AN ingenious writer recently tried to sum up the everlasting argument in this way:— SOCIALISM.—You have two cows, and you give one to your neighbour.

COMMUNISM. —You have two cows, and you give both cows to the Govern ment, which gives you part of the milk.

FASCISM.—You have two cows, and you keep both cows, and give the milk to the Government, which lets you buy part of it back.

American New Deal.—You Have

two cows, and the Government shoots one cow, buys the milk from the other cow, and puts it down the sewer.

NAZISM.—The Government shoots you and takes the cows and sells the milk.

CAPITALISM.—You have two cows, and you sell one and buy a bull.

SOCIAL CREDIT.—You shoot the bull. * * * HOW many times has this kind of in cident occurred in the Pacific Is lands during the past 150 years?

Early in July, a steamer was preparing to sail from the anchorage at Apia, in Western Samoa, when one of the crew leapt overboard and started away on a half-mile swim to the reef. He had made up his mind to remain in beauti ful Samoa. A constable on duty on the ship immediately disrobed and set off in pursuit. He caught his man and the two of them were taken back to the ship in a boat. A little later, the sailor escaped, and again plunged into the water and, this time, he gave the constable a harder and a longer chase. On the second occa sion, he was locked up ashore, and was returned to the ship only a few minutes before her departure. * * * WHEN that well-known Pacific traveller, Mr. Arthur J. Vogan, visited the Trobriand Islands a few years ago, he brought to Australia a col lection of what he considered the finest yams grown in the Pacific; and these he placed in the hands of Mr. H. A. Joubert, of the Tweed River district, N.S.W. Mr.

Joubert co-operated heartily in the ex periment of producing good yams in Australia, and those Trobriand yams are now a recognised crop all along the northern coast of N.S.W. and in the coastal districts of Queensland. One yam, exhibited at the Hawkesbury Agricul tural College a few years ago by Hon.

Hugh Main, and grown in the Tweed District, weighed nearly 30 lb. Memories of this interesting experiment in trans plantation is revived by the announce ment during the month that Mr. Joubert is dead. He was a member of one of Sydney's oldest families. Mr. Vogan, in an interesting note, says that the yam, apparently, was first brought into the Pacific by the Arab (or Phoenician )

traders nearly 2,000 years ago, from the east coast of Africa. ♦ ♦ ♦ IN these days it would be well for Is lands residents to take to heart the advice which a lady of 78 years of age, residing in Tunbridge Wells, England, cabled to her daughter in Aus tralia. Having received a letter from her daughter, couched in depressing terms, the old lady forthwith cabled a reply to Melbourne: “Nobody here downhearted. Australians, keep your chins up!” * * * A PATROL Officer in the west of Papua was examining a severe arrow wound in a native woman's leg.

“Who did this”, he asked, frowning.

“It was the mosquitoes”, she assured

him plaintively.

Now he knew that mosquitoes were bad in the district, but he doubted if any of them were strong enough to draw a six foot bow. Enquiries revealed that one night the woman’s husband had been un able to sleep because of the pests—magic spells, wood-smoke, aromatic herbs, all proved useless, and even the chanting of the mosquito song had no effect. So he grabbed his bow and arrows and left the hut, to find the mosquitoes even worse among the long grass outside. Irritated beyond endurance, he raised his bow and shot three arrows into the darkness, one of which penetrated the wall of his hut and pinned his wife’s leg to the floor! * ♦ * FOR some years, a new stamp series has been projected to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chilean possession of Easter Island, the mystery Island in Eastern Pacific, 1,000 miles east of the Marquesas Group. The anniver sary actually fell in 1938, but the stamps have only just appeared, according to the “Australian Stamp Journal”. The issue consists of two values and the principal feature of the design is a view of the “Abtao”, which visited Easter Island on September 9, 1888, when its commander, Captain Toro, signed a treaty with the native chiefs. On one of the values a portrait of Captain Toro is inset, while on the other is inset a picture of Father Eyraud, a Franciscan friar who lived on the island from 1864 to 1866. Incorporated in the design is a representation of one of the mysteri ous stone statues found on the island, whose origin has caused so much dis cussion and speculation. * ♦ * SOME time ago, Mr. R. H. Phillips, of Suva, presented a large collection of Fiji moths to the Australian Museum, Sydney; and it was reported in July that these now have been placed in the Museum’s reference collection.

In an article in the “Fiji Times”, Mr.

A. Musgrave states that Mr. Phillips first began collecting moths whilst in the service of the Fiji Government. On retiring, in 1928, he became connected with the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., and remained in their employ for three years. All of this time Mr. Phillips added to his collection and, when he handed it over to the Museum, there were no less than 873 different specimens.

Mr. Musgrave also refers to the early entomologists who visited the Fiji Islands. Among the first were French explorers, in their quest for the missing La Perouse expedition. Later, German and English collectors came to the Group; and, to-day, the names of Fijian moths occur quite frequently in scientific journals.

A PRIVATE letter received in Wau, T.N.G., states that Flying-Officer Moresby Gofton (son of Mrs. P. Stewart, of the Bulolo Hotel, Wau) who was re ported missing in June, is believed to be a prisoner of war in Norway. The infor mation is decribed as “garbled” and ap parently unreliable, and no official noti fication has been received by his mother.

Naturally, all friends of Mrs. Stewart and of the gallant young airman hope that the report is correct. It is true that the British were carrying out considerable operations in Norway about the time that young Gofton was reported missing; and it may be that he was with one of several machines which disappeared when over enemy territory. * * * SO many young men have left the service of the Papuan Government to enlist in the Australian forces that the Government is finding itself em barrassed in the matter of carrying on the ordinary work of administration.

Elderly men have been engaged to take

some of the vacant places and in other cases women are being employed as clerks.

Margarine in Demand—But Copra

p. 18

Growers Won't Profit!

rE comparatively high price of but ter and the comparatively low price of copra has brought about a very rapid increase in the use of margarine throughout the world and it was reported in Auckland in the middle of July that the growing sales of margarine were causing uneasiness among dairying interests in New Zealand.

A report from London dated June 6 says that since the ration of butter in Britain was increased to 8 ounces per head per week the margarine trade had gone flat, but other reports from Eng land say that although there has been a falling off in the demand for margarine, preparations were being made to meet an increased demand that was expected in July and August.

Another British commentator said that when butter is sold at from 1/- to 1/2

per lb. there is little demand for mar garine, but when butter goes beyond 1/4 per lb. there is a marked swing-over to margarine.

However, the position does not seem to make any difference to the South Seas planter. The situation is completely in command of the Unilever combine.

If there is an increased demand for margarine and greater profits from the handling of coconut oil the profits clearly go into the pockets of the mar garine trust —they do not by any chance find their way into the Pacific.

Mr. Tom Ellis, Junior, married Miss Freda Mathieson at Wewak, New Guinea, recently and travelled by plane to their home at Maprik.

Mr and Mrs. W. Johns, of Bulolo, T.N.G., have been receiving congratula tions on the birth of a daughter (at the Wau Hospital on July 6).

The Star Of Hope On The

p. 18

Rim Of The Moon

THE constellation of the moon shown in the sketch, which was observed on June 3, at 5 a.m., from one of the Lau (or Windward) islands in Fiji must be of a comparatively rare occurrence.

The moon had passed the last quarter, new moon being due on June 6, but, owing to the purity and dryness of the atmosphere, the whole orb was clearly visible. The star perched so jauntily on its rim is generally accompanied by a smaller one, when observed in the morn-

Ing sky. On this occasion, however, the nearness of dawn had already paled the smaller fry.

It was a lovely picture. The morning sky was of a light blue-black, lit up by the hidden radiance of the approaching sun. The moon, just risen above the inky darkness of the hills, seemed to pour liquid silver over this little sleeping world, dripping from the fronds of the ghostly palm on to the native hut nestling so peacefully in its shelter. No sound broke the deep silence. Even the thunder of the reef, ever awake, ever watchful, had died to a low distant rumble.

Then a slight breeze stirred, like a sigh. A rooster lifted its voice to greet the new day, followed by answering calls from every tree and bush on the home stead.

I gave a last look at the moon—so serene and aloof from the worries of this, our world. Yet that same adornment, in congruous as it looked, placed thus on the great orb, seemed to work a subtle change in its expression. There was a promise, a message of hope.

That star looked exactly like a “teki teki”—as the Fijians call the custom of tucking a flower into one’s hair, just above the temple. You wouldn’t do it if you were depressed. I thought: “Well, if the moon feels like a ‘teki-teki’, things can’t be quite as bad as they look now.

Isn’t it always darkest before dawn?”. — E.H.

Messrs. L. Round, Paul and A. Hogan have been transferred from the Rabaul branch of B.P. & Co., Ltd., to Port Moresby.

A sketch of the moon, made by the writer.

Rarotonga

p. 20

J. M. Salmon of Rarotonga

Letter to the Editor APROPOS of my letter in the July “P.1.M.” concerning the antecedents of John Mortimer Salmon, of Raro tonga, I have since come across some information that, in part, answers this query. In her “Strange South Seas”, published in 1907, Miss Beatrice Grim shaw makes reference to a meeting with Salmon and his wife, Queen Tinomana of Arorangi.

Miss Grimshaw refers to Salmon as an Anglo-American, says that he landed in Rarotonga in 1874 from the schooner “Venus”, and that he was the grandson of Thomas Dunnett, a Ramsgate sea captain. There is also an account in this book of Salmon’s romance with Tinomana, and a description of Miss Grimshaw’s visit to their home. The five children who were born to them, she says, all died.

Perhaps Miss Grimshaw, who is now a resident of Australia, can enlighten us as to her informant concerning Salmon’s forbears?

Was Alexander Salmon, of Tahiti, also related to this Thomas Dunnett? I think not. The name does not suggest any Jewish association. Nothing appears to be on record concerning Alexander Salmon’s English family. It is said that he was the son of a London banker.

That he was an educated man is obvious. Though he must have been very young when he landed in Tahiti, he certainly appears to have had a good schooling, and the story that he, too, had had banking experience may be true.

I am, etc.,

Eric Ramsden.

The Pacific Islands Society, Sydney, August 5, 1940.

Mr. Richard Edgar Christian, Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island, died at Pitcairn Island on June 20.

Salamaua-Wau Road

p. 20

N.G. interests Resent Suggestion That Rian May be "Forgotten"

STRONG feeling on the subject of the Salamaua-Wau road in New Guinea is shown in a number of communi cations received from the Territory during the month.

Members of the New Guinea Mining Association—the name of a large organ ised group of Morobe gold-miners—are particularly resentful of the statement, made in this journal and in other places, that the Commonwealth Government and the Administration of New Guinea probably will “forget” about the road plan, on the ground that the financing of the project is not practicable under war conditions.

