Pacific Islands Monthly - 17 March 1945

Fiji's New Governor Addresses Legislative Council

FIJI’S new Governor, Mr. A. W. G. H.

Grantham, presided over the Fiji Legislative Council for the first time on February 16.

In his address he said that some mem bers might expect his first address to the Council to indicate what policy he intended to adopt during his tenure of office in Fiji. They might perhaps think that with a new Governor there should be a new policy. But he had come to Fiji with no mandate, desire or intention to start anything revolutionary or reac tionary. Fiji was at a moment of pause, awaiting the outcome of a number of reports. The first and foremost was the report of the planning and development committee, which had not yet been com pleted. This report, when finally approved by Legislative Council and the Secretary of State, would be the Colony’s chart for the next 10 years or more.

Mr. Grantham said that he was a great believer in criticism and that from what he had heard he was sure that he would get helpful and constructive criticism from the Unofficial Members. He, in common with them, had one aim in mind —the betterment of Fiji.

In he warned members against falling into the error of imagin ing that the war was over because of the improvement in the war situation during the past two months. He said that diffi cult tasks still lay ahead of the United Nations, particularly in the Japanese war, and in dealing with these tasks he confi dently looked forward to the Fiji Military Forces taking part.

Captain Tuckey Killed

In Action

CAPTAIN P. A. -TUCKEY, eldest son of Mrs. C. Tuckey, and a well-known resident of the Morobe district of New Guinea, was killed in action in the

Sepik region, northern New Guinea, on December 11, 1944. He served originally with the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles; then he saw action with the AIF, and was wounded at Gona, in Papua.

After convalescence, Captain Tuckey was transferred to a New Guinea Infan try Battalion, and he was with this unit when he was killed.

Mrs. P. Holland, of Rose Bay, Sydney, wishes to thank all New Guinea residents who wrote to her expressing sympathy for the loss of her husband, Warrant- Officer G. F. Hammond, who died recently while on active service in New Guinea.

Constitution

Pta To Amend

Proposals to be Submitted to Meeting on March 20

WHEN the Pacific Territories Associa tion meets in Sydney on March 20, it is proposed to discuss amendments to the constitution and rules in order that the Association may function after the return of civil administration to the Ter

ritories.

In view of the announcement by Ex ternal Territories Minister E. J. Ward, on

March 9, regarding the resumption of

civil administration in Papua and as far as the Markham Valley in New Guinea, there may be some modification .of the proposed amendments which have been drawn up tentatively by the PTA execu tive. Members have been acquainted with the proposals in the following circular: In order to make preparation for the Association to function effectively after resump tion of Civil Administration in the Territories, it is considered necessary to amend the Con stitution and Rules at once, on what may be termed a “Federal” basis rather than on that of a single unit. The proposed new set-up, briefly, is as follows: The Association to be divided initially into two main branches, one each for New Guinea and Papua with provision for the subsequent formation of other branches if necessary.

Each branch shall be governed by an Executive elected annually by the members of such branch, such executive to consist of Chairman, Vice- Chairman, and one member each representing planting, mining, commercial enterprises, public service and missions. Territorial branches shall have all powers of action on matters affecting their own Territory only and with their local Administration.

The branches, annually, shall elect members of a Central Executive which shall consist of President and Vice-President elected respectively and alternatively by the New Guinea and Papua branches; and two members elected by each branch.

This Central Executive alone shall conduct all business of the Association with ‘the Common wealth Government, and if and when there be any amalgamation of the Administrations of two or more Territories, then with such territorial administration. The Central Executive also shall appoint and direct an Australian Executive to look after the interests of the Association in Australia.

The subscription to the Association shall be £1 per annum for the first member in any family and 10/- per annum for each and every other member of that family applying for mem bership. Of all subscriptions collected by branches, 50 per cent, shall be paid to the Central Executive which shall pay its own ex penses, all expenses of the Australian Executive, and assist any branch or branches as it deems necessary.

It is proposed that the new Constitution, if passed, come into force immediately the Commonwealth Government announces its in tention to permit Civil Administration to resume in any portion of the Territories. Upon such announcement, the Executive of the Association then in office shall appoint two branch Executives and a Ceptral Executive, the officers of which shall hold office until general meetings of mem bers of the branches can be called to elect new officers—such meetings to be held within 6 months.

Us Decoration For Pacific

Administrators

IT was announced recently that the American Legion of Merit had been awarded to Sir Philip Mitchell, former Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific; and to Colonel Vivian Fox-Strangways, Resident Com missioner, Gilbert and Ellice. Islands.

Mr. Ronald Gordon Garrett, of Fanning Island (G. & E. Islands Colony) was appointed an Officer of the Most Excel lent Order of the British Empire, in the last New Year honours.

A. L. Armstrong Retires

From Fiji Service

ANOTHER well-known man who has given long service to Fiji has retired and left the Colony. He is Mr. A.

L. Armstrong, who entered the Govern ment Service in 1915, and who has had a variety of important posts in the inter vening years.

In 1937, he went to Tonga as British Agent and Consul, and he relinquished

tms post in 1943, when he became Commissioner for Reconstruction in Fiji.

Mr. Armstrong is to go to London with the plans prepared for post war reconstruction, and after he has discussed these with the Colonial Office he is to go on leave prior to retirement.

At a special cere mony before ho left, the Fijian Civil Ser vants, resident in

Suva, farewelled Mr. Armstrong and pre sented him with a letter, in which they said: “No one knows better than we do that through long years of work and labour in Fiji in various capacities your life service has been devoted very largely to the well-being of the Fijian race. All of us who have been fortunate enough to work under you in various branches of the Service agree that we have served under a kind and able leader, a man and a gentleman. The fruits of your labours here are well-known to Chiefs and people and will not be easily forgotten. We wish you and Mrs. Armstrong bon voyage and a safe arrival in England, and may God grant you both many happy years of re tirement.”

Miss Lila Hayes, at present a lecturer in bacteriology, at Otago University, NZ, but a former pupil at the Suva Grammar School, recently received the degree of Master of Home Science. Her parents live at Sigatoka, Fiji.

Mr. A. L. Armstrong.

Advertisements & other items, p. 9 (1 item)

Notice of Meeting

PACIFIC TERRITORIES

ASSOCIATION

A general meeting of the Association will be held on Tuesday, March 20, 1945, at 8 p.m., in Teachers 7 Federation Hall, 166 Phillip Street, Sydney (seventh floor).

BUSINESS:

To receive report from the Executive on activities to date.

To consider proposed amendments to the constitution and rules.

To deal with any other business that may arise.

C. A. M. ADELSKOLD,

Secretary.

Navy Men

Decorations for Merchant Navy Men

ON January 23, at. a ceremonial parade in Fiji, two well-known members of the Central Pacific Merchant Navy, who are members of the Royal New Zea land Naval Reserve, Lieutenant G. J.

Webster and Lieutenant S. Page, were presented with the Bronze Star of the United States, for conspicuous service rendered by them in the attack and occu pation of Tarawa atoll, by the United States forces, in November, 1943.

The photograph shows the two men at the ceremony. Lieut. Webster is on the left, Lieut. Page on the right.

The citations accompanying the awards to Lieutenants Webster and Page said that both had rendered heroic service while acting as pilots for United States ships entering perilous and unknown waters during the assault on the Japan ese-held islet of Betio, on Tarawa atoll, in November, 1943. Despite hostile gun fire, the two men piloted the first invasion ships through narrow passages, flanked by dangerous reefs, into the treacherous, coral-studded lagoon, with expert sea manship and outstanding courage Throughout the period of the opera tion5 ’ they continued to guide United States destroyers, mine-sweepers, trans ports and LSTs to their assigned stations, under the attacking guns of the enemy, without damage, contributing in large measure to the successful assault and final capture of Betio Islet.

The citations said that the daring leadership and unfaltering devotion to duty of Lieutenants Webster and Page were in keeping with the highest tradi tloT?S * 0f u th l» U^ ited States Naval Service.

N° te by RWR: I travelled with both of those officers in the Gilbert Islands, in the uneasy weeks immediately prior to Pearl Harbour. Mr Page was the first mate of the well-known missionary motor-schooner, “John Williams”; Mr Webster was skipper of the little Adminis tration motor-yacht, “Kia-Kia.” Both are nrHofw £ ierchan s: l nav y type—pleasant, quiet-spoken gentlemen, liked and re spected by everyone. They seemed quite accustomed to the everlasting risks of the navigation officer’s nightmare ” the T«S era^J e c 2 ral reefs of the' Line Islands. By sheer luck, I got away both ‘i John Williams” and i were playing hide-and-seek f^r h Q lr \ among those islands, hnuv c ? n J lderabl e time after Pearl Har bour, I do not know what happened to

Page, at that time, but I have heard that Webster, with his cheeky, little, bucking “Kia-Kia,” did some rather plucky things in getting Europeans away from the Northern Gilberts.

The piloting of landing-craft into and across that Tarawa lagoon, under the masses of guns which the Japs had planted on Betio, must have been a foul job. During the time I spent on Betio, wandering dismally by the lagoon-side and wondering if I should ever get away, I got to know that lay-out well. There was a channel from near Betio, leading out to the gap in the reef, perhaps two miles westward; but the lagoon was studded with coral heads, and it shelved to wide shallows off Betio.