Correspondents point out that early in 1939 the bill authorising the construc tion of the road passed through the Commonwealth Parliament; that the Administrator received instructions from Canberra to carry out the construction work; and that the Administrator stated before the Legislative Council in Rabaul on April 2, 1940, that tenders would be called for the first section of the road.

It is pointed out also, on the ground that it was necessary to provide funds for the construction of a road, the royalty on gold produced in New Guinea was increased in 1927 from 1 per cent, to 5 per cent. The Mining Association says that if the road is not to be built, and is to be forgotten, then that 4 ner cent, additional gold royalty collected for 12 or 13 years, should be returned to the miners.

The miners undoubtedly have justice on their side. Justice is usually shown blindfolded: and in any event what chance has the poor lady of surviving in this war-tom world?

It was reported from Nairobi on July 23 that the Government of Kenya has taken over the Kenya coffee industry.

Death of Captain

p. 21

D. Robbie

npHE death occurred at Levuka, recently, JL of Captain David Robbie, a Fiji pioneer, and one of the most widely known planters and traders in the Western Pacific.

Captain Robbie was bom in Scotland in 1849. and came to the Colony at the age of 27, as master of the schooner “Nymph”. After several years of trading among the Central Pacific islands, he settled down in Levuka as a general mer chant, and built up a flourishing business, which was subsequently purchased by Bums Philp (S.S.) Co.. Ltd.

Captain Robbie was elected to the first Legislative Council in 1905, but later re tired in favour of Sir Maynard Hedstrom.

In recent years he had lived in retire ment, on his Wainunu estate.

A full account of his life appeared in the April, 1939 “P.1.M.”, on the occasion of a presentation being made to him by residents of Levuka to mark his 90th birthday.

May A Melanesian

p. 21

Have Pride Of Race?

Letter to the Editor IN an article in the March issue of the “P.IM.” is the statement; “In some islands, the pan-Melanesian fantasy hangs over the native mind like the in toxicating fumes of a narcotic.” As one who has inhaled the fumes I would like to put up some defence of this fantasy which the writer so contemptuously dis misses.

We, who know what a stimulant pride of race can be, know also how debilitat ing the absence of it can be. We rejoice in the possession of it for ourselves and, ipso facto, we should rejoice in other races having it.

Like the possession of any good thing, it can be seriously misused and even be come a menace, as witness Germany to day, but rightly directed, pride of race is a valuable incentive to progress and achievement.

A white man may choose to regard racial pride in a Melanesian as slightly ridicu lous, but that is only because of his damned superiority. A white man who thinks that the best hope for the Melan esian is for him to become a coloured imitation of a white man, and adopt his

ways of living and thought is guilty of unspeakable arrogance. He and his like, I presume, are responsible for the New Hebrides natives referred to in the article as refusing food and medals offered by the Government.

As one who watches with interest and sympathy this Melanesian “fantasy”, and who took a small part in encouraging it among the natives of the Solomon Is lands, I am glad to have evidence that it exists among the New Hebrides natives.

Britain has a solemn obligation to ful fil in the Solomon Islands, likewise France and Britain in the New Hebrides.

This obligation is not to frustrate and ridicule the Melanesian pride of race, but to foster and guide it. Pride of race is not a narcotic, but a stimulant—a stim ulant to achieve greatness.

The Melanesian needs all the stimuli he can have, if he is not to lose his identity, if not his very existence.

I am, etc.,

Richard Fallowes.

Strathfieldsaye, Reading, England. 21/5/1940.

Lt.-Commander R. B. A. Hunt, R.A.N., accompanied by Mrs. Hunt and his small son, has returned to Australia, after serving in Papua for nearly a year.

Rubber Tax

To be Imposed in Papua

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, July 29.

IT is understood that the Administra tion will present a Bill to the next session of the Legislative Council, providing for an export tax on rubber from Papua.

The tax will be 5 per cent, on the f.o.b. value at Papuan port, payable if and when such value is not less than Sid. per pound, Australian currency.

Rubber producers in Papua receive, at the present market price, a profit of approximately 1/- per lb. on rubber landed In Sydney.

Bumble-Footed Bungling

in New Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent WAU, July 20. rE second contingent of volunteer recruits from the Goldfields for the A.I.F. met with extraordinary treat ment at Salamaua, when on the first stage of their journey.

On arrival at the Morobe port, they were “ordered” to go on leave, and to pay for their food in advance, daily, at the local hostelry. These men were receiving pay at the rate of 7/5 per day, and they each had to pay 9/- per day before they could get food.

A sum of no less than £56 was imme diately raised on the Goldfields, and remitted to Salamaua, to assist the recruits in their difficulty—many of them had spent practically their last penny in liquidating their obligations before leaving.

This was an example of pure bungling, and reflected badly on the methods adopted in handling men who have enlisted for service.

New Uses For Coconut Oil

AS far back as 1931, the continued low price of coconut products caused grave concern, and efforts were made to find new uses for the coconut.

An important development was then reported in the Philippine Islands, where scientists demonstrated the practicability of using coconut oil as a fuel for Diesel engines. It was claimed that the oil could be produced as cheaply as crude oil. In Manila, at the time, it was thought that the discovery would revolu tionise the industry.

If the use of vegetable oil In combus tion engines is practicable, it is clear that a new era would open for the industry.

It was pointed out, long before 1931, that the world’s mineral oil resources are limited, and that, with the ever-growing demand of the motor trade, it would only be a question of a comparatively short time before supplies are exhausted.

Has there been any further develop ment which would be of interest to Papuan planters?

Tonga's Finances

Nukualofa, July 16.

THE financial estimates of the King dom, for the year to June 30, 1940, passed recently by Parliament, show estimated revenue at £79,148 and estimated expenditure at £78,989.

Of the estimated revenue, £68,325 is to be raised from taxation and £10,823 appropriated from the Kingdom’s accu mulated surplus funds. That the reserve had to be called upon is evidence of the present financial position of the Kingdom.

Impeachments

Extraordinary Occurrences in Tonga

From Our Own Correspondent

Nukualofa, July 18.

DURING the present session of Parlia ment, the Premier (Hon. Tugi), the Minister for Lands (Hon. Ata), the Minister for Police (Hon. Akauola), the Governor of Haapai (Hon. Akauola) and the Governor of Vavau (Hon. Ulukalala) were impeached by the senior Parlia mentary representative of the people for Vavau, Hon. Afuhaamago, on the ground of maladministration.

The charges were heard before the Parliamentary Tribunal, which, presided over by the Chief Justice (Hon. W. H.

Stuart) returned a verdict of not guilty in all cases except that of the Governor

of Vavau, which has been adjourned for trial at some later date.

In the history of Parliamentary im peachments in Tonga, there never have been so many impeachments made simultaneously in any one session of Parliament.

It Is a matter of historical interest to recall that it was Hon. Afuhaamago’s father, who, as Parliamentary Repre sentative of the people, impeached the former Premier, the late Hon. Jiosateki Veikune, for maladministration, before Parliament, which resulted in the lat ter’s dismissal from office and his deportation to Fiji by the High Com missioner for the Western Pacific, in 1904.

It is recalled, too, that the late Hon.

Jione Tubou Faletau was impeached before Parliament and dismissed from office when he was Governor of Vavau, about 1912.

Extraordinary Results of the French Capitulation

pp. 24-25

New Caledonia Being Run As An

Independent Country

STUDENTS of national and political economics will be interested in the history of events in the French Colony of New Caledonia, when that community found itself suddenly cut off completely from the Mother Country by the capitulation of France, in June, to the German hordes.

In ordinary circumstances, New Cale donia is administered by a Governor (ap pointed by the French Colonial Office) and officials under his command; and while the country is generally self-sup porting, its finances were controlled from Paris.

The Colony, which has a population of 27,000 Europeans and about 54,000 natives, exports nickel, chrome, deer and cattle hides and coffee. In the past, most of its exports went to France, but a large pro portion of its imports have been bought in Australia.

It is a country of considerable economic importance. It has agricultural and pastoral industries, and great wealth in minerals —especially nickel and chrome.

For that reason it has had a good deal of attention in recent years from Japanese investors and industrialists.

In June, when France capitulated to Germany, while Britain maintained her mastery over sea communications. New Caledonia found herself cut off entirely from France and thrown upon her own resources.

Details have been supplied to the “P.1.M.” by Mr. Nicolas Hagen, of Noumea, who in August made one of his periodical visits to Sydney. rpHE first effect was seen in the collapse X of the currency. Nominally, 140

francs will purchase £1 Australian and that has been the basis of trading between the two countries for a consid erable time. But in June no one wanted French francs —they could not be sold at any price—and it was no use the mer chants in New Caledonia offering to Australia their ordinary currency where with to purchase from Australia tne foodstuffs which were urgently needed.

For a while, the situation was chaotic.

Its solution was made easier by the fact that the principal banking institution in

New Caledonia, the Bank of Indo-Chine, is autonomous in New Caledonia—al though its headquarters are in Paris — and it issues a special bank note for use in New Caledonia. The situation was taken in hand by the Government of New Caledonia and the Bank of Indo-Chine, acting independently of France and other French Colonies, and an appeal for assistance was made to the Common wealth Government. As a result of this, Australia agreed to buy from New Cale donia a certain large proportion of the nickel and chrome which New Caledonia customarily exports; and, with the credits thereby established, New Cale donia was able to buy from Australia various foodstuffs needed by the com munity. In other words, a simple system of barter was established, controlled by

View of Noumea from the Bay, showing He Nou in the foreground.

the two Governments interested and the Bank of Indo-Chine.

So long as there is a market for New Caledonia products, this system can be carried on indefinitely, and New Cale donia can support itself. But Australia cannot buy anything like all the metal output of the Colony, and a market has also to be found for the other main New Caledonian products—namely, 80,000 deer hides a year, and a large quantity of coffee. These are eminently market able products—but their market dep°nds to a considerable degree upon sufficient shipping being available.

MEANWHILE, pending the operation oi this system of bart°ring, the Euro pean population of New Caledonia has been placed upon strict rations.

These in some directions were severe— half pound of butt°r per head per month, two boxes of matches per head per month, 3 lb. of sugar per head per month, quarter pint of oil per head per month —but, generally, there is plenty of food of the home-grown varieties, and New Caledonia has large herds of cattle and deer.

This sudden economic isolation of New Caledonia has had curious results. For instance, the various ships owned in and operated from New Caledonia have had to re-arrange their insurance. Usually their insurance was held in Prance —now it has been transferred, on what is understood to be quite satisfactory terms, to Australian insurance offices.

The Bank of Indo-Chine has had some difficult problems to handle, but it has succeeded fairly well in stabilising ex change at the former rate —namely, 140 francs to £1 Australian, It is reported in August that francs, which had been quite unsaleable in June, are now negoti able on a satisfactory basis.

Many companies, with headquarters in France, have substantial investments in New Caledonia. Their position is obscure and difficult. Obviously, if New Cale donia, by sheer force of present circum stances, comes into the British bloc of trading countries, there will be no trans fer of money from New Caledonia to Prance for the benefit of the Germans.

Therefore, any profits made by the French-owned companies in New Cale donia will have to remain in New Cale donia for the present—and, probably, per manently, for the ultimate benefit of the Colony.

There have been no indications that Great Britain or Australia have designs on New Caledonia—other than their de finite wish that New Caledonia shall not be held by any Power potentially danger ous to Australia, or to British interests.

Australian trading interests in New Caledonia already are substantial and, in the natural order of things, it would not be surprising if New Caledonia entered the British Commonwealth of Nations. That would seem to be a natural development. But Japan has displayed extraordinary sensitiveness in relation to the future of these Pacific territories; and it is just possible that Japan may regard New Caledonia as in the same category as the Dutch East Indies.

JAPAN apparently will do nothing so long as the Dutch East Indies, and New Caledonia and French Indo china remain nominally independent (although the home countries of eacn are in German occupation) and so long as the Japanese are permitted to trade freely with those territories; but, if it is proposed to transfer any of those terri tories from one country to another, there may be trouble with Japan, on the grounds that the Japanese, as a matter of definite policy, object to any alteration of the status quo in the Pacific.

However, the people of New Caledonia seem to be prepared to carry on quite

cheerfully under the present conditions, for an indefinite period. They have no reason to worry, so long as they can find a market for their principal products.

Japanese in New

p. 25

Caledonia

THERE are a total of 1,195 Japanese in New Caledonia (according to “Bulletin du Commerce”, Noumea).

In Noumea alone, statistics show that there are 311 Japanese men and 28 Japanese women in residence.

Of the total number of 1,195 Japanese in the Territory, 1144 are men and 51 women. It is Interesting to compare these figures with statistics of previous years: Noumea. Interior. Total 1918 353 2,105 2,458 1933 330 780 1,110 1936 341 810 1,151 1939 339 856 1,195

Hon. H. W. Champion, acting Lieuten ant-Governor of Papua, accompanied by the Hon. H. L. Murray and His Honour Mr. Justice Gore, made a tour of inspec tion in the Eastern and North-Eastern Divisions in July.

Messrs. Bailey, Bealan, Eglington.

McCarthy, Houghton and Stock, all of whom were members of W. R. Carpenter & Co., Ltd.’s Rabaul staff, have enlisted in the A.I.F.

Mr. Clive Devenish-Meares has been appointed Clerk of the Legislative Coun cn 0 f New Guinea, in succession to Mr.

R M J Cameron Dr/c.’c. Simson is at present on his annual visit to the Territory, and is in specting his plantation at Hisiu, west of p or t Moresby

How Airmen Found

pp. 26-48

Wau

Dramatic Story of Beginning of Aerial Transport in New Guinea

ON April 17, 1927, a little De Havilland aeroplane landed on a roughly cleared piece of land at Wau, New Guinea. It had just completed the first flight from Lae, some 50 miles away, on the coast, over indescribably broken, jungle-clad country. This was the fore runner of what became the greatest aerial transport service in the world.

Three men took part in that flight— the pilot, Captain E. A. Mustard, his mechanic, A. W. D. Mullins, and the guide, R. B. (“Jack”) Lewers. This service, inaugurated by Guinea Gold, N.L., shortly afterwards became Guinea Airways Ltd.

To commemorate the part he played in this epoch-making trip, a presentation

was made to Mr. Lewers in Sydney recently by the directors of Guinea Gold.

It bears the following inscription;— “Presented to Mr. R. B. Lewers by the directors of Guinea Gold (N.L.) in re cognition of his valuable services as guide on the first flight on April 18, 1927, of the Company’s aeroplane from the Coast of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea to the inland town of Wau.”

Mr. Lewers described the flight to the “P.1.M.”: — He left Sydney on the old “Montoro”, in 1926 and, with “Bill” MacGregor, proceeded to Aitape, where they re cruited 42 native labourers. Mr. Lewers then took his “boys” to Salamaua, which at that time comprised a couple of stores and Government offices, with a line of native huts running along both sides of the little sandy isthmus. A short time later he made his first trek from the coast to Edie Creek. It was only after seven days of winding up and down mountain ranges, in and around rivers and creeks, with native carriers slipping and sliding in the mud under their 50 lb. packs', that Mr.

Lewers saw Wau settlement.

Only two or three white men were there. The bulk of the mining was being done at Edie Creek, 3,000 feet higher up, and Wau was only a resting-place before the last 12 miles to Edie Creek.

Only 12 miles, but it meant a full day’s heart-breaking climb.

Finally, Mr. Lewers commenced opera tions on the goldfield, but he soon found that the greatest problem was supplies.

Not only was transport very expensive, but exasperating, for no sooner was the miner on good ground than he had to interrupt operations and make a trip down the tortuous trail to Salamaua for fresh supplies.

Cecil J. Levien was then working on a plan to transport supplies from the

coest by aeroplanes.

Some scoffed, but Levien argued that the only alternative was a road, and this might take years to build, and would almost cer tainly need con stant repair against tropical downpours and ever - shifting country. He also pointed out that dredging machin ery could be flown over the mountains

(Article Continued on Page 44.)

Typical Morobe goldfields country, over which aeroplanes now fly every hour

The late Cecil J. Levien.

rE following Fiji residents left Suva recently to join up for active ser vice overseas (announces the “Fiji Times’')

Commander W, Burrows (District Ad ministration); Lieutenant M. L. Bernac chi (Acting A.D.C. to the Governor); T.

Allan (Suva); W. J. Blanch (who served with the Fiji Contingent in the last war); C. A. Browne (Suva); O. M.

Browne (Suva); J. H. Broomham (Suva); H. B. Bossley (Nadi); G. A.

Crapp (Suva branch of the Bank of N.S.W.); O. L. Freeman (Rewa); E.

Frost (Suva); A. R. McGowan (“Fiji Times”); E. V. Spaeth (Taveuni); R. H.

Strachan (Suva branch of the Bank of N.S.W.); H. W. Williams (Williams & Gosling Ltd., Suva); E. B. Williams (Tailevu); M. J. White (Suva).

in sections, and could profitably work the deposits of lower value.

With his associates, Levien formed Guinea Gold N.L., and the executives of the company in Adelaide purchased a De Havilland plane and shipped it to Rabaul. There it was assembled, and, on March 31, 1927, Mustard and Mullins flew along the coast of New Britain and landed on a small clearing at Lae, some 25 miles north of Salamaua. But the greatest task had yet to be tackled— that of finding a small township in an incredible maze of mountains, gorges and jungle. Visibility was limited by rain and mist, and there were no aero dromes where a pilot could bring his machine down if anything went wrong.

The only bare places were the Kunai patches on the tops of the razorbacks.

Despite all this, and many solemn predictions of disaster, Levien and Co. went ahead with their plans.

Early in April, Mr. Lewers was at Edie Creek and, together with several other men from the goldfield, he accepted the invitation of Mr. H. S.

Holgarth, manager for Guinea Gold at Lae, to spend Easter week-end with him as his guest—this despite the fact that it would take more than a week to get to the coast!

On April 14 —Good Friday-Mustard

and Mullins, at Lae, said they were ready. Levien had prepared a small section of ground at Wau by burning off the long Kunai grass and filling in

the pot-holes. Mr. Holgarth volunteered to guide them, and that morning the three men took off. Their plan was to fly up the Markham River until they reached the Bulolo River, and then fol low it up to Wau.

The plane was away only three hours, but it was a lifetime to the anxious little party at Lae. Suddenly, the drone of an engine was heard and the De Havilland appeared out of the clouds and landed on Lae aerodrome. Crest fallen, the intrepid little party of avia tors reported that they had been unable to find their objective.

The following day the three men again set out, determined to get to Wau via the Markham and Bulolo valleys, but again they returned—unsuccessful.

Shortly after breakfast on April 17, Lewers was talking to Mustard, and Mustard suddenly said: “I say, Jack, do you think you could find Wau from the air?”

“Oh, yes, I think so,” replied Lewers.

“Not by following the Markham, but by going straight up over the mountains from Salamaua. I have travelled that track many times, and I know most of the landmarks.”

“But do you think you could find it from the air. It looks quite different from up there, you know,” said Mustard.

“Well, I will try,” said Lewers. And

Mr. C. J.

Levien’s First Camp, in the Jungle, near Wau.

so preparations were immediately made, the weather being favourable to flying.

Later in the morning, Mustard and Mullins, accompanied by Lewers, took off from Lae and made for Salamaua, across the corner created by Huon Gulf.

“Here, I picked up the trail from Salamaua to Edie Creek, which looked like a thread of cotton, from the air,” said Mr. Lewers, “and soon I saw the rest-house at the end of the first day’s march, just out of Salamaua. After several more minutes’ flight we reached the highest point in the range we had to fly over—6,2oo feet—and just then I saw the fourth day rest house. It had a galvanised iron roof and was known as House Copper.

“Then I lost the track. I knew that the mountains were very high, here, and I shouted to Mustard to take the plane higher. He could not hear me, above the roar of the engine, so I scribbled a note on a piece of paper, and passed it to him, in the front cockpit.

“We then rose up into the clouds for what seemed like an endless period and I was getting pretty worried. I was beginning to think that it looked like the end of successful flying in this part of New Guinea, when, all of a sudden, the clouds in front of us parted, and through a gap in the mist I saw the tops of some pine trees. By some instinct, I knew they were the ones next to the Bulolo River, which I had passed so many times going to and from the coast.

“When we arrived over the river, Mustard looked round and waved his arm inquiringly. His lips moved in a question ‘Up or down?’ I was doubt ful; but, again, some instinct helped me, and I waved him down.

“He turned the plane to the left and, after several minutes’ flying, during which I scanned every bit of country on either side of the river, I saw a small triangular clearing in the jungle, with a few grass huts near it. It was Wau.

“I signalled to Mustard that I could see our goal. He seemed doubtful.

Apparently, he could not see the huts, and thought the patch of clear ground was like so many others he had seen.

On my repeated assuring gestures, how ever, he brought the machine down into that deep valley between the mountains, in wide circles, looking back every now and again, still with a doubtful expres sion on his face.

“I pointed down, and then he saw the huts and the hospital, which seemed about as big as one’s fingernail.

“As we turned over the river, to land from the north, I remembered that there was a considerable amount of long grass on that end of the field. But, fortunately, the undercarriage did not catch as it swept through the grass, and we landed on the burned-grass section of the improvised aerodrome.

“There were only three white men and a crowd of natives at Wau, and these gathered excitedly around the plane to greet us. Dr. Lambert, who was known as the ‘Lik Lik Doctor’, or assistant doctor, smilingly welcomed us.

Mr. Coldham, then manager of Guinea Gold, was there, and another white man. I don’t remember Levien being there. I think he was then walking down to the coast, to find out what had happened to us. They had been expect ing the plane for some time, and had been lighting signal fires for days.