The way in which the Marines got across those obstructions, under the hell of fire released by the deeply entrenched Japs, is something still to be marvelled at. The courage needed by men called upon to pilot boats backwards and for wards across the lagoon, while one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific War was in progress, surely earned the highest decorations.

Dr. McGusty Leaves Fiji

Fine Record of Medical Services Chief

AFTER thirty-three years of continuous medical service to the Colony of Fiji, Dr. V. W. T. McGusty, Secretary of Indian Affairs and Director of Medical Services, has left for overseas on retire ment. He may reside in future in New Zealand. During his last week in Fiji, many farewell functions were arranged in his honour, particularly among the Indian communities of Suva and Lau toka.

During his term of office he was stationed in practically every part of the Colony. Apart from his medical duties he took over the job of Acting-Secretary of Indian Affairs and later Secretary, and at various times was Governor’s Com missioner, Acting-Colonial Secretary, Chairman of the Suva Town Board and Acting-Governor. He has given the best years of his life to Fiji, and no public official there is held in higher regard.

Dr. McGusty’s recent achievement, in planning a great new medical service to cover all the British territories in the South Pacific, will give his name a per manent place in the medical history of the South Seas.

Dr. H. S. Evans has been appointed Acting-Director of Medical Services pend ing a permanent appointment. It was announced in December that Dr. J. C.

R. Buchanan, formerly Assistant Director of Medical Uganda, has been appointed Inspector-General of Medical Services in the South Pacific, and would arrive in Suva about March. It was not stated whether this appointment of Inspector-General would supersede the position of Director of Medical t>ervi -s for Fiji and the High Commission for the Western Pacific.

New Appointment

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 21.

IT was announced on February 16 that Dr. George Kinnaird had been appointed Director of Medical Ser vices in Fiji in the place of Dr. V. W. T.

McGusty, who has retired. Dr. Kinnaird gained his medical degrees at the Univer sities 'of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Since 1937 he has been Senior Medical Officer, Falkland Islands. *

Territorian

Military Medal For

WE have only recently been advised of the award of the Military Medal to Lieut. S. L. A. Ashton, who won the decoration a year ago during a patrol from the Finisterre Ranges to the Rai Coast of New Guinea. Here is the cita tion: “For outstanding work in the handling of natives, devotion to duty and personal courage on patrol through the Finisterre Ranges to the Rai Coast.

“In March, 1944, W/O (he since has won his commission) Ashton, a member of ANGAU, accompanied by native police, went forward with a patrol of Australian infantry through the Finisterre Ranges to the Rai Coast to contact the natives living in this Jap-held territory and to gain information of enemy strength and dispositions.

“On March 18, 1944, the patrol was attacked whilst at Barum by a platoon of Japs carrying MMGs and mortars. W/O Ashton was with the patrol and by his outstanding coolness and courage he was an inspiration to other members. • “With untiring energy and courage he contacted Tul-tuls of 11 separate native villages, and the Luluais of five native villages. By capable handling and ques tioning of the natives he obtained infor mation regarding the enemy which proved of inestimable value. His detailed reports and accurate interpretation of the native information was largely respon sible for the success of this patrol.”

Mr. Ashton lived in Papua for some years before going mining in the Man dated Territory; he enlisted in the first New Guinea contingent of the AIF and went overseas in May, 1940 —first to Eng land and then to the Middle East. When he returned to Australia he went to Milne Bay and was later seconded to ANGAU.

Lieutenant S. L. Ashton.

Fiji Banana Advisory Board

From Our Own Corresnondent

Suva, Feb. 2.

ABOARD called the Banana Advisory Board has been appointed and supersedes the old Banana Licence Board.

The membership of the new Board is as follows: Director of Agriculture (chair man); District Commissioner, Southern; Hon. Mr. J. A. Garnett. NLC; Mr. H. L.

Gerrard; Ratu O. V. Baba.

Picnic

p. 11

39 Boys On A Band

War Loan Stunt May Have Ugly Social Reactions

ON Sunday, March 4, there arrived in Sydney 39 members of the band of the Papuan Armed Constabulary, specially selected and trained by Lieut.

D. Crawley, who was so successful in the years before the war in organising the Rabaul Police Boys’ Band.

This Papuan band, which is touring Australia—apparently partly in the in terests of the War Loan, and partly in order that certain high officials may have their ego burnished—is in the personal charge of Lieut. Crawley and of Lieut.- Colonel C. Normoyle, who is in charge of police in Port Moresby. It is obviously a very excellent combination. It is com posed partly of Papuans and partly of New Guinea boys; and the lot have appar ently been splendidly trained and partly educated.

The appearance of the boys, their dis cipline and their fine performance as musicians reflect the greatest possible credit upon Lieut. Crawley and those who have been associated with him in train ing the organisation.

BUT the action of officialdom in bring ing two-score of New Guinea natives to Australia, under the social con ditions imposed by war, and sending them on a tour of the big cities, has been criticised by every Territorian who knows anything of Territorian conditions. It is another example of official stupidity in dealing with Melanesian natives.

These are primitive Melanesians. It is only because they have been properly looked after in their own country, by men who understand local conditions, that they have caused so little trouble to Euro peans, and have been so loyal to European administrators in the difficult war years through which they have just passed.

It is shortsighted and wrong to bring these natives into Australian cities, where the whole social set-up is based upon the accepted fact that all classes are more or less equal. Social discipline in such countries as Papua and New Guinea is maintained only by strict observance of the rule that there is a distinction and a difference between white men and black men—they may not mingle on terms of social equality without disaster. Enough harm already has been done in the Terri tories by a too-familiar association be tween these natives and masses of Euro pean soldiers, without the experiment of sending 39 of these natives, from all parts of the Territory, to wander through Aus tralian cities, even though they be under stern discipline.

Officialdom, of course, will rush angrily to its own defence with the statement that the natives are being closely guarded and looked after. That is nonsense.

These boys cannot be kept locked up like prisoners, and as soon as they wander in the streets with any degree of freedom they will soon find themselves on terms of intimacy with the low-class whites with which our cities teem; and thus there are established relations which will do untold harm when the boys return to the Territories and mingle again with their own people.

Through an inquiry received here for the. address of former Papuan friends, we have word of Mr. and Mrs. L. M.

Hammett, who were residents of Papua for 20 years. They left the Territory in 1931, for England, and now live in Corn wall (Woodlane Cottagfc, Woodlane,, Falmouth).

The Simple Dignity of Suva Ceremony

p. 11

Presentation Of Vc To Parents Of

Fijian Hero

rE ceremony in Suva, on February 6, when the Governor, Mr. A. W. G. H.

Grantham, presented the Victoria Cross to Lote Vulakoro and Fani Kuva. parents of Corporal Sukanaivalu, VC, impressed itself indelibly, by its sheer simplicity, on the minds of all who attended it.

While the Governor inspected the par ade of Fijian Servicemen, Lote and Fani sat at the left of the saluting base, but when the inspection was finished, Ratu Sukuna brought them forward and, fol lowing Fijian custom in showing respect, they sat on the platform before the Governor.

The citation was then read in English by the ADC, Major Harrop: “Realising his men would not withdraw as long as they could see he was. alive and knowing they were all in danger of being killed or captured, as long as they remained where they were, Corporal Sefanaia, well aware of the consequences, raised himself up in front of the Japan ese machine-guns and was riddled with bullets. This brave Fiji soldier, after rescuing two wounded men with the greatest heroism and being gravely bounded himself, deliberately sacrificed his own life because he knew that it was the only way in which the remainder of his platodn could be induced to retire from a situation in which they must have been annihilated had they not with drawn.”

When Major Harrop stepped back, his

place was taken by Ratu Sukuna, who before some thousands of his own people in uniform, repeated the citation in Fijian. Major Harrop then opened the small case containing the Cross and handed the medal to the Governor, who walked across to Lote and bent down.

Lote first clapped his hands together after the fashion of the Fijian when receiving a gift, then cupped them in order that the medal could be placed in them. The Governor shook hands with Lote and Fani, then stood erect. He step ped back and saluted, and the ceremony was completed.

“But,” says an eye-witness, “it was a superbljy dramatic moment. The Victoria Cross and all that it stands for, the humble Fijian couple and the people they represented, the young Fijian who, know ing that to save his friends he must die, died, all were saluted in that movement of the Governor’s arm. Those who saw it will remember it for many years to come.”

Mr. Marc T. Greene, peripatetic Ameri can newspaper man, who has been many times through the South Pacific Islands, arrived in Auckland in February, from USA. He was caught in Manila by the Jap invasion at the end of 1941, and spent some time in a prison camp there, and then was among a number of Ameri can civilians who were allowed to return home. He has been in the United States since 1943.

The Governor of Fiji, Mr. A. W. G. H. Grantham, presenting the medal to Lote Vulakoro.

Tropicaities

p. 12

A STORY from Time: A Lieutenant-Commander had been ashore on Leyte, and was tired. From a small boat in San Pedro Bay he pointed out whatr he thought was his ship, and the coxswain headed for her.

What neither of them knew was that from among the mass-produced ships, as like as Mike and Ike, he had picked out the wrong one.

The Lieutenant-Commander went aboard; crawled into bed in what he thought was his cabin. Presently an officer came around and awakened him. “This is 017, isn’t it?” asked the man from Leyte. “No, that’s down the other way,” he was told.

In 017, the weary Lieutenant- Commander found another officer’s gear. That was too much. He got mad.

He had the gear hauled out on deck and began to throw it overboard.

Observing these wild acts of rage, a messenger rushed to get help from one of the ship’s officers, a full com mander.

“There’s an officer from another ship throwing gear he re ported.

The commander laughed indul gently. The messenger went on: “But it’s your room and your gear, sir.”

The commander remembered that there was a war on. “Well, you’ve got a gun. haven’t you?” he roared.

“Why don’t you shoot the son of a bitch?” * WHICH has points of resemblance to the old New Guinea story.

Way back before the Army dis covered that territory, two Adminis trative officers were hurrying hot-foot to the scene of a native “stouch.”

On the edge of hostile country they stopped for the night in a village rest house. It was the usual grass hut, with a door at each end, and the officers erected their bunks and mos quito nets, one to a side.

Later, each placed his revolver and his torch under his pillow and retired.

Later still, one went out on a noc turnal prowl, somehow got twisted around, came back in the wrong door and, naturally, went to the wrong side of the house to get into what he thought was his bed.

He lifted the net and sleepily began to crawl in. The occupant woke with a start, gave a yell to awaken the dead, grabbed for his revolver, but got the torch and proceeded to belabour the prowler over the head with it. Prow ler, for his part, thinking that he was being attacked by hostile natives, also gave tongue and started in with his fists.

Police-boy guards arriving on the scene, seconds later, with rifles at the ready and electric torches blazing, found two bewildered “Maps” sitting hpH^ 6 ? 00r m £ he ruins of one camp t b rvln^ d « ne shredded mosquito-net, trying to figure out just how it hap pened. *

EXTRACT from a letter from an RAAF lad, somewhere in New Guinea: “We are (but briefly) living with the Yank Navy. And are we living? A long hut on top of a hill where we get all the breeze; sleeping on spring beds with real mattresses and sheets; eating piles of fresh food over which we cannot see!

“In fact it was so comfortable that I couldn’t sleep last night, being a mere Aussie Serviceman and not conditioned to such things. One of our lads took one look at our quarters when we were shown in, then turned and said, ‘Some trenches, huh?’

“We will dream of this food when we shortly move on elsewhere and back to plain Australian bully-beef. Fresh meat and four vegetables for lunch—followed by bread and butter and ice-cream cake.

Mumma!

“Their canteens are terrific. One here is done out in chrome, with all the green tiles and fixings of a high-class soda fountain. Their barber shop has eight chairs going full blast, with everything in the way of equipment from electric clippers upwards.”

The old idea that Australians, by nature, preferred to rough it, is outed by the enthusiasm, if not envy, these young sters show for the equipment and treat ment of American brothers-in-arms.

The Americans have shown beyond all doubt that they can win a major war yet provide some of the comforts of home for their men.

At the same time, one of the major mysteries of wartime Australia is the des tination of so-called luxuries which civi lians have been asked to give up for their fighting men. Servicemen deny that they ever reach the ordinary fighting soldier; where they do go no one knows.

SUVA seems to be having a wet summer.

Because of it an anonymous poet was moved to verse in the “Fiji Times” as follows: It rained and rained and -rained and rained— The average fall was well maintained, And when the roads were just like bogs It started raining cats and dogs; And after a drought of half an hour.

There came a most refreshing shower; And then— most curious thing of all— A gentle rain began to fall.

Next day was also fairly dry, Except for a deluge from the sky, Which wetted the party to the skin/ And after that the rain set in. * ON any comprehensive map of the New Guinea mainland, you can see marked along the long stretch of coastline between the northern tip of the Huon Peninsula and Bogadjim, the name Maclay Coast. Probably few Territorians know where this coast got its name.

F. S. Greenop, in a book “Who Travels Alone,” recently published in Sydney, tell of how a Russian scientist, Nicolai Miklouho Maclay (descendent of one of the many Scots who went to Russia with Peter the Great, in the 17th century, and stayed there) went to Astrolabe Bay in 1871 to study the natives, and who sub sequently gave his name to that part of the coast referred to.

This was 14 years before the German annexation of New Guinea, but in ways known only to himself Maclay was able to establish friendly relations with the natives, who apparently believed that he was some kind of divine creature. Greenop states tha,t years after Maclay returned to civilisation, British scientists to whom he had told his secrets had a sure-fire password to safety and friendship amongst these people near present-day Madang, in the name Maclay.

Maclay was bom in the Ukraine, in 1846, studied law, medicine, and science at different universities in Russia and Germany, and became famous as an explorer in North Africa, Arabia, Asia Minor, the Malayas, Papua and New Guinea.

Practically nothing has been known of Maclay or his work in Australia. From scientific societies in Russia and some of Maclay’s own notes in 'Russian and Ger man, deposited in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, Greenop was able to piece together this story of the first European to live among the people of the New Guinea mainland. * THIS is an “Oh yeah?” story, direct from America. According to one of their Navy newspapers, when Army construction gangs in New Guinea were recently building a couple of miles of road they just seized any old rocks they could lay their hands on and threw them into the rock-crushers and concrete mixers.

Imagine their surprise, then, when the road dried out and they found that it positively “glittered in the sun.” Closer investigation proved that they had used 45,000 ounces of pure gold in the con struction.

The gifted historian who recorded this gem failed to state whether maddened ex-mining members of ANGAU or other Australian Service personnel bore down on the gold-paved highway and tore large pieces out of it. That would perhaps have spoiled a good story.

Lieut.-Colonel F. G. Forster, who for merly commanded the Labour Battalion in Fiji, has taken up duty as District Officer in Rotuma, in succession to the late Mr. A. E. Cornish.

Advertisements & other items, p. 12 (1 item)

Calling The Islands

Able Seaman Grant Hennings, of Fiji, broad casting from the BBC London recently on the “Calling The Islands” programme. He is in England training for his commission. —BBC photo.

Captain Johanson

p. 13

Decorated for Distinguished Service

MANY people in the Pacific Territories will learn .with pleasure that the President of the United States has the Merchant Marine Dis tinguished Service Medal to Captain Elis R. Johanson, the well-known master of the liner “Monterey,” for “distinguished service in action against the enemy.”

The citation says: “In a night attack by enemy bombers, a troopship, carrying nearly 1,700 men, was torpedoed. In total darkness, and under most adverse-weather conditions of wind, rain and heavy swell. Captain Johanson located the sinking transport, held his own ship close aboard, and, by

Vice-Admiral Greenslade pinning the Merchant Marine DSM upon Captain Johanson, “It was possible only because of the courage and skill of my officers and crew,” said Captain Johanson. means of his lifeboats, scramble nets, manropes and ladders, evacuated her crew and passengers in an outstanding display of seamanship and efficiency.

“The abandonment of the troopship and the rescue of her survivors were carried out with such dispatch that Captain Johanson’s ship was able to clear the scene *of action well before daylight, thereby avoiding further jeopardy from enemy aircraft or submarine.

“These operations, carried out without loss of life or injury attributable to the rescue, were indicative of a well indoc trinated and highly trained ship, and dis tinguished Captain Johanson as an out standing officer and a leader of men.”

Sudden Death Of Papuan

p. 13

Treasurer In Sydney

rE death of Mr. Sidney Smith, Trea surer in the Papuan Administration, occurred suddenly at his home in Sydney on February 21. He was a man in his early fifties and had been in apparently good health until a few days before he died.

He went to Papua about 1915 as an officer in the Treasury, and served in that Department (or its allied Depart ment, Customs) in various capacities until the civil evacuation in early 1942.

He retired from the service during the evacuation period and became interested in a mining property in northern New South Wales. He had only recently returned from the north when he became ill and died within a few days.

He is survived by his wife and one son (by a former marriage), Lieutenant Sidney Smith, of ANGAU.

Mr. Smith, Sr., who was held in high regard by residents of the Territory, is one of many Territorians who have died in exile in Australia during the last two years. For the most part these have been men in the prime of life. The worry attached to the evacuation period must be held partly responsible for their early deaths.

Mr. Angus McKenzie died suddenly on his estate at Buca Bay, Fiji, on February 9. He came to the Colony from Austra lia about 30 years ago. He is survived by a widow and four children.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 13-14 (1 item)

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Future Of Pacific Mandates

pp. 14-15

Great Decisions Likely at 'Frisco Conference

THERE are four Territories in the Pacific whose future must be affected by the Pacific war. They are Territories held by certain Powers under Mandates from the League of Nations. The League of Nations (see articles on pages 3 and 32 of this issue) is to be replaced by some new International Organisation to be formed at the United Nations Confer ence at San Francisco next month. It follows, therefore, that the Mandate system will be reviewed and, almost certainly, replaced by some other system. The four Territories are: Mandated Territory of New Guinea, administered by Australia.

Mandated Territory of Western Samoa, administered by New Zea land.

Mandated Territory of Caroline, Marshall and Mariana Islands, administered by Japan.

Mandated Territory of Nauru, administered jointly by Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Since it became clear, late in 1942, that the United Nations could count upon the complete defeat of the Axis Nations, and that decisions made in conference by the United Nations would take the place of any peace conference (such as that at Versailles after World War I) plans have been drawn for some sort of International Organisation. The first steps were taken at Dumbarton Oaks (USA) last

year; the next at the Crimea Confer ence of the Big Three, in February; and the next (and most important) will be decided upon at the San Francisco Conference next month. (See articles on pages 3 and 32.) But, amid all these conferences, nothing official has been said as yet about the future of the League of Nations and of the Mandate system.