“We had lunch with Doctor Lambert, Mr. Coldham and the other man and, after an hour or two, took off for Lae again. This time, we followed the Bulolo and Watut Rivers to their junc tion with the Markham, and then flew down the Markham Valley to Lae.

“There was much jubilation in Lae, at our success, and, that night, all the white men in the township assembled to celebrate the occasion. The following were present: H. S. Holgarth (Guinea Airways manger at Lae), E. A. Mustard and A. W. D. Mullins, “Tom” Bayliss (then agent of Guinea Gold at Sala maua), A. L. Simpson (miner, from Edie Creek), E. Broughton Jensen (an engineer who was in New Guinea on behalf of Guinea Gold), P. D. McKenzie (Government doctor at Salamaua), Edgar Betts (wireless operator from Salamaua), Fred Biggs (a miner) and myself.”

Mr. Lewers discounts the belief that the flight was made on April 18—it was on April 17. During the “celebration”, all those present signed a Guinea Gold letterhead, and this was dated April 17, and is in the possession of Mr. Lewers to-day.

“Nobody thought at that time that a service had been started which, in a few years, would grow into the largest aerial transport company in the world,” concluded Mr. Lewers.

Mr. H. Hodgson, who has manager of Morris, Hedstrom’s Suva branch since 1931, has been transferred to Tavua. Mr, G. Snow, of Taveuni, will replace Mr.

Hodgson.

The Dutch East Indies came within the sterling group on July 22, and thus trade between the great Dutch colony and Australia was much simplified. This trade has grown enormously in recent years—from £4,390,327 worth of imports, from the East Indies to Australia, in 1934-5, to £7,119,785 in 1938-39. Last year, Australia imported from the East Indies petroleum spirit worth £3,608,691, and tea worth £1,564,387.

Mr. and Mrs. McPhee have left the district of Navua, Fiji, where he was manager of the Morris. Hedstrom, Ltd. branch for many years, and have now taken up residence at Levuka.

Opium Menace In Fiji

p. 28

SUVA, July 15. npHE Fiji Police, Force is still vigorously JL carrying out its campaign against opium smuggling. In Suva Court on July 2 a Chinese, Joe Lee, was fined £3O, after pleading guilty to a charge of pos sessing opium. Two other Chinese (Ah Lin and Chong On) were heavily fined for frequenting premises used for opium smoking, and a Fijian woman, Litia Makama, was convicted on a similar charge. When the police raided the premises a quantity of opium pellets and other equipment was found.

Inspector W. J. G. Holland told the Court that the authorities were aware that Fijian women helped Chinese opium smokers and often carried the drug for them.

Boyd

p. 28

Death of Rev. Robert Boyd

rE Rev. Robert Boyd, for many years a missionary at South West Bay, Malekula, New Hebrides, died on July 14, at Gatton, Queensland, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs.

Mcßoberts, His passing removes a notable land mark from the New Hebrides, with whose social and mission activities he had been intimately associated .since 1894. Persist ent weakness dogged his steps since his retirement in 1928, but, during the 34 years he spent on Malekula as a mission ary of the Victorian Presbyterian Church, he was zealous and untiring, and left behind him an honourable re cord of service.

Like many another pioneer who carried through hazardous achievements, Mr.

Boyd’s gifts were not conspicuous on the public platform, but his fellow-mission aries will always remember the wisdom and balance of judgment he displayed in the deliberations of the Mission Synod.

With his modest demeanour and quiet dignity, he was a well-known figure in Islands life, and played a memorable part in promoting the prosperity and development of the native race.

Mr. Boyd was first attracted to the New Hebrides by the wave of missionary enthusiasm that swept over Scotland, following the publication of the mission ary classic, the Autobiography of John G. Pa ton. As a fellow student at Glasgow University, Mr. Boyd had the Moderator of the Victorian Church, the Very Rev.

J. Noble MacKenzie, and both came under the influence of the venerable mission ary, Dr. John G, Paton, then at the height of his renown. The two men volunteered for service in the New Hebrides, and at the close of their college course, were appointed to the Is lands as missionaries of the Victorian Church, Mr. MacKenzie going to Santo and Mr. Boyd to Malekula. On the way through Sydney to the New Hebrides, Mr. Boyd met the lady who afterwards became his wife, and with whole-hearted devotion the two worked for the exten sion of Christianity in the New Hebrides.

Pioneer Of Samoa's Tobacco

p. 28

Industry Is Dead

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, July 3.

RESIDENTS of Samoa learned with regret of the sudden death by heart failure of one of the most popular and esteemed Catholic priests in the Islands, Rev. Father Xavier Haller, who died at Apia in his 71st year.

A native of Alsace-Lorraine, Father Haller was educated in Belgium and after studying philosophy and theology entered the Society of Mary. After teaching for several years at Marist schools in Belgium, he came to Samoa in 1900, as district priest, serving aj Leulumoega, Vaea, Leone (American Samoa), Loto faga, Palauli, Falealupo and Leauva’a.

Father Haller took great interest in agriculture, particularly tobacco growing.

Importing seeds from Turkey and U.S.A., he improved the native brand of tobacco and was responsible for starting the manufacture of cigarettes from Samoa grown tobacco.

Mr. J. M. Wollev, of Queensland, has taken up his duties as master at the Wau, N.G., school, replacing Mr. L.

Stamper who left the Territory with the second Goldfields contingent for the

A.I.F.

Polynesian Club Of Sydney Aids Red Cross

p. 29

Members of the Polynesian Club of Sydney, in Maori and Islands costumes, with the portable radio presented by the Club to the Red Cross, and raffled at the Garden Fair at Government House Grounds, Canberra, where twelve mem bers of the Club were the guests of Her Excellency Lady Gowrie. Those in the group include the Club Chieftainess (Mrs. Waikainga Tipene), centre of back row, and the secretary (Miss Frances Tye), left of front row. Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Rarotonga and the N.Z. Maori are represented in this group.

Oil Industry

pp. 29-30

War's Effect on Whale Oil Industry

NOW that practically the whole of Europe, except Britain and Russia, is held by Hitler, what is going to happen to the whale oil industry, copra’s most serious competitor?

Hitherto, Norway has been one of the chief gatherers of Antarctic whale oil, and Germany has been Norway’s best customer. But both, now, may sail upon the seas, only with the permission of the British Navy.

Germany, during the past 10 years, has been the largest importer of whale oil, which is mainly used in the manu facture of margarine and soap, two commodities of which she is notoriously short.

A recent issue of “The Economist” said: “Whereas Germany produced be tween 10 and 15 per cent, of the world output of whale oil she is no longer in a position to send out from fac tories, while the Norwegian whale oil fleet, which produced between a third and a half of the world’s whale oil in the past 10 years, is now on the way back from the Antarctic, and will al most certainly make Britain its base so long as Norway is partly occupied by Germany”.

As Britain is the second largest whale oil producer—its share is nearly a third of the world’s total—between two-thirds and three-quarters of the world’s whale oil supply will be under British control for the duration of the war.

Mr, Cyril Came, of Ba, Fiji, recently married Miss Esme Hopewell, twin daughter of Mrs. M. Hopewell, of Suva.

The bridegroom is a lieutenant in the Fiji Defence Force.

A correspondent of the “Fiji Times” makes the startling statement that the infant mortality among native Fijians, in the Lau group, has reached the alarming proportion of 50 per cent, of the birth rate. No explanation is given of this extraordinary figure.

Trader's Tales

p. 30

A Mixed Grill From the Outer Cooks

By Tukapa Koko"

THE combined naivete and nescience of some of my native neighbours is both my joy and my cross, in the humble post I occupy as village trader.

The thatched reed huts where I trade, live, and have my beans (canned) are often sprinkled liberally but entirely un consciously with Attic salt by the dark sons and daughters of Oceania, and if I myself get a few crystals on me during the process, it is not unbeneflcial. Good ness knows, we in our isolation get little to arouse us, except an occasional fam ily row or a dog-fight.

Among my friends was Tara, a dam sel who filled the eye. Entertaining Tara was no bore. She had a bright, inquisitive mind that sought deeply into the whys and wherefores of the white man’s scheme of things, as viewed at second hand in magazines and news papers. I, informing, was in my turn informed: for the natives do not see pictures with our eyes.

As thus; Upon a day, Tara was turn ing idly over the pages of an illustrated magazine, marvelling at the wondrous palaces that are white men’s homes; and she chanced upon a wealthy mansion that had long passed from the hands of its hereditary owner, an English lord, into the tenancy of a wealthy American porketeer, whose superimposed crest dated but from 1918. Nonetheless, he saw

no shame in its superseding one that had adorned the surcoats of belted knights in the thirteenth century.

The house was magnificent; its panel ling, its floors, its tine embellishments enchanted Tara. In one of its salons, was a collection of family silver, in glass cases, that was worth a pretty penny and that even the porketeer’s family could not pluck up nerve to use.

On the wall of that same opulent room, as big as Mangaia’s cargo-shed (the local standard of infinite space) was a beautiful painting, representing the late King Edward VII. in admiral’s uniform.

The potentate dwelt not in Tara’s re collection—which was pardonable, seeing that she had been born long after he passed on to a better sphere.

The portrait was an exact square, and the grave countenance of the late Roy alty gazed down from a background of blue.

“Eti,” said Tara, “You look this. Plenty money he get, that p’leeceman, all time look in window for no man come steal there?” * * * And, by the same token, of a lapsus memoriae.

At the village of Ivirua dwelt another of my customers, a gay buck, and one who made no mathematical error over the necessary number of beans to total five.

He had a lady friend, with whom he was wont —how shall I say it? —to spend late evenings. Such a thing is not en couraged at Mangaia, where Mission rule is a power in the land.

The Ivirua native pastor wooed these two burning brands, and persuaded them to reverse proverbial process and leap out of the fire of promiscuity into the safe frying-pan of matrimony.

On the nuptial night, the village of Ivirua, always tough and turbulent, was paraded by the usual pair of curfew cops, out to impound daring souls on the road aft.er nine.

It belonged not to the bridegroom’s care. He was snoring by the side of his legal partner, with stately and moral rumbelow.

The gendarmerie flashed their torches onto verandahs where a dark corner might harbor sinful wights seeking whom they might morally devour, and the policemen felt it part of their duty to illuminate the exterior of the house where slept two dearly ransomed souls.

The bridal pair were above suspicion now; but beams of light go where they list, like the wind, and a conditioned reflex is a thing that knows no mastery.

A vagrant torch-beam, like a reveal ing fairy searchlight, fell on the bride groom’s face. He awoke. Leaping to his feet, he dashed out of the house into the bush. .

He had forgotten he was married!

Mrs. G. Nelligan, wife of Mr. G. Nelli gan, of the Fiji Post and Telegraph De partment, Suva, died recently in Mel bourne while visiting relations. She had lived in Fiji for over 25 years.