On February 18, however, the follow ing letter was published in the New York Times, and we are indebted to the US Office of War Information for the text of it. The letter was signed by the following, and its significance will not be lost upon the many people interested in the future of the Pacific Territories: John W. Davis, Democratic candidate for President in 1924; Huntington Gilchrist, consultant on international affairs to the State Department; Arthur N. Holcombe, chairman of the War Production Board Appeals Board; Emory Ross, executive secretary of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America; James T. Shotwell, chairman of the Commission to study the organi sation of peace; Sumner Welles, former Under-Secre tary of State; Quincy Wright, Professor of Inter national Law at the University of Chicago.

Plea For Continuance Of " Trusteeship"

IN his speech at the dinner of the Foreign Policy Association at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, on January 19, 1945 (says “New York Times” letter), Colonel Stanley, British Colonial Secre tary, referred to the Mandates system as

representing “the old theory of trustee ship.”

It might be inferred from his address that he favoured abolition of this system.

We believe this is the first public inti mation of such a policy on the part of any of the Mandatory Powers. . . . We hope it will not be considered inappro priate for us to point out the significance of any such development.

The Mandate system, it will be recalled, was set up at the end of the last war for the government of those fourteen depen dent Territories, including Palestine and Tanganyika, and many islands in the Pacific, which were taken away from Turkey and Germany.

It seems pertinent and proper to ask whether we correctly understood Colonel Stanley, and whether he is now perhaps in favour of the annexation of Man dated Territories by the Powers adminis tering them. We also believe it pertinent to ask what is the policy of our own Government, and the Governments of other Powers on this point.

We might add that, in our opinion, Pacific islands formerly Mandated to Japan should not be annexed by the United States but should be governed by this country as trustee for the United Nations. Suitable strategic arrangements should, of course, be assured.

COLONEL STANLEY quite properly out lined the truly remarkable achieve ments of the British Government in the development of its colonies, and pro posed for thejfuture a system of inter national regional advisory boards, like the Anglo-American Caribbean Commission.

We support this proposal, and hope that such Commissions will do much to raise the standards of agriculture, public health, education, etc., in the various re gions concerned.

This system Colonel Stanley calls “partnership.” To us, it supplements rather than supplants the “trusteeship” system of Mandates which the British Government in the past has loyally sup ported, and which, in the opinion of many experts, might well be extended to other dependent Territories.

Abandonment 6f the gains which are inherent in this system might imply a step toward the division of the world into several Great Power zones of exclusive domination. It would weaken the system of international responsibility for dependent peoples which was actually practised between «the wars* The continuance and development of this principle, and its extension to other dependent Territories, especially those to be taken from our enemies at the end of this war, would imply just that much more confidtnce on the part of the United Nations in the success of their new venture.

IT would seem desirable politically (if not necessarily legally) that any fundamental change in the status of the Mandated Territories (including the Pacific islands formerly under Mandate to Japan) should be made only with the consent of that “civilisation” in whose trust they were placed. This would re quire the consent of the League of Nations (and the United States), 1 or of the new United Nations, and not merely a decision by a small coterie of Great Powers of whom mierht be directly interested- in the result.

Nothing on this subject is contained in the Dumbarton Oaks proposals; and, pre sumably, this situation has been given further consideration since that meeting —perhaps at the time of the Crimed Con ference.

It is to be hoped that this important matter will be placed on the agenda of the San Francisco Conference, and that the peoples of the world will be given the opportunity to express their views before any binding decisions are made.

(See comment in article or. page 3)

French Anthropologist Safe

pp. 15-16

M. OSCAR MEYER, a member of the Pacific Islands Society, is now safe, after having been a prisoner of war since the Japanese occupied Indo-China.

A cable received by Mr. Eric Ramsden (now of Wellington, New Zealand, and formerly the Society’s secretary), stated that he was now with the French Military Mission at Kunming, South China, and “free.” M. Meyer did anthropological work in the Marquesas and in New Guinea, and was also known in Tahiti, where he resided for some time. He left Sydney to join the French military forces in Indo-China. For a time he was em ployed by the Australian forces on special duty in New Guinea before the Japanese invasion.

The death occurred in Suva, Fiji, in early February of Mrs. D. G. Canard after a long illness. Mrs. Canard was very well-known in Fiji and had many friends.

Her youngest son, Pilot-Officer Ernie Canard, went away with the Fiji RAF contingent and was later killed in a flying accident in South Africa. Her other son, Harry, is attached to the Public Works Department in Lautoka.

Mrs. C. P. Purcell, who will be remem bered at many Pacific Island Society’s gatherings in Sydney in the early period of the war, is now at Delhi, India. Cap tain Purcell, her husband, has been a prisoner in Japanese hands since the fall of Singapore; he was formerly head of the Education Department in the State of Johore.

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pp. 16-17

Only One Caledonian Candidate Successful—Yet

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Jan. 5.

(§UCH are the 'problems of ordinary

sea-mail transportation in the South Pacific since the war moved north, that we have just received the results of the New Caledonian General Council elections which were to be held on January 7. Apparently, too, the whole issue is not concluded in one day, as in British countries, but (according to our Noumea corres pondent) the first day’s poll is but a preliminary canter—it is the second election day (January 21, in this case) that matters.) ABOUT half . the New Caledonian population qualified to vote went to the polls on election day, January 7, but I am informed that this is quite usual, as it is rare for all 15 members of the General Council to be elected at the first vote, and many voters—particularly those in outlying places—wait for a second election day, when there is a straight out “ballotage.”

The rule for the first day is that no candidate can be elected who does not poll a quarter of the votes cast. As there were 50 candidates for the 15 seats, only one was able to fulfil this condition. He is M. Berges, a colonist of La Foa on the west coast, who has been for long a general councillor and who was president of Governor Sautot’s nominated (and now disbanded) Administrative Council which admirably served Free France during the threat from Japan. He polled 1,140 votes of the 4,100, which were cast in his elec torate—this represents a personal triumph for the man who for most of his life has been a leader among Caledonians who claim a greater share in their own govern ment.

The party which M. Berges leads has a liberal programme, and has called itself the Comite Caledonien. It polled 8,452 votes, the vast majority in country dis

tricts, compared with 8,417 cast for the Social Progress or Labour group, which has much the same sort of general pro gramme, but whose support comes mainly from Noumea town.

The latest sensation of the election is that these two groups have after the first day’s poll agreed to unite, appointing only 14 candidates between them for the ballot on January 21.

This simplifies the position and puts the amalgamated party in a strong position as against the Conservative or “Union”

Party, representing big business and popu larly known as the “Ballande Party.”

These Conservatives polled 10,523, with relatively strong support in the town, but poorer support from “the bush.” Their leading candidate was a priest, the Rev.

Pere Bussy.

French soldiers and sailors when serving with the colours are not qualified to vote, thus reducing the electoral role by some hundreds.

There was no time to prepare a new voting list of the island’s potential 5,000 women voters (French women were re cently given the right to vote) who will have to wait another year of two for the next general election. Women candidates were allowed, however, and two were in cluded in the Social Progress group nominations. They were Madame Palla dini, wife of the party’s leader, and Madame Tunica y Casas. They did moder ately well, but are not included in the list for January 21.

Mr. Paul Cuer, who polled the highest number of votes among the five indepen dent candidates, announces that he will not stand for the 'ballot, but that he adheres to the new popular party.

“Within the framework of the French community,” said M. Berges, “we want Caledonians to be allowed at last to act as free men, free to vote on financial matters and absolute masters of the pro ceeds of the taxes they vote.”

Caledonians, he added, have the right to be considered as real French citizens, worthy of accepting democratic responsi bilities. The general interest of the country has often lain in opposition to big business interests, which however neces ‘ sary they may be to the country’s economy should not be allowed to use their finan cial power to overcome the people’s will and control the local Assembly.

In announcing the fusion of the two parties, last week’s Social Progress candi dates also laid stress on the “imperious necessity of presenting a united front to the ‘gros capitalisms local.’ ”

This election is of more than usual in terest, as it seems to show that a breath of democracy, felt at the time of the Free French movement in 1940, is still blowing across the coconut palms and mountains of this once neglected reef-engirdled isle.

Noumea, Feb. 9.

AS I forecast, the elections resulted in an overwhelming victory for the candidates of what one may call the “Popular Front” —the two social progress parties whose aims include a greater share of self-government for New Cale donia, and closer Governmental control of the mining industry which they claim has hitherto made huge fortunes for indi viduals outside the country without really benefiting the colony. These allied parties are the Comite Caledonien, which gained eight seats, and the Social Progress Party, which gained five.

The leader of the first-named is M.

Berges, long a champion of self-govern ment and a practised politician; he will undoubtedly be elected president of the new Council. Head of the Social Pro gressives is M. Florindo Paladini, former general councillor, and something of a Socialist firebrand. In the past he has

challenged the position of the richer people and the snoßs of the colony.

He has frequently been ejected from the Council for his biting personal remarks about former councillors—on one occasion, on being put out through the door, he came back, still talking, through the window. Hitherto, as even his bitter est enemies grant, he has had a certain nuisance value in opposition. It remains to be seen whether he is able to act with statesmanlike method in public matters now that his party and its ally are in the majority.