Mr, James Savage, of Pan American Airways’ staff on Canton Island, joined the PA.A. dinner there on its inaugural flight on July 16 and flew to Auckland; the following week he accompanied the clipper back to U.S.A. Mr. Savage spent nine months on Canton.

Mrs. A. Baker, formerly of Fiji, died in New Zealand last month at the age of 75. She went to Fiji 60 years ago, and three of her children —Mrs. Marr and Mrs. Lindsay (Suva) and Mr. C. Baker (Nairai)—are still residents of the Colony.

Tonkinese For N.H.

p. 31

British

New Arrangement Ineffective Through France's Collapse

THERE was an interesting develop ment in the relations between Brit ish and French, in the New Heb rides Condominium, in recent months.

French authorities made available to British planters a supply of Tonkinese labourers, from French Indo-China, for work on their plantations, on the same terms as are given the French.

This, for many long years, has been a sore subject in the New Hebrides. Local native labour is irregular and undepend able. The French planters were per mitted, by their Government, to bring in from Indo-China as many Tonkinese labourers as they wanted, on a system of strict indenture: but the British planters, seeking from the Colonial Office authorities the same privilege, were flatly refused. In consequence, French planters have flourished, while British planters have been severely penalised. Many British planters gave up the struggle altogether and left the New Hebrides; others sought and ob tained French naturalisation.

One does not know what understand ing between the French and British authorities preceded the decision to make Tonkinese labourers available to British planters; but it certainly was a gesture much appreciated by the British.

The irony of the situation is that, just after the privilege had been granted to the British planters, following 30 years of heart-burning, it seems that it will prove useless, owing to the lamentable collapse of France. At the moment of this writing, it is doubtful whether Indo- China will remain in the possession of the French Empire, and continue to pro vide a supply of Tonkinese labour.

Gesture May Be Too Late

(Contributed) NO sooner was the gesture made by the French Resident Commissioner (M.

Sautot) in Vila, to mark Anglo- French unity, than rapid events in Europe rendered its operation impractic able.

It now is extremely doubtful whether a continuation of the supply of labourers, even to French planters* will be any longer possible.

It is interesting to recollect that the Condominium was established to thwart a move of the former Kaiser to seize the New Hebrides, on account of the constant strife between French and English. His ambition was to link them up with the other German South Seas Territories.

Many are wondering whether the Fuhrer, as a result of his successes in Europe, may now seek to put into effect the am bitious schemes of the Kaiser.

Hon. Dr. C. M. Dawson, M.L.C., of Apia, who recently received leave of ab sence from the Samoan Legislative Council to proceed to England, has joined the British Merchant Navy as a surgeon.

Mr. H. E. Coombe, formerly a merpber of the staff of the Bank of New Zealand in Fiji, has enlisted in the N.Z. forces.

Mr. F. C. J. Edmunds, who went to Fiji 40 years ago as a coach driver for the Government, died in Suva on July 2 at the age of 69. Before going to Fiji he was a coach driver for the famous Australian pioneer firm of Cobb and Co.

How Gold Co.S Benefit

Fiji

THE statement is sometimes made In relation to industries established in Fiji that, while they add enormously to the exports of Fiji, a large portion of the money they earn leaves Fiji and the Colony does not get the benefit of it.

For that reason figures which have been published recently in relation to the Em peror and Loloma gold-mines in Fiji are interesting.

Last year the two companies, operating on the Vatukoula gold-field, paid out the following sums:—Wages. £148,642; income tax, £18,836; royalty on gold, £42,856; port and sendee tax, £8,546; duty and other taxes on direct imports, £10,326. In addi tion to Europeans they employed last year 210 Euronesians and 1,263 natives, making a total wages list of 1,613.

Pied Piper Needed In Samoa

DURING the first two months of each year residents of Upolu (Western Samoa) witness a remarkable mass migration of rats, according to Mr. H. C.

Reed in a recent issue of the “Western Samoa Mail”.

Coinciding with the breeding season of the wild duck (toloa) and the dragon fly, hordes of large brown rats go inland to Lake Laloanea and other of the “crater” lakes; and there they feast on the dragon fly larvae and wild duck eggs. Around the shores, one sees thousands of rats feeding ravenously on the larvae, which grow to the size of one’s little finger and float in millions in the shallow water.

Queer methods are devised by the rats to get these grubs, but many just dive head long into the water to seize them.

In Camp With Papua's

A.I.F. Men

“Private PX 000”, a member of the Papuan Contingent of the A.I.F. which arrived in Brisbane in June, sends a note from the camp where the men are now undergoing training :— WE landed on a Sunday morning at Pinkenbar and immediately were taken by Army trucks to the depot at Fraser’s Paddock. Here we were issued with ‘giggle-suits’ (working suits) and uniforms. The rest of the day was left free. Queensland’s climate seemed a little chilly to us but it could not chill our spirits, and with a day free . . . well, we’ll draw a veil over that!

“Next day we underwent X-ray and other medical tests, one man being de clared unfit. Then we began to learn how Australia’s army does its bit. So far, we have got on very well—except for those cursed potato fatigues. One of our bright young fellows remarked that he could not see why potatoes should not be cooked in their ‘giggle-suits’. It met with general approval—except the approval of the general!

“Out of our party of 18, two men were selected to attend an Officers’ Training School. One now has his first stripe, and the other gets two stripes in a few days.

“Our health has been reasonably good —though malaria has troubled one or two of the lads, but not virulent enough to lay them up.

“Perhaps the most disappointing thing so far is that the men have been allo cated to different units —anti-tank, machine-gun, supply column, ambulance convoy, ordnance, etc. Just the same, the Papuan mob get together at times and really enjoy themselves. The main thing, pf course, is that all are keen on their jobs and seem to be adapting themselves readily to Army life. After going through all the odd jobs we do, we certainly will appreciate our native servants a bit more when we return to the Territory!”

Phosphate Prices Rise

THERE has been a loud outcry from agricultural interests in Australia and New Zealand against the in crease in the cost of superphosphate, which ranges from 13/- to 20/- per ton.

The higher cost is due to increases in freight on phosphate rock from the various Pacific Islands, where phosphate rock is obtained, and which averages about 21 9 per ton. Farmers declare that it is in the national interest that the in creased cost should be borne by the phos phate companies, the shipping companies and other people affected rather than by the already overburdened producing community.

Trochus Shell Protected in N

pp. 32-34

N. Hebrides

A NEW law issued in the New Hebrides prohibits the removal, sale, or ex port of trochus and certain other shell from the New Hebrides without licence. The regulations contain some drastic provisions.

If the purpose of the new law is to prevent the robbing of the shell beds in the New Hebrides by Japanese poachers and others, it is a good example of lock ing the stable door after the horse has escaped. The damage done to beds of shell in the New Hebrides and neigh bouring groups by Japanese poachers dur the last few years will not be restored for many years, if ever.

Flying-Officer F. B. Phillips, formerly Chief Judge of the Supreme Court at Rabaul, New Guinea, has begun duty as legal officer at Southern Command, R.A.A.F. Headquarters, Melbourne, after graduating from a four weeks’ admini strative course. Born at Ballarat 49 years ago, Flying-Officer Phillips was admitted to the Bar in 1915, and left Australia in the ranks of the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1917. Early in 1918, he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps as air mechanic (clerk), later becoming an ob server with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

He became a Judge of the Supreme Court

of New Guinea in 1928, was Acting-Ad ministrator in 1929. In May, 1937, in the volcanic eruption, he organised the evacu ation of 9,000 people from Rabaul.

Rev. W. J. Durrad, a member of the Melanesian Mission from 1905 to 1919 and who is now resident in New Zealand, is the author of a series of articles en titled “Notes on the Torres Islands”, now appearing in the anthropological journal “Oceania”. Mr. Durrad spent six years in the Torres Islands (north-west of the New Hebrides) and eight years in the Banks Islands.

Patrol Officer Donald McPhee, of the New Guinea Administration, died on July 13 at Wewak, from septicaemia following a ruptured appendix. Joining the Service in 1936, he became a P.O. in the middle oi 1938 and served in the Salamaua and Sepik Districts. Mr.

McPhee, who was a son of the Hon. Sir John McPhee, a former Premier of Tasmania, was very highly regarded by officials and residents of the areas in which he served.

Miss Betty Reeves, of the Rabaul staff of Burns, Philp &! Co., Ltd., has been transferred to the Port Moresby branch in Papua.

Hurricane Damage In The New Hebrides

p. 33

The poignant story of how the hurricane early this year devastated a plantation at Emae, New Hebrides, and destroyed the life’s work of the owner was graphically told in the July above are photographs showing the extensive damage done on another island, Tongoa, just north-east of Emae. Top.—Only the launch survived when the gale hit the Presbyterian Mission’s boat-house. Centre. —Coconut palms, uprooted and flung at random, indicate the cyclone’s ferocity. Bottom.—Twisted roofing iron, wrecked walls, and debris littered the yard around this homestead after the hurricane had raced and roared through the plantation.

Did Nazi Spy Visit Pacific?

p. 34

APIA, July 6. fITHE announcement broadcast by an 1. American radio station a few days ago stating that a German secret agent named Voigt was removed by G men from a Jananese liner at Balboa (entrance to the Panama Canal), aroused speculation here, as residents wonder if he is the same man who visited Samoa Fiji and Tonga in 1937. A Mr. Voigt spent two months in Apia allegedly as travel ling agent for a Maori health remedy. He spoke Japanese fluently and had a pass port made out by the German Embassy at Tokio.

Bombers For

p. 34

Britain

Fiji Raises £40,000 In One Day

Prom Our Own Correspondent SUVA, July 13.

WHEN the Governor of Fiji (Sir Harry Luke) broadcast an appeal, on July 9, for funds to buy bombing aeroplanes for Great Britain, the result exceeded all expectations. The follow ing morning more than £40,000 had been subscribed—the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. Ltd., Emperor Gold Mining Co., Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines N.L., each donated £lO,OOO and other contributions included Morris, Hedstrom Ltd., £5,000; Fiji Mines Development Co., £3,000; Hon. E. G. Theodore, £2,000; and Sir Harry Luke £lOO.

About £4,000 more is necessary to cover exchange and then Fiji will remit the cost of two bombers (each costing £20,000, fully equipped) to London. The organisers of the fund will attempt to raise a further £20,000.

When the question of Fiji’s war effort was raised, the Governor called several meetings of representative citizens to discuss the best manner we could assist the Mother country. A number of sug gestions were advanced, including a scheme for the adoption of 2,000 child ren for the duration of the war. Some held the view that it might be better to arrange for the transportation of children to Australia, Fiji paying all expenses.

Finally, the Governor cabled the Secretary of State for the Colonies, ask ing for the opinion of the British Gov ernment, The reply clearly indicated that the best way Fiji could help the Empire under present conditions would be to provide funds for the purchase of heavy bombers, each of which would be named after the Colony.