M. Berges was elected by an absolute majority at the election at the beginning of January, leaving 14 seats to be con tested for at the second “ballotage.” The allied parties gained 12 of these, which left only two for the so-called “Ballande Party.” This party will therefore be represented by a Roman Catholic parish priest from Bourail, Pere Bussy, and by Monsieur Bonneaud, who is one of Bal lande’s local directors.

Seventeen of the original 50 candidates, including the two women, Mmes. Palladini and Tunica y Casas, withdrew before the second ballot—which took place on a day of heavy tropical downpour, so that once again only about half of the electorate went fo the polls.

Though French countries have known women mayors of municipalities, this seems to be the first time in France or the French Empire that women have been candidates for an elected parliamentary body.

The election period, in general, was marked by a virulent exchange of polemics and personalities, but there was also a good deal of good political, well reasoned argument. The Catholic Church, which has always been a power in the land, joined in with a pamphlet warn ing good Christians against voting for parties allied with Bolshevism. Actually, there is little immediate danger of prac tical Communism developing in this iso later corner of the universe. The ten dency of many, however, will always be to take their cue from France. In the purely Caledonian arena, the winning battle-cry was “H faut que ca change!”

THOSE with any knowledge of New Caledonia’s backwardness and pre war neglect must have a certain sympathy with such a cry. With good will on all sides, and favoured by war time prosperity, it is to be hoped that changes can be brought about of per manent benefit and that population will increase and a fairer social system be developed.

Mail

pp. 17-18

New Guinea Air

Will be Run in Future by Qantas

IT was announced by the Australian Government in March that, although air transport services running within Australia are to be nationalised, the ser vices running from Australia to places outside the country remain under private control.

It was stated that, following upon the sale to Qantas, Ltd., of the Australian- New Guinea service run by W. R.

Carpenter & Co., Ltd., Qantas, Ltd., would, as soon as possible, re-establish the regular air service between Australia, Papua and New Guinea, which was inter rupted in 1942 by the Japanese invasion.

W. R. Carpenter & Co., Ltd., and Burns Philp & Co., Ltd., are large shareholders in Qantas, Ltd.

It is believed that the Australian-New Guinea air service will become part of an

important air link between Australia and the Far East.

Although Sir Walter Carpenter is now living in Canada, he remains chairman of the board of the parent company. Mr. R.

B. Carpenter is managing director, and Mr. C. H. Carpenter is assistant managing director. Those three, with Messrs. W.

S. Bennett, D. J. Brownhill and Sir Henry Braddon constitute the board of W. R.

Carpenter & Co., Ltd. The constitution of the board was erroneously stated in the January issue of this journal.

Mr. W. H. B. Buckhurst, Assistant Dir ector of Surveys in Fiji, has been appointed to be Director of Lands, Mines and Surveys. He commenced his service with the Fiji Government in April, 1928.

Lieut. Geoff. Kilner, of Rabaul, writ ing to his wife on December 11, 1944, from a Japanese prison camp, reported that he was “fit and well.” Mr. Kilner’s reports on other New Guinea prisoners are pub lished elsewhere in this issue.

Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Ragg, of Fiji, are at present spending three months’ holi day in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Henry Edwin Addis was killed in Suva, Fiji, on February 10, when he fell from the balcony of the Colonial Memorial Hospital. He was born in the Colony in 1913 and held many posts in the Govern ment service. Last year he met with a motor accident which seriously affected his nerves. He was the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Val Addis, of Suva.

Commander H. Mayo Harris, formerly Vicar of the Suva Pro-Cathedral, is at present stationed at Flinders Naval Depot, Victoria (Australia). Writing recently to friends in Suva, he said that he, his wife and their daughter were eagerly looking forward to their return to Suva some day.

His job at present is to arrange the training of all officers entering the service or doing later courses.

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of PI Year Book in United States Genuine Publishers Have No Remedy

AS an example of the thieving tactics which Australian publishers may ex pect from certain interests in the United States, we publish the following: The owners of this journal (Pacific Publications Pty., Ltd.) published “The Pacific Islands Year Book” in 1942, and it was widely distributed. There was another edition in 1944, and the 1944 edition was sold for reproduction in the United States.

Before the book could be reprinted, however, the USA publishers reported that the Year Book already was in circu lation. After much confusion and inquiry, it has been found that a concern in USA has “pirated” the book. It procured a copy of the 1942 edition, reprinted it exactly as in the genuine edition, except that it was called 1944 edition, and sold it far and wide in the United States, as the genuine 1944 edition.

Ordinary British people might imagine that such bare-faced theft could not go unchecked or unpunished. But appeals to American authority brought merely a shrug of the shoulders—Australian copy rights have no force in the United States —any Australian book may thus be “pirated,” and the Australian author and publisher will have no remedy.

Contributions from Fiji to the Duke of Gloucester’s Red Cross and St. John Fund now total £34,200.

What Fiji May Expect in 1945

p. 18

Overseas Trade

CERTAIN modifications to Fiji imports will be made this coming year. This was announced recently by Mr. John Hinchey, Controller for Imports and Exports.

Brandy, gin, liquers, rum and whisky cannot be imported from Australia with out a licence—licences to be granted on the basis of applicant’s average imports from all sources during the period 1937-39.

Amounts up to these quantities (if available from Australia) will be released, less any other amounts obtained from other sources. (Considering the state of the liquor market in Australia, Fiji traders will be lucky indeed if they receive anything approaching their requirements. To-day. in Australia, it is virtually impossible to purchase by the bottle any of the lines mentioned—through legitimate channels at all events. It is reported, however, that “sly-grog” merchants are still doing a brisk trade with whisky at £4/10/- per bottle.) The United Kingdom has indicated that it can now supply electric light bulbs, certain motor car parts and aluminium in ingots or in semi-manufactured form.

Aluminimum hollow-ware is still in short supply and complete car engines will be supplied only where urgently necessary.

Two million feet of timber will be made available to the South Sea islands by Canada in the coming year. Licences necessary for this are obtainable from the Economic Warfare Officer in Suva.

Australia and New Zealand—both feel ing the loss of phosphates from Ocean Island and Nauru—have notified the Fiji Government that they cannot supply blood and bone manure during 1945.

Advertisements & other items, p. 18 (1 item)

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Their "Booking Fee"

Fiji Merchants Lose Their "Booking Fee"

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 1.

A BILL to amend the “Prices of Goods Ordinance” will be submitted to Legislative Council during its sitting commencing on February 16. The amend ment is to repeal sub-section 5 of section 4 of the Ordinance.

Under that sub-section, traders were entitled to charge, in addition to the maximum selling prices fixed by the Competent Authority, an additional sum not exceeding 5 per cent, of the price of any goods sold when the sale was other wise than for cash. Practically all stores in Fiji took advantage of this section and charged the 5 per cent, “booking fee” on all credit sales, with the provision that a discount of 2i per cent, would be allowed for payment of the account on or before the last day of the month fol lowing that in which the goods were delivered. , . , The matter of this “booking fee” has been a vexed one for some time, and the consuming public will, of course, be in sympathy with the proposed amendment.

The total amount by which the stores in Fiji have gained by reason of the charge for the “booking fee” on credit sales since its inauguration on January 1, 1942, must represent a considerable sum.

Some objection by the stores can be expectecf to the proposal for its discon tinuance. The Suva Chamber of Com merce is holding a special meeting on February 6 to consider the proposed amendment.

February 25.

WHEN the Bill to amend the “booking fee” clause of the Goods Ordinance was brought up in the Legislative Council during the last week the debate was long, and at times, heated.

Mr. Ramsay Main, Deputy-Chairman of Supply and Production Board, intro duced the Bill. He stated that the fee was no longer justified.

Principal opponent to the amendment was Mr. W. G. Johnson. He admitted that the proposed legislation would be popu lar—but contended that popularity alone did not justify the abolition of the fee— which would in effect deny to those who extended credit the opportunity of mak ing a reasonable charge for it. He wanted to know why, if the fee were con sidered desirable at the time it was intro duced, it was now considered unjustified.

Indian members were all for the removal of the fee, as were most other members. Mr. Johnson asked that if the Bill were passed there should be some delay before it came into operation, in order to give merchants an opportunity to make arrangements for the change over.

With the amendment that the Bill should not come into force until March 1, it was finally passed.

College

Appointment to N. Caledonian College

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Jan. 15.

FOR a long time, Noumea’s secondary school, the College de la Perouse, has been understaffed, but there are now prospects of receiving new blood from France.

The first appointment, news of which has been received by cable, is that a Caledonian-born student, Raymond Col onna, has just won his doctor of science degree in France and will come out to Nouniea, as chemistry professor.

Marriage Of Rabaul Man

A WELL-KNOWN resident of Rabaul, Lieutenant Gregory D. Ade-Kent, was married in Brisbane on Janu ary 15 to Corporal Muriel Taylor.

AAMWS. The ceremony was performed at St. John’s Cathedral and a reception held at the Belle Vue Hotel. The bride groom was attended by Captain W. Kalb fell (formerly of Bums Philp & Co., Rabaul) and by Captain K. Clinton. Mrs.

Jeanne Gordon, also of Rabaul, was one of the guests at the reception.

Lieutenant Kent was formerly the local manager for the Southern Pacific Assurance Co., Ltd., and Southern Cross Marine Insurance Company in Rabaul.

He is at present attached to an Austra

lian Plantation Control Unit in New Guinea.

Wau Airman Lost

Flying-officer john w. McDon ald is now officially posted as killed. He was previously posted as missing in air operations over France in February, 1944.

Before enlisting in the RAAF, he was superintendent of works for New Guinea Goldfields, Wau, New Guinea. He is sur vived by his wife, who at present is resid ing at Holland Park, Queensland.

Mr. C. H. Beach, who until recently was Town Engineer of Suva* Fiji, has been transferred to Nigeria.

Advertisements & other items, p. 19 (1 item)

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Territorian Bitterness

pp. 20-21

Indenture Controversy Causes Territorian Bitterness Methodist Speaker Revives Threadbare Subject

By R. W. Robson

THE campaign launched against the native indentured labour system by Mr. Eddie Ward, MP for King’s Cross, Sydney (and, by one of the queer accidents of politics, Minister for Exter nal Territories) proceeds spasmodically.

Even Mr. Ward (whose political career never has been besmirched by an admis sion that Mr. Ward possibly could be wrong) probably is aware by now that the overwhelming majority of people who know anything about the subject are emphatically of opinion that (1) the sys tem is not the evil thing that it has been painted; (2) it must continue until something better has been devised, to take its place. But others are carrying on.

The great majority of Islands mission aries—and certainly the most influential missionary leaders —have expressed them selves strongly, in the past year, against the immediate abolition of the system.

The Ward campaign, however, is being carried on by a handful of missionaries who, for the most part, have little prac tical knowledge of Islands conditions.

For some extraordinary and unex plained reason, the pronouncements of mission chiefs against Mr. Ward’s plan are given no space whatever in Australian newspapers; while the anti-in denture fulminations of people who are practically unknown are given considerable promi nence. This applies especially to the

“Sydney Morning Herald,” which is a newspaper with a reputation for fairness, but which in this matter of indentured labour has been singularly cock-eyed.

THE only missionary men of any note who have supported Mr. Ward’s plan are Bishop Cranswick, Rev. J. W.

Burton, and Professor Elkin. Bishop Cranswick is prominently associated with the Australian Board of Missions but, as far as I know, he never has had any practical experience of the Islands mis sion field. Mr. Burton is head of the Methodist Missionary Society; and his Islands missionary experience is confined to his work among the Indians in Fiji.

Professor Elkin is the head of the De partment of Anthropology at the Univer sity of Sydney; he was (and presumably still is) a clergyman, and his practical knowledge of the indentured labour sys tem, if any, was gained in his investiga tions as an anthropologist in the Islands.

The personal reputation of these three men is so high that no one would ques tion their motives. As Christian gentle men, they are eager to do the best pos sible for the Melanesian natives. But one does question their qualifications to give a lead on this most difficult subject.

They have had no practical experience of life in .Melanesia: the opinions that they are constantly thrusting under the noses

of the uninformed Australian public are formed by their hearts, and not by their heads.

ON the other hand, every Islands mis sionary, whether leader or ranker, who has spoken publicly on this sub ject—that is, every missionary who really has lived the Islands life and knows something of its practical problems—has aligned himself with the European resi dents of the Pacific Territories in arguing that, in the interests of the natives, as well as of the Europeans, the system must go on for some time yet. No one denies that reforms are necessary—that was shown by the report of the Native Labour Commission in New Guinea, just before the invasion—but all are agreed that nothing but economic disaster could follow the change (immediate abolition of the. system) proposed by Mr. Ward and Mr. Beasley for Australian political pur poses over a year ago.

A tactical error was made by Bishop Cranswick and Mr. Burton, in rushing into the “Sydney Morning Herald” in that joint pronouncement, wherein they sup ported Mr. Eddie Ward’s demand for the abolition of the labour system—and, inci dentally, scolded me for arguing that this was not the time to abolish the system.

The two missionary leaders not only placed themselves onside with one of the least admirable figures in Australian political life; they also found themselves completely offside so far as the European residents (including missionaries! of the Islands are concerned.

The picture of Mr. Ward, Mr. Burton and Bishop Cranswick riding together on the same donkey was quaint and divert ing enough, but harmless; but harm was done to the goodwill hitherto enjoyed by the Missions in the Islands. Territorians

will not readily forget the threat to their wellbeing, as represented in that incident.

The reverend gentlemen intended no harm, of course; what they did was done in blind ignorance of the practical facts of the situation. Territorian resentment probably will long continue against those missionaries whose chiefs urged a change so far-reaching and disturbing. rE trouble is that such a campaign, once started under such auspices, is carried on by well-meaning but ignorant people. The Methodist Mission ary Society, for example, recently held a “conference” in Sydney; and here is a paragraph from “Sydney Morning Her ald” report:— “The Rev. Percy Clark, addressing the annual meeting of the Women’s Auxiliary of Overseas Missions, said that the inden ture labour system was one of the main factors in the disintegration and de gradation of the Pacific natives.”

The Lord knows who Rev. Percy Clark is, and what are his qualifications to speak in such a way. I cannot find his name in any present-day list of Islands missionaries. Mr. Clark, known or un known, is entitled to express his opinions, of course; and the women he was addressing are entitled to listen to any speaker they please.

The trouble commences when a news paper like the “Herald” reports such utterances which, being divorced from any statement of facts and appearing as the opinion of one unknown man, are regarded by Islanders generally as utterly stupid and dangerous. Not one Terri torian who read that report is going to feel very well disposed towards Methodist missionaries in future.

THERE still is some fanaticism among rank-and-file missionaries. The strange folk who invaded the Islands in frock-coats and poke-bonnets a hun dred years ago, and drove the natives into trousers and Mother Hubbards, and compelled them to abandon perfectly natural social customs on the grounds that Anglo-Saxondom thought them sin ful —these people have their counter parts in certain of The missionaries who are sent into the Islands to-day—and especially in some of the mainland bodies which speak on behalf of missionaries.

Unintelligent and unadaptable, they persist in measuring their native charges according to European standards. They even try to make primitive natives accept sectarian differences and distinctions which, long ago, have been repudiated by thoughtful Europeans. They walk ever lastingly in the hope of a crusade —seeking some oppression or cruelty or dread ful sin concerning which they may unfurl a banner and scream a mediaeval chal lenge.

Their conduct suggests that they thought they had found such an object of crusade in the indentured labour sys tem. The Melanesian labourers were to be presented to the world as the chained and oppressed slaves of the heartless Europeans exploiting the Territories.

It was quite a good idea —Australian

public opinion, wholly uninstructed and ignorant, was quite prepared to believe it.

When I first protested against the cru sade, as being utterly stupid and unin formed. the ineffable Mr. Ward described me as “the mouthpiece of the capitalistic interests exploiting the Territories,” and Mr. Ward’s henchmen cheered, and the dear old missionary chiefs apparently endorsed that brilliant analysis.

However, much has happened since then. Territorians, to a man, and all the Islands missionaries who really know anything of the circumstances, have defended the system, and demanded its retention until something better can be devised to take its place.

That is the present stage of the con troversy; and that is where it should be left. If there is not to be a great deal more of misunderstanding and bitterness, the headquarters of the various mission ary bodies would be well advised to keep their Percy Clarkes off the controversial subject.

It was talked but, months ago. A solu tion which will represent a fair and decent compromise—and which will take care of the interests of both natives and of European employers—is on the way.

Advertisements & other items, p. 20 (1 item)

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Wedding

p. 21

Miss Fay Dawn Macgregor,

daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy MacGregor, of Madang, New Guinea, was married at St. Phillip’s Church, Sydney, on March 2, to Mr. C. J.

Mortimer, of the RANR. In the absence of Mr. Roy MacGregor (who is back on active service in New Guinea) the young bride was given away by her uncle, Lieut.

W. A. MacGregor. There was a reception at Rose’s, where guests were welcomed by the bride’s mother, Mrs. Roy MacGregor, and the latter’s sister, Mrs. Geoff Kilner, of Rabaui; Guests included the following Territorians: Mr. and Mrs. Ward Oakley; Mrs. J. H. McDonald; Mrs. Brooks; Lieut.

Douglas MacGregor: Mr. Eric Guthrie.

The British Empire Medal has been awarded to Sergeant Veneniki Raiwalui, of the Fiji Military Forces. On May 21, 1944, he saved boxes of small arms ammu nition, grenades and mortar bombs from a burning store, at great risk to his own safety. In the process he was badly burned but carried on in spite of his injuries.

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By-passed Phosphate

p. 23

Islands Produce of Nauru and Ocean Is.

Now Wanted in South

WINSTON TURNER, one of the few war correspondents who, travelling through the Pacific Islands, really understood the Pacific’s political and eco nomic set-uo, published recently a long article in Sydney “Sun”—“Return of Islands Would be a Boon to Our Farmers.”

He pointed out that the richest gift which the Allies could make to Austra lian farmers would be the restoration of the phosphate industry of Nauru and Ocean Island. Australia normally used 1,000,000 tons per annum of this non organic fertiliser; and most of the needs of Australia and New Zealand were sup plied from the two islands. Now, the two countries are being severely rationed on superphosphate, and the reaction upon food production is serious.

The Japs occupied both Ocean Island and Nauru in the early part of 1942. In the past year, they have been driven so' far north of the equator that there seems no serious obstacle in the way of the re-occupation of both islands (which lie close together, right ,on the equator).

But re-occupation does not appear to be part of the strategic plan agreed upon by Washington and London. The urgent needs of the farmers upon the food front seem to have been overlooked.