London press reports state that already a “colonial air fleet”, compris ing 40 bombers and 160 “Spitfire” fight ers, has been purchased with donations from Empire centres, £1,600,000 being raised within a few weeks.

More Taxes In Papua

p. 34

From Our Own Cor respondent

Port Moresby, July 9.

OWING to the wide margin between estimated revenue and necessary ex penditure for 1940-1941, the Admini stration has found it necessary to impose taxes. Power was taken in 1937 to place an export tax on gold but up to the present it has not been necessary to do this; however as from July 12 an ex port tax of 3 per cent, ad valorem will be imposed on all gold produced in the Territory. Another necessary measure is the re-imposition of the Primage Tax, at the rate of 2 h per cent., with a generous free list designed to avoid hampering dis tressed coconut planters.

It is likely that other measures will be imposed later to help raise the needed revenue.

The death sentence passed on the Samoan child murderess Pa’atonu (see June “P.1.M.”) has been commuted to imprisonment for life by the Governor- General of New Zealand.

Rarotonga

p. 35

Mission Festival In

107th Anniversary of Rev. John Williams' Arrival

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, July 2.

AN interesting event took place in the court of the L. M. S. Mission House last month, when the 107th anniversary of the arrival of the Gospel in Rarotonga was celebrated. In actual fact, the anniversary of the arrival of Rev. John Williams fell on May 10, but circumstances compelled the celebration to be postponed until June 12.

For ' weeks past native drums had boomed out their rhythms every after noon—each village is divided into sec tions called “taperes” and the six “taperes” of Avarua (the main settle ment) made the welkin ring with their latest compositions, somewhat to the despair of local Europeans. The “tapere” orchestra in these affairs usually con sists of two huge goatskin drums, two smaller drums of sharkskin, half a dozen “pate’' (hollowed-out pieces of wood, similar to the Fijian “lali") and a couple of husky gentlemen operating with abandon on empty kerosene tins.

June 12 dawned bright and the “pupa ura” (dancing troupes) of the six “taperes”. accompanied by chiefs, deacons and camp followers, made a brave dis play as they danced to the scene of activities. Clad in neat uniforms and covered with magnificent “ei” (floral necklets), they presented a colourful and splendid sight. Specially noticeable was one bandmaster carrying a huge naked sword; others sported all sorts of military and naval headgear, “borrowed” appar ently from visiting warships.

Although one of these functions had not been held for several years, they were formerly an annual event and the donations of the onlookers to the groups that took their fancy were pooled at the end of the day, the proceeds being sent to assist missionary work in Papua and New Guinea, where several Rarotongans worked as native pastors. This year the sum of £3B/10/- was netted and the money will be used for local church activities.

It is interesting to recall the manner of Rev. John Williams’ arrival. In 1820 a certain Captain Goodenough, who was, as far as we know, the first white man to land on Rarotonga, brought his ship into Ngatangiia harbour. After a couple of foolish escapades, he fell foul of the hospitable natives and hastily put out to sea, not, however, before he had seized one of the local belles and signed her on as an involuntary member of the crew.

This girl, Tapaeru Ariki, was apparently too much for the rascally skipper and he put her off at the neighbouring island of Aitutaki. After Williams’ arrival on that island in 1822, Tapaeru, a girl of the highest rank in Rarotonga, quickly became his leading convert and eventually offered to take him to her native island. Her countrymen, on sighting Williams’ schooner, “The Messenger of Peace”, on May 10, 1823, were not at all amicably disposed. The sight, however, of their lost princess and her devotion to John Williams eventually overcame their sus picions and Rarotonga quickly became one of the foremost centres of the Gospel in the Pacific.

Mr. Jack Grimmer of Burns, Philn and Co., Ltd., Port Moresby, Papua, recently married Miss Jean Hart, twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Hart, who have lived in the Territory for nearly 30 years.

Hydro-Electricity Or

p. 35

Oil Engines?

Difficult Outlook For Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, July 12.

SINCE the outbreak of war. our abso lute dependence upon fuel oil has made itself felt throughout the whole Colony. The position of the mining industry, in the event of supplies being cut off, would be precarious.

Some people are wondering why our numerous rivers and waterfalls should not be harnessed to provide electricity newer. Instead, half a dozen diesel engines try inadequatelv to cope with our needs.

Of course, it is late now to do anything in this direction, owing to the difficulty of obtaining machinery, but, with the coming of peace, attention might be giv°n to the promotion of a hydro-electric plan for Fiji.

Mr. John W. Wilkinson, who was well known in Papua, was among the men from Papua who recently enlisted and his most recent address was a training camp in Queensland, where he is a driver in a Supply Column.

Passing of a Rarotongan Lady

p. 36

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, July 4.

TUTINI KI TE MOANA, widow of the late Makea Nui Tinirau Ariki, of Rarotonga, passed away on June 15, having been in poor health ever since the shock of her husband’s death in January, 1939.

The late Makea Vaine came of an old Rarotongan family connected with the Ngati Makea, and thus she was born, lived most of her life, and died at Tapu tapuatea, the “Kainga Ariki” (Hign Chief’s home). When she married Makea Tinirau, nephew of Queen Makea Takau, last independent ruler of Rarotonga, he was still a young man; it was not until 1923 that he became Ariki Nui. She in terested herself in many branches of local activity, particularly Child Welfare and the Girl Guides, and led an active life until the end.

Many distinguished visitors to the Cook Islands will remember the hospitality of Makea Vaine: she was a perfect example of that older and more courteous gener ation, which is fading away year by year.

An impressive funeral took place on June 16, attended by the Resident Com missioner, who arrived that morning by schooner from the Outer Islands, mem bers of the Island Council and a large number of Maori and European friends. A sad feature was that Mrs. Takau Love, her elder daughter and Ariki-elect, is still in New Zealand and could only be notified by wireless.

The Fiji Golf Club’s new course at Samabula, near Suva, was officially opened by the Governor, Sir Harry Luke, in June. Nine holes are in use, and the complete course of 18 holes is being com pleted. The clubhouse at present consists of a main club room, a bar, and two dress ing rooms, with lockers and showers.

An Islands

pp. 36-40

Elopement

Remarkable Story of 28-Days' Wander in Central Pacific

By “Cloghogue”

The story of this remarkable voyage was first told, in rough outline, by a contributor, in the “P.1.M.” of July, 1935, In this article are published the details of the adventure, as, told by one of the principals.

SEVERAL of us were sitting on the verandah, discussing the primal migrations of the Polynesians to the myriad islands of the wide Pacific— a discussion provoked by the contents of a recent book on that subject—and the matter of carrying provisions for the longer journeys was being argued, when we were joined by James Marsters, mate of the schooner “Tagua”.

He listened, for a while, to the vari ous theories advanced, and at last broke in, to say; “To my mind, provided coco nuts were available at that time on the scattered islands, as no doubt was the case, I can see no great difficulty in the matter of food supplies for the crews.

“I and a girl were lost on the Pacific once, for 28 days in a small boat, and coconuts were all we had with us. You must bear in mind that we hear nothing of those voyagers who disappeared at sea, only do we know of those who reached some haven. We two eventually got to land, practically none the worse for our experience.”

The following is his remarkable story, as he told it:— “ A S you know, I’m one of the Marsters family, from Palmerston Island, where, since 1862, from three women, the progeny of my grandfather, William Marsters, have peopled the hitherto uninhabited atoll.

“William Marsters was from England, and knew a lot. One of the basic rules laid down by him was that the progeny of each wife should remain a separate clan, and that cousins from the same clan should not marry. You see, his three wives were two sisters, and a cousin.

“I start my tale by telling you this, because this rule was the seed from which grew the subsequent events.

“There are three clans on the island.

One is from Sara, the sole legitimate wife; one from her sister, TePou; while the third is from their cousin, Matavei.

“I fell in love with my cousin, TePou (named after her grandmother), and we wished to marry. I was from the same grandmother, but had been adopted in infancy, according to native custom, by the Sara family. I had been a sailor on Islands schooners for several years, and did not understand the reason why we should not marry; and being at home for short periods at intervals, I was impatient of delay in setting up a home for myself.

“When the elders of the families knew our desire, they would not allow us to marry. The fact that I had been adopted and reared by the Sara Clan made no difference, they said —we were too near to each other, in blood.

“Well, we two did not concur, and made up our minds to clear off from Palmerston, at the first chance, and go to our relatives in Penrhyn Island.

Marsters’ three wives came from that island. Our idea was that, if we lay out of sight there for some time, the

objections and difficulties would blow over. Time works that way.

“In May, 1920, the Tiare Taporo’ (Bloom of the Lime Tree) called at Palmerston on her way to Penrhyn, and was to visit Suwarrow on the trip. We joined the vessel. Suwarrow, as you know! is uninhabited, and was on lease to Captain Harris, recently dead. It has a magnificent lagoon and good entrances.

It is valuable for its pearl-shell, and is well planted with coconuts. Formerly it was held by Lever’s, the soap people.

“We called at Suwarrow, and reached Penrhyn about the beginning of June.

There, we made our home with friends at Omoka settlement, on the western side of Penrhyn atoll. To our disgust, we found that our relatives in Penrhyn had the same absurd (to us) ideas about our marrying as had our people in Palmerston: they even considered us almost as brother and sister. You know the natives words for cousins and sibs are the same. had not been long in Omoka W when we became close friends with another young couple in love, named Samuela and Urau. They, also, were prevented from marrying by domestic difficulties, somewhat similar to ours.

“We discussed these matters many times; and, finally, Samuela suggested, as a solution, that the four of us—he and his girl, I and mine—should run away and make a home in Suwarrow (which I had described to him), and stay there, out of sight and mind, until the schooner next visited that island, probably a year afterwards. By that time, events might have so shaped themselves that there would be no clouds in the sky and our marriages be permitted. You know how fond these people are of grandchildren.

“Samuela knew I had been a sailor for some years, and he had an exag gerated and unlimited faith in my abili ties and experience. I may say I shared his high opinion of myself, and could not imagine the least difficulty in the matter. I believed I carried a mental map of the island-studded seas, and could steer by the stars and sun, and knew the winds and currents at the particular seasons.

"AN the very early morning—about V/ 2 a.m. —of Monday, August 9, 1920, we quietly took a boat be longing to Captain Harris. It was tied up to the wharf, inside the lagoon, at Omoka. It was 24 feet long by 7 feet 6 inches beam, open, and rigged with jib and mainsail; these, and the rudder, were in place, but no oars were aboard.

However, at the moment, we thought that deficiency of little account, as we were sailing to Suwarrow, and would not need oars.

“We got aboard, cast off, hoisted the sails and proceeded to the nearby motu of Marokai, where the leper settlement is. There we took aboard, as provisions for the voyage, about 250 coconuts. We next went on to the small islet, or motu, of Tokerau, on the side of the Sikirangi pass, through the reef. No one lived on this motu, but it had a fine well of fresh water, and such are rare on sandy atolls like Penrhyn. Here. I filled a 5gallon kerosene tin we had brought with us.