The huge installations on both phos phate islands were demolished when we withdrew; and the Japs, who urgently need phosphate, have made no attempt to work the deposits. They do not seem to have done anything on Ocean Island: but it is known that they have used Nauru as a staging base, have constructed an airfield and barracks there, and mounted guns on the coast.

JAPAN had nursed a grievance over Nauru for 27 years (says Winston Turner). She missed getting the island by only three days during the last war. On November 9, 1914, three days after HMAS “Melbourne” had landed an Australian detachment which took over from the Germans without firing a shot, a Japanese warship and transport appeared, but sheered off when the Aus tralian flag was sighted.

In March, 1942, some 200 employees of the British Phosphate Commission were evacuated from Ocean and Nauru under the noses of the Japanese, after destroy ing what remained of the installations — the locomotives and electric trains, the cantilever loading system, the drying units and storage bins, the electric power station, huge refrigeration plant and water condensing plants.

The natives remained. There were some 1,600 of them before the war. Their spirit and loyalty were indicated when they offered £lO,OOO for the war effort against Germany. This amount they spe cified, was to be paid in sterling. When it was suggested to them that a fifth of that amount would be adequate for such a small community, their indignant response was immediately to remit £12,500 in Australian currency.

WHEN evacuation was ordered in 1942, certain officials remained vol untarily to meet the Japs and help the natives—the Administrator of Nauru (Colonel Chalmers), and the Govern ment Secretary on Ocean Island (Mr. C.

G. F. Cartwright) being among them.

Their fate is unknown.

New Guinea Casualty

p. 23

List

Killed in action: NGX39I, Lieut. P. A.

Tuckey, Infantry, Springwood, Queens land.

Accidentally killed: PX76, Captain P. P.

Brewer, HQ Unit, Port Moresby, Missing—believed prisoner of war: NGXIB9, Captain M. G. Evenson, HQ Unit, Rabaul, NG.

Missing: NGXIO, Captain J. E. Grim son, HQ Unit,' Rabaul, NG.

Placed on seriously-ill list: P 448, T/WOII H. F. Bitmead, ANGAU, Sairope, Papua.

Previously reported missing—believed killed; now reported killed in action: P 507, Pte. W. J. Hook, HQ Unit, Aitape,

Tng.

Death of Suva Boy While on

p. 23

Active Service

WORD was received in Suva, in Febru ary, of the death of Lieutenant Har rowby Ryder, son of Mrs. S. Nelson, of Suva, and an old boy of the Suva Boys’ Grammar School. He was 23 years old.

He went to the Middle East with the 9th Division of the AIF, celebrating his 21st birthday overseas. When he came back to Australia with the Division he fought in New Guinea and in 1943 was wounded. He met his death as the result of an accident while on active service in the Pacific.

Flight-Lieutenant R. Wallace, a mem ber of the Fiji RAF contingent, is now flying Liberators in Burma.

Advertisements & other items, p. 23 (1 item)

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Donald—The Generalissimo's "No-man"

pp. 24-26

BORN in Australia in 1875, W. H.

Donald, adviser to Chiang Kai shek, is still going strong, although just recently released after three years in Los Banos internment camp on Luzon. He had previously been re ported rescued from Santo Tomas, Manila.

John Gunther in Inside Asia, des cribes him as “matchmaker to Chinese politicians, confidant of Generals, handyman of war-lords and the bottomless receptacle of more news, information, chit-chat and, above all, State secrets than any foreigner who ever lived in China.”

About 40 years ago, Donald was a reporter on the Sydney Daily Tele graph. One day he received a letter from the editor of a Hong Kong daily offering him a job and stating that £l2O expense money was being for warded to Sydney. Donald had never heard of the Hong Kong paper, or its editor, but his own editor, when con sulted, advised him to see if the money were there and, if so, to go if he wished.

The money was, and Donald did.

His new boss told him that a world cruising friend had been told off to keep his eye open for a newspaperman who did not drink and. if and when he was found, to cable him (the editor) in Hong Kong. It took seven years to find one such—Donald.

Donald later switched to the New York Herald, as their China corres pondent; but then he became fascin ated by the Chinese, and gave up

newspaper work, devoting himself to various of China’s causes. He had a special capacity for gaining the confidence of all manner of people, and early joined Sun Yat Sen’s re volution—he, in fact, wrote several of Sun’s first proclamations.

The Chinese Government Bureau of Economic Information, which he founded, paid his living expenses—his tastes in all things were very moderate. In 1928 he adopted Chang Hsueh-liang (the Young Marshal), son of a Manchurian war-lord, cured him of the dope habit, took him to Europe and arranged for a meeting between the Young Marshal and

Chiang Kai-shek, between whom no love was lost.

IN 1933, Donald bought a small yacht, intending to leave China, but he teamed up with the Chiangs in stead. He was devoted to Madame, and he told the Generalissimo exactly what he thought—about the one man who could. He has never learned one word of Chinese; refuses to eat Chinese food; does not care two hoots about Chinese customs or ritual and has been described as the greatest enemy of “face” in China.

He is full of vitality and good cheer —a ruddy man with thick glasses. A little stout now (or was, until his term of internment); has an amazing-

W. H. Donald (second from right), photographed with members of the Chinese community, Suva, Fiji, in early 1941, while holidaying in the South Pacific.

memory.and an even more amazing fund of stories.

Just before the outbreak of the Pacific war he had a holiday in the South Pacific Islands and New Zea land—he refused to stay in Australia because Australia was selling scrap iron to the Japs—and was in the Philippines on his way back to China when the Japs occupied the Archi pelago.

Even before the war the Japs had put a price on Donald’s head—they felt that he was responsible for getting British and American sym pathy for China. But they never succeeded in identifying him, although they suspected that he had fallen into their hands somewhere in the Philip pines. Although time after time they went to Los Banos looking for him. says Donald, the other internees held his identity in the strictest con fidence.

United nations censorship clamped down on all references to him—but only after a high-ranking Chinese official in London had let the cat out of the bag by stating publicly that Donald had been captured in the Philippines—but as far as was known was being tolerably well treated. Re latives in Sydney were warned that any efforts to try to trace him or communicate with him might cost him his life.

Little has yet been said of Donald’s future activities; but if ever the Chiang Kai-shek set-up needed a No man adviser of Donald’s calibre, that time certainly is now. On his release

Donald said that he was anxious to communicate with Madame Chiang; and that he was ready to do what ever she advised in order to help

China against Japan.

The final accounts for the successful carnival which was held at Nadi, Fiji, last December, in aid of war funds, showed net proceeds were £629.

The Fiji Information Office has recently begun publishing a news magazine for the people of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It has been called “Sail Ho”— because with these islanders the coming of news usually coincides with the arrival of a ship from the outside world.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 24-26 (1 item)

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Island Potters

p. 26

—And Their Wares

By F. J. Morgan

fpHE craft of the potter is one of the JL oldest known to man. Fragments of pots have been found in the most ancient sites of human habitation throughout Europe, Asia, and both North and South America.

Yet, notwithstanding the high develop ment of Polynesian society in the Pacific, pottery was neither known nor used by them. This is all the more remarkable since races of both sides of Polynesia were adept potters.

The Polynesians used only coconuts,

shells or carved wooden bowls for carry ing liquids or as food containers, but earthenware vessels of excellent workman ship were made in many places from Papua to Fiji. Tonga is the one exception! in Polynesia; but in this case it is con sidered that the craft was introduced from Fiji.

IN many of the islands certain villages specialise in making pots which are traded for food or weapons. In the Port Moresby district, pottery is still a thriving industry. The red unglazed pots find a ready market on the coast of the Gulf of Papua in exchange for canoes filled with sago.

In the New Hebrides, where the trade is confined to the west coast of Espiritu Santo, the local pots are similar in design to those made in Fiji and common to Melanesia.

Except in Fiji, glazed ware is not made without European influence. In parts of New Guinea, however, the salt water treatment of water vessels may possibly result at times in a light salt glaze.

Fijian potters evolved an interesting method of. producing a glazed article by applying Kauri gum to the hot surface after firing. These pots are used for storage of liquids. This art is apparently peculiar to Fiji.

Whilst, in general, island pottery is red or brown, variations are produced by the use of white pigment, and a wide range of ornamentation, by inscribed lines or decorated edges.

Although the potter’s wheel is unknown in Melanesia, native pots are symmetrical in appearance and very well finished. In some places the quality of clay and work manship is so good that very large vessels, which ring loudly when struck sharply, are produced with remarkably thin walls.

That pottery is not a recent introduc tion into the islands can be proved in many places. In New Guinea and in the New Hebrides, fragments of pots of very early origin have been found on sites of vanished villages. Some of the older pot tery which has been unearthed on sites of ancient villages w which were abandoned centuries ago is superior to the local modern article.

A representative collection of island pottery from the south-west Pacific can be seen at the Australian Museum in Sydney, and at other museums in Aus tralia and New Zealand.

POSSIBLY because the potters are women accustomed to baking tradi tional shapes of utility value only, no attempt appears to have been made to produce small pots such as might be carried in a service kit. Although some makers of native weapons, grass-skirts and necklaces seem to have enjoyed in the last year or so a whole century’s normal turnover, no sign of wholesale trade in pottery souvenirs has yet been reported, although some servicemen have made use of native pots for various purposes.