“Now, all complete, we sailed out through the Sikirangi pass on to the bosom of the great Pacific. Our adven ture was on its way.

“We had, with us, the clothing we sat in, the 250 coconuts, one 5-gallon tin of water, a sharpened hardwood stick (the “ko”) wherewith to husk the nuts, a piece of iron to break them, and a piece of pearlshell with which to scrape out the kernel, a mat whereon to sleep, and two pillows. Each girl had a few items of clothing, for changes, tied up in a small bundle.

“I had no compass, no chart, no sex tant, no watch, no knife, not even a match. Our secret start allowed us no opportunity to bring luggage. However, what I lacked in outfit, was more than offset by my supreme self-confidence and the optimism of youth. Not for a moment did I doubt my ability to make Suwarrow in a few days. The sun, moon and stars were sufficient for my guid ance, 1 1 considered.

“Yct our equipment and provisions would have been ample had we reached Suwarrow in the time I anticipated. I was sorry I had not brought a large

Palmerston and Penrhyn Islands, shown in relation to Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti.

Hull Island, in the Phoenix Group, where Marsters and the native girl TePou ended their four weeks’ voyage in an open boat, is just over 1,000 miles north-west of Penrhyn.

knife, but to my mind then, save for that, we were efficiently provided for. As you know, living on these islands demands a minimum of accessories. The from &Fe availalsle “From Sikirangi pass we sailed around Penrhyn, on the western side, keeping about half a mile off the outer side of the reef. I was making for Taruia Ava from which I intended to set my course.

WE had just arrived opposite that pass, when Samuela and his girl

Urau, who had been quarrelling and grumbling between themselves for some time, without a word of warning jumped overboard and swam off for the shore, about a quarter-mile distant.

T << uil r Q prised . and thus > m y girl and af ? ai< * f 2? * wo could a rdly hope to handle the heavy boat ourselves, in bad weather, and keep a ludd'on fc f pp i the f- e fell u ? on a sudden feeling of loneliness, a dread all we islanders know.

“We therefore tried to make the land.

but the wind was against us. The boat was much too heavy, and we went farther and farther seaward, as the wind was off shore. Very soon, we were too far away to think of swimming, especially as the neighbourhood of Pen rhyn swarms with sharks of the worst kind.

“Ere long, I dropped the sails and let the boat drift. Hour after hour, we sat there under a glaring sun, despondently watching Penrhyn gradually fade from sight, until at last, in the sudden dark ness of the tropical nightfall, it dis appeared.

“No succeeding day of our long voy age seemed so painfully wearisome as this, the first of our adventure. We had not reconciled ourselves to circum stances, as we did later, through the passing days; and we had a feeling of irritation at the desertion of our partners.

“We went to sleep that night in the hope that daylight would reveal Pen rhyn in sight, and that we might be able to reach it.

“The morning came. We strained our eyes, looking for clouds, birds or palm tops that might give an indication of land. Not a sign of life or land in any direction. We were alone on the deep.

WITH the idea of reaching Manihiki or Rakahanga—or, if I should miss them, getting to Pukapuka—l hoisted the sails and let the boat run before the S.E. trade wind.

“For five weary, monotonous days we chased the setting sun, but never saw a sign of life or land. Even the great sea-birds, which give notice of land— though at a great distance sometimes — seemed to have deserted us. Nothing but the empty view of interminable rollers, and a cloudless blue sky around us.

“Certain, now, that I must have over run even Pukapuka, I turned and ran back into the sun, with a fading hope of making Penrhyn again or, possibly, Flint Island, to the south, if I missed Penrhyn.

“Seven more days, even more weary, passed on this tack, with never a sight of life, bird, fish, land or ship; under a burning sun; and our water, other than that in the coconuts, close to an end. Not a drop of rain had fallen since we started.

“We had begun to be careful in using the nuts, and now limited ourselves to three nuts each per day—one in the morning, one at mid-day and one at nightfall.

“Our experience is sure testimony to the food value of the coconut, if such be needed. We lived practically on them alone, and not too many either, for 28 days, yet so far as I know we lost neither weight nor energy as a conse auence. They were, I may say, our sole food, also drink for most of the time.

Moreover, when I started work at the end of that period I needed no special feeding to enable me to hold my own with other labourers.

“With such combined food and drink in non-perishable form, the ancient Polynesian adventurers in the Pacific were well equipped for those long-dis tance voyages between islands far apart, which seem so puzzling to-day—at least, that is how I see it.

YEARLY on the morning of Sunday, JE!i August 22 (I kept a tally of the days by marks made on the boat) our first visitor made an appearance.

“My girl TePou, lying asleep in the bottom of the boat, was awakened by something rubbing against it. On sit ting up and looking over the gunwale, she saw an immense blue shark, several

feet longer than our craft, swimming alongside in close touch with our timbers against which it rubbed every now and then. She woke me and, when I had had a look, we were content to sit very quiet, I can assure you. It was possibly 30 feet in length; one of the largest I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen plenty. It was a visitor and the first life we had come across, but it was nevertheless not welcome.

“Finally, the shark bit at the rudder several times, but fortunately did not take a fancy to shake or otherwise play with the boat, as such sometimes do, with disastrous consequences to the occupants of boats, and canoes especially. After we had lived through a nervy half-hour or so, it swam off, to our relief.

“I now made up my mind to turn north, and try to make Malden Island.

Surely I must be somewhere in its neighbourhood, I believed, for I had seen no sign of expected islands to the south.

As a fact,, I was completely lost. Vanity alone was the parent of any idea of locality I imagined I had. You will understand I did not want to encourage in my inner consciousness the disturbing idea that I was ‘all at sea’.

“I don’t know about such things; but, as some of the old people have since told me, it might be that the shark was sent to bite the rudder to show us that we should change our direction. At any rate, I thought it meant something like that, “It was mid-day on Sunday when I altered course to the north. Three days after that, a booby bird alighted on the main boom and disgorged two flying fish. This visitor, unlike the preceding one, was welcome. The fish we ate raw, a change from the taste of coconut,

which was beginning to pall. The bird I caught, and held until next morning.

But, as we had no means of making a fire to cook it, I let it go—reluctantly, I may add.

“By this time, we had got into a mood where we seldom spoke. We just lay half dozing and let time and tide do their best, or worst. We still had a measure of hope left, but it had dwindied to minuteness, and we were reconciled to whatever fate might bring us.

“Our fresh water was finished. We were reduced to a daily allowance of what was contained in our ration of three nuts, a little more than a pint, and had begun to feel the discomfort of this meagre supply in the tropic heat.

Then, for the first time since we embarked, rain came on. I was able to catch sufficient in the jibsail to fill our kerosene tin once again.

“TOREE nights later TePou woke to X. tell me there was something in the boat, making a peculiar noise. I was a little alarmed, lest it might be water leaking through an opening about the water line. It was a dark night, but, feeling about, I came on a fish (a Ra’i) which somehow had got into the boat and was jumping about.

“This was another welcome visitor.

Being of a respectable size, it made a most satisfying and tasty meal for us in the morning. I have eaten many of these fish, but I never have had one that tasted as good as that one did.

“Four more scorching days. Our water was again exhausted when we were caught in a heavy gale. Wind and rain beat us and drenched us for two days and nights, without a let-up. This was the most uncomfortable and miserable experience of our whole adventure. We

were forced to sit up, sleepless, baling and holding the boat ‘head on to the seas’. It was impossible to lie down, as the waves were breaking over us con stantly. But we were able to fill our kerosene tin with drinking water, “Several more days passed—nothing to see, nothing to do, nothing to talk about, Our tin of water was again finished, and we had but 60 coconuts left, when by the first dim light of dawn, we de scried the tops of palms above the far horizon, away up in the wind. We must have come close to the island in the dark, and had night lasted another half hour we must have passed on, unaware that we had been near land, “It was a close call; for on the course we were then running, there was no more land before the Gilberts, many hundreds of miles westward, “T T was the morning of the 23th day 1 out from Penrhyn, September 6. I turned the boat and made for the island, our hearts singing with thanks and gladness.

“When close to the island, we saw a crowd of naked men running about the beach, with nothing on save girdles of Ti leaves (Ti is one of the Dracoena.) “At an utter loss as to our locality, we imagined at first that we had run into one of the cannibal islands of the Solomons or New Hebrides, and I was just preparing to put about and make away again when we discerned a white man coming through the palms. This meant safety, so I again made for the shore.

“The white man was an American, Mr. Felhall. With his native overseer, both well armed, they put off in a boat He hailed me and asked if I spoke Eng lish. You can imagine that it was diffi

cult to tell what I was, with 28 days’ whiskers and dirt on my face, unkempt and half-dressed. I assured him I could.

“He enquired who we were, where from, how many days out, and so on. I gave him full details, but he seemed to disbelieve us, and asked if he could do anything for us. As it looked for the moment that we were unwelcome, I replied, ‘Fill us up with coconuts and we’ll go on our way.’

“At this, he asked if he might come alongside. Our boats got together and a few minutes’ conversation dispelled all suspicions. He then suggested that we go ashore and I join his working party until an opportunity came of get ting away for home. I was only too pleased to comply. I had had enough of the sea.

r[E_ island proved to be Hull Island, one of the Phoenix Group, owned by Britain, and known to the natives of the Ellice Group as Holona.

Usually, the island is uninhabited; but, fortunately for us, there was a working party of native boys there, in charge of Mr. Felhall, clearing, planting and mak ing copra for the lessee of the island, a Captain Allen.

“We found on the island, besides Mr.

Felhall and his wife, a half-caste Samoan-Chinese from Apia, named Alo bara, 26 men and four women, with a few children, from the Ellice and Toke

lau Groups.

“I remained there, working, for nine months. Then we left for Funafuti, in the Ellice group, in a boat belonging to the firm of Captain Allen. It was a craft similar to mine. There were seven

of us on the trip—Mr. and Mrs. Felhall, TePou and me, and three labour boys, as crew. We made Funafuti in five days, without trouble.

“I left my boat at Hull Island, with the intention of recovering it later.

“Always accompanied by TePou, I engaged at Funafuti as sailor on the ‘Talofa’, one of Allen’s boats, after wards transferring to the ‘Dawn’. After four months, I got back to Hull Island, to find that, in my absence, six of the Tokelau boys had annexed my boat and sailed off with it for Nukunono. After wards, I learned they arrived safely, but I never recovered the boat.

“On the ‘Dawn’, I went from Hull to Sydney Island; thence to Nukunono; thence to Pago Pago, and from there to Apia. At Apia, I joined the Union Steam Ship Co.’s steamer ‘Tofua’ and, calling at Fiji, Niue and Niuafoou (Tin can Island) we eventually got to New Zealand. From there, the ‘Marama’ brought us back to Rarotonga, where we arrived on January 12, 1922—20 months after our elopement from Palm erston.

“The girl was with me throughout.

Never were we separated for a day, throughout that 20-months’ period. But I regret to say that, after our arrival in Rarotonga, we quarrelled, and she left me and married a man named Poata, from Manihiki Island.”

New Bishop Museum

p. 40

Publications

ITIHE following scientific publications L have recently been issued by the Bernice P. Bishon Museum, Honolulu:— By Harold St. John, “Hawaiian Plants Named by Endlicher in 1836”. Hawaiian plant studies 8, Bishop Museum Occa sional Papers, vol. 15, no. 22, pages 229- 238. 1940. Of 21 names proposed by End licher for Hawaiian plants, in a Vienna publication, three are recognised as valid.

By Dudley Moulton, “Thysanoptefa from New Guinea and New Britain”.

Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, vol. 15, no. 24, 1940. Records 42 species of thrips classified into 20 genera; of these 28 species and 3 genera are described as new to science. Most of the specimens were collected by C. B. Pemberton in 1928-29.

By Elwood C. Zimmerman, “Synopsis of the genera of Hawaiian Cossoninae with Notes on their Origin and Distri bution (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)”.

Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, vol. 15, no. 25, pages 271-293, 2 maps, 1940.

Lists 115 species representing 16 genera of weevils, with keys and notes on distri bution. Kauai has the largest number of endemic species and subspecies, with Oahu second and Maui third. The island of Hawaii, despite much larger area, has relatively few endemic species.

By Milton A. Miller, “The Isopod Crustacea of the Hawaiian Islands (Cheli fera and Valvifera)”. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, vol. 15, no. 26, pages 285-321, 9 figures, 1940. The first of a series of papers which plan to form a monograph of Hawaiian land and marine isopods; gives keys, descriptions and figures.

By Edwin B. Bartram, “Mosses of South-Eastern Polynesia”, Bishop’Museum Occasional Papers, vol. 15, no. 27, pages 323-349, 12 figures, 1940. Records 62 species of mosses from the Tuamotu, Austral and Mangareva Groups, and Rapa, Pitcairn and Henderson Islands. Eleven species are described as new to science. (Reviewed by E. H. Bryan, Jnr., Curator of Collections, Bishop Museum.)

Sugar Crop Is Smaller

p. 41

Indian Agitators Cause Unrest Among Fiji Cane-Growers

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA. July 9.

THE full effect of propaganda spread throughout the sugar planting community by Indian agitators some time ago will be seen when the Colonial Sugar Co.’s mill at Lautoka completes the crushing of this season’s sugar-cane. Already, it is reported that the crop is not a big one and that the crushing will be finished in about four months.

It will be remembered that when the C.S.R. Co. introduced a new system of paying growers for their cane last year, many Indian planters, influenced by trouble-makers, were convinced that they were being treated unfairly, and promptly ceased planting cane.

The C.S.R. Co.’s plan, however, was an attempt to introduce a fairer method of paying growers. These people are paid according to the sugar content of their cane and at one particular period in the season this is at its peak. Obvi ously, the company’s mills cannot take all the cane offering at this time, with the result that a few growers obtain the benefit of the maximum sugar content and the rest receive a lesser rate when they make their deliveries after this peak period. The company’s new scheme was to pay the whole of the growers according to the season’s average cane sweetness.

Although a settlement of the dispute was eventually reached, with the Fiji Government assuring Indian planters that they would keep an eye on their interests, much valuable planting time was lost, with the result that the crop is less than normal.

The opinion has been expressed here on more than one occasion that the authorities should take quick and severe measures to deal with these unscrupu lous Indian agitators who go among their fellow-countrymen causing trouble and unrest.

How To Destroy Rats

p. 41

RATS, at times, do get into a house or an outhouse, however carefully kept, and the housewife is naturally keen on keeping the pests away, or of getting rid of them when they appear. Here are a variety of ways found useful, and such as can be dealt with by all women folk.

When a house is infested with rats which refuse to be caught by cheese and other baits, a few drops of the highly scented oil of rhodium poured on the bottom of the trap will be an attrac tion they cannot refuse.

Place on the floor, near where rats’ holes are, a thin layer of moist caustic potash. When the rats travel on this it will cause their feet to become sore, which they lick, and their tongues be come likewise sore. The consequence is that they shun this locality, and seem to inform all the neighbouring rats about it, and the result is that they soon aban don a house that has such a preventive.

Cut some corks as thin as wafers and rub them in grease. Place the same in their tracks; or a bit of sponge dipped in treacle or honey, with a small quan tity of oil of rhodium, will fasten to their coats and cause them to depart.

If a live rat be caught and smeared over with train oil, and afterwards al lowed to escape in the holes of other rats, it will soon cause all to leave.

Take a pan about 12 inches deep and half fill it with water; then sprinkle a thick layer of bran on the water and set the pan in a place where the rats frequent most. In the morning you will find several rats in the pan.

Make two parts of common squills (well bruised) and three parts of finely chopped bacon into a stiff mass, with as much barley meal as may be re quired, and then bake in small cakes and put for the rats to eat. —Tanganyika Adveriser.

Improving New Caledonia's

p. 41

Livestock

IN recent years, the pastoral industry in New Caledonia has revived, following the 1930-31 slump when the canned beef business fell away almost to noth ing. With a view to improving the standard of the Colony’s livestock, the Government has been purchasing pure bred pigs and dairy cattle from Aus tralian studs in fairly large numbers.

Breeds most in favour are Jersey and Illawarra cattle and Berkshire pigs. The Colony has abundant good cattle country.

Dr. K. Washington Grey, chief geolo gist of the Australasian Petroleum Com pany in Papua, paid a two weeks’ visit

in July to the company’s areas at Wewak Northern New Guinea.

Fiji Residents Man Local

Defences

rE following statement has been issued by the Defence Department of the Government of Fiji :— Fiji, which has had no regular troops since 1878, when the Royal Engineers left the Colony, began recently the local engagement of artillery officers and men. These will supplement and even tually replace the gunners who began to arrive from overseas soon after the out break of war. Recruiting closed on January 31.

The Colony is very proud of its new coast defences and there has been an eager response to the call for service.

It is understood that there have been more than three times as many applica tions as there are vacancies available.

Samoa Depending on Cocoa

and Bananas

Prom Our Own Correspondent APIA, July 7.

THE cocoa market is still holding and merchants in Samoa are buying Ist grade hot-air dried beans up to £42 per ton delivered to Apia stores. Our shipments of bananas are now over 15,000 cases per month. These industries com pensate for the low copra price—£2/3/per ton in Apia. Copra stocks in local stores are still heavy.

Damage Cargo

How Native Labourers Damage Cargo

AT Port Moresby, the newcomer to Papua has his first glimpse of what damage Papuan native labour can do to property if allowed to practically run amok in the hold of a ship.

I came through Port Moresby on the “Malaita”, some months back, bound for Samarai, and witnessed the unloading process. I had previously wondered why, quite often, our cargo arrived in store in very small pieces, but the unloading at Port Moresby explained it Two winch boys sat at the winches, while a dozen boys went down below.

Cases of goods were lifted up by the boys in the hold, and dropped from as high as possible on to their corners, and deliberately broken. Whenever a case was smashed, which was frequently, the winch boys would leave their positions, go to the edge of the holds and join in the laughter which took place.

I wondered who was in charge, and when it would cease, but it went on for several hours.

Often, in Port Moresby, natives are before the court for stealing from cargo.

Isn’t it time that some Government official awoke to the fact that if a native is not allowed to deliberately break cases open, the temptation of loose tins of meat will not be placed in his path? If they were made to take reasonable care of the cargo in the hold, the trouble would cease.

We blame the Government for every thing, and we are quite often right.

However, they have to try and mete out justice to many different classes of men, and they have necessarily to protect the native from being exploited. Still, wouldn’t it be as well, in cases like this, to protect the decent white man from being exploited?

If any Government official went down and saw the unloading process from beginning to end he would probably see my point of view.—W.

N.G. Volunteer Rifles

From Our Own Correspondent WAU, * July 25.

Lieutenant Alan ciarke, who obtained his commission in the Militia Forces in Australia before his appointment as chief telephone mechanic in Morobe District, and who has done exceptionally good work with the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, left for South on leave on July 22. It is understood that he will almost assuredly join the A.I.F. before his leave expires.

Thus the local Volunteers lose another valuable officer.

The idea of appointing young and eli gible men to commissions in the N.G.

Volunteer Rifles would appear to be ineffective, for no sooner are they appointed than they depart for enlist ment in the A.1.F., if their circumstances permit them to do so. It is suggested that a complement of officers who are over the age-limit and have experience behind them would be a much better way of officering the Regiment.

A new rifle range has been built voluntarily by the Edie Creek Platoon of the N.G, Volunteer Rifles at Edie Creek (7,500 ft. above sea-level). It is equipped with two telephones from butts to firing points, the gift of the ladies of Edie Creek.

Operators

Ellice Islanders As Radio

Educated Polynesians are quick to master the art of transmitting and receiving radio messages by Morse and in several isolated Central Pacific communities young natives have been trained to carry on the important work of maintaining communication with the outside world. Above, posing with his head-phones, is Frederick, an Ellice Islander still in his “teens”, who is Government Wireless Operator at Funafuti (administrative headquarters of the Ellice Group) and one of his assistants. Among other young Ellice Islanders now doing wireless work is Maieu, radio operator on board Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd.’s., inter-island vessel “Moamoa”. —Photo: C. F. Jackson.

Practical Help For N.G.

Planters

THE last issue of the “New Guinea Agricultural Gazette” (March) is as usual packed with good things.

There are at least 14 articles of practical value to planters and the following are some of the most notable:— “Some Investigations on Coconut Diseases Associated with Soil Conditions in New Guinea”; “Description of Experi ments in Methods of Controlling the Coconut Tree Hoppers”; two articles giv ing plans and specifications for useful types of hot-air driers; methods of pro ducing air-cured tobacco for issue to native labour in place of the manufac tured stick tobacco usually imported from U.S.A. and now partially unprocurable; the chief characteristics and uses of six New Guinea timbers; methods of culti vating the Avocado (a fruit of important food value in North and South America); the properties and composition of coco nut oil; some hints on handling a crop of cocoa beans; and the place of live stock in the management of an estate.

For Islands Soldiers

ONE of the minor problems of Islands men enlisting for service abroad is the need for eliminating excess baggage and at the same time keeping essential personal articles such as shaving gear, books, pen and pencil, etc., in a handy form.

With these needs In mind, Ford Sherington, Ltd., well-known Australian leathergoods firm, has manufactured a series of leather con tainers and compact toilet outfits that are ideal for soldiers. Any type of service kit accessory may now be carried in complete safety. For further particulars and illustrated leaflets, South Sea storekeepers and traders are Invited to write direct to Ford Sherington, Ltd., Klppax Street, Sydney.***

Shark-Fishing in Papua