In a few more years outside influences may have introduced glazes and altera tions to shapes in the islands. There will never be a better opportunity than the present for native potters to open up trade with the many museums, large and small in USA and elsewhere, who are usually interested in adding to their col lections with examples of pure native craftsmanship, however primitive it may be.

Captain “Jimmy” Smith, now well on in his ninth decade, sends greetings from Vatukaula, Savu, Fiji. He lived on Abe mama for many years, and was there in 1942; “but,” he writes, “the Japs did not finish me off, as they did many of my friends in the Gilberts.”

A Pioneer Passes

p. 27

Charlie Coppard of Misima

CHARLIE COPPARD, one of the ori ginal pioneers of Misima Island (Papua), died there on January 21, at the age of 79, having left the Territory only once in the 40 odd years of his re sidence.

He and five others—Bob Boyd, Sandy Grant, Dick Smith, “Black” Reid and Jimmy the Reefer (James Carlow)—went to Misima from Cooktown, Queensland, somewhere between 1888-90, and started alluvial workings. Most of the others subsequently drifted away, but Coppard stayed on and later developed a small coconut plantation, as a side-line.

When Broken Hill Block Ten started operations on the island, Coppard went to work for them until the price of gold fell and Broken Hill pulled out. When Cuthbert’s took over the old Broken Hill workings, Coppard became attached to the company and continued with them until the end; of later years, however, when he became too old for active min ing, he merely supplied them with coco nuts and produce for the native labourers and lime for the mine.

He made his only trip South about nine or ten years ago, when Mr. Bob Bunting induced him, to fly from Sydney to Mel bourne—that impressed itself upon his mind more than any other aspect of southern civilisation.

During the whole evacuation period after the beginning of the Pacific war he remained on the island.

He was held in highest esteem by Misima—ari?T other Papuan—residents. He was honest, straightforward and likeable —typical of the best of the pioneers who, towards the end of last century, wrote the opening chapters of Papua’s story.

Value of Palms and Driers Headaches

p. 27

Driers Headaches for War Damage Conditions

VARIOUS reports from New Guinea plantation owners, who have been in consultation with the War Damage Commission, indicate that the Commission is experiencing difficulty in trying to assess the value of plantations on the new basis permitting compensation for in direct war damage.

Under the old regulations no compen sation was payable for plantations which had deteriorated through neglect. Under the new regulations, all such deterioration is assessable as war damage.

Among other things which the Com mission has to decide is: What is the value of a palm that was abandoned in 1942, that is still healthy but which has suffered from neglect?

What was the value of a palm that was destroyed as a result of war operations in 1942? In 1943? And in 1944?

The old pre-war valuation of one coco nut tree was approximately £l. It is estimated that it costs 5/- to clear the ground and get one palm growing strongly.

Then there must ensue from five to seven years of attention and cultivation before the palm bears. In spite of all this, a number of NG planters have been putting in claims to the War Damage Commission in which they assess the value of their individual palm trees at 5/-.

In many cases, copra driers have to be claimed for as property lost, directly or indirectly, as a result of war conditions.

What is the value of a copra drier? The estimates vary widely. As far as can be ascertained, it costs not less than £lOO to

build a good copra drier of the Ceylon type. Yet a number of people have put in claims for copra driers as low as £2O.

A statement by the War Damage Com mission, outlining the basis upon which such damages are assessed, would be wel comed by the majority of planters from Papua and New Guinea.

Cost Of Living Bonus

p. 27

For Fiji's Public Servants

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 1.

A BONUS, to offset the increased cost of living in Fiji, has been announced for civil servants and pensioners, by the Government.

It will be on the following scale:

The bonus will be payable with monthly salaries commencing from January, 1945, and it will be revised from time to time.

Mr. C. C. Beckett, who was for many years an officer of AWA and who served at various stations in the Mandated Terri tory of New Guinea, recently spent many interesting months as a Press Relations official with the Australian and American forces thrusting north-westward in the western Pacific. He saw many of General MacArthur’s most interesting operations.

Then he contracted pneumonia and, after a spell in an American hospital in New Guinea, he was sent south. He is now convalescent and making a good recovery.

Salary Group (Per Annum) Bonus £ 1— 76 65% 77—200 £50 lump sum 201—600 £30 lump sum plus 10% 600 onwards £90

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Major Trench, of BSI, Gathers Information

pp. 28-29

Patrol

(From a hook by Harold Cooper on the war in the South Pacific)

ON Guadalcanal, late in 1943, with New Georgia wrested from the enemy’s grasp, the finishing touches were be ing put to for the liberation of other islands in the western Solomons.

One of these islands was well-known to Major David Trench, the Acting-Resident Commissioner, and he readily volunteered to reconnoitre it with a mixed Allied patrol.

The task of the patrol, which was to be put ashore after making the journey from Guadalcanal, was to ascertain the size of the Japanese garrison and to select beaches where an invasion force might later disembark. It was not exactly the sort of work the Colonial Office had in mind when it drew up its curriculum for the Cadets’ training course which Trench had attended at Cambridge; but his experience with native scouting par ties on Guadalcanal had taught him all the bushcraft he needed.

This is how Trench afterwards described the three eventful days he spent on the island: WE arrived offshore in perfect weather —by which I mean that it was as black as pitch and raining like hell.

We had no information whatever about Jap dispositions on the island, so we decided to go in to what seemed the best points and chance our arm.

“We dropped two patrols off the western end of the island first and then our patrol was dropped off the eastern

end. The night was starless and, although the boys gave us a bearing to paddle by, we had the helpless feeling of not knowing quite where we were going There was a sharp little sea running, ’ but our boats behaved beautifully “We were close enough to the coast to determine our exact position and we found we were about five miles west of where we should have been. This meant we were coming in roughly at the point where the two other patrols should have been dropped.

“We were just debating what to do when a dark shape loomed up on the water in front of us. I don’t need to tell you that we moved towards it with a certain amount of caution, for the last thing we wanted to get mixed up in was a night naval action fought from small boats at point blank range “When we got within fifteen yards of the shape we heard the unmistakable click of a carbine rifle being cocked and realised that we’d run into one of the boats from the other patrols.

been* rTOm° forH^haT^sor^of^hina

moved Soto it and Earned Dants west of the island O like^us PP fhnnd thPv were making for shore far na axm f. lol snore lar from then in-

“We took counsel and decided to go in together. This we did, making the land ing without incident. We hid the boats and then dispersed into the bush in dif ferent directions. That was the last we saw of the other patrols until a few hours before the time arranged for re-embarka tiom ' “11TE sat down quietly in the bush for Tf about an hour until the moon was up and while we were waiting we made up our minds that, since we were so far from the area we had been ordered to reconnoitre, the best thing to do was to make our way boldly along the beach, in order to reach our objective with as little delay as possible. We had to take account of that fact that, by the time our mission was accomplished, we might have the Nips on our tail, in which case we should need an extra half day or so in which to make a devious withdrawal through the thickest jungle we could find As we had been warned that the natives might be unfriendly, our policy at first was to avoid contact with them—a some what troublesome proposition, as the course we’d charted took us through two villages.

“We negotiated the first with what we were pleased to regard as a velvet tread and got through safely, but as we ap proached the second a dog heard us and let forth a series of yelps which we felt sure were audible in Rabaul. A man in the village woke up and came sleepily to the door of his hut, but we kept right on down the main street, hoping he’d take us for Japanese. He did.

“During this night trek we saw no sign of the enemy, but a Solomon Islands ser geant who was with us picked up the tracks of a Jap patrol in the sand. We reached our objective in the first light of

dawn and then cut into the bush to ap proach it from the rear.

“As dawn broke we came across more and more signs of Jap activity and by the time it was fully light we were on the very outskirts of an enemy camp, which we could hear coming to life, with a babble of raucous sound, no more than two hundred yards away. We edged on a little further and got to the bank of a river, the mouth of which it was part of our task to reconnoitre.

“This was the point where we had ori ginally intended to land; and it was for tunate indeed that we missed our way, for otherwise we should have landed in the arms of the Japs, and that would have been the end of our adventure and probably the end of us.

“117’E found the Japs were disposed f? along the river in considerable strength and that it was impossible to cross it. So we withdrew through the bush parallel with the beach, this time keeping well clear of all villages. But our luck was out, for we ran into one old woman who was working in a garden.

She took one look at us and fled shrieking into the bush.

“We pushed on with our fingers crossed more firmly than ever, and by 4 p.m. we’d managed to cover a fair amount of ground, turning at right angles for an occasional furtive trip down to the beach so that our landing expert could take photographs and make notes.

“By now we were all dog-tired and we decided to bivouac for the night. As we were settling down two natives suddenly appeared on the scene, and we thought for a moment that the jig was up., But it was soon apparent that the stories we’d been told about the unfriendly attitude of the Islanders were very wide of the mark.

“Our two visitors hailed us with obvious delight and were disappointed when I did not immediately recognise them as old acquaintances. They gave us any amount of useful information, including the ex tremely welcome tip that it was the custom of the Japs to maintain a patrol on the stretch of beach which it was our job to reconnoitre the next day.

“The natives spent the night with us and in the morning led us to the head quarters of the local Chief, who stripped his larder bare to provide a feast fitting for the occasion. With the aid of a strong escort, mustered by the Chief, we were able to keep so closely in touch with the movements of the Jap patrol that during the day we made a thorough examination of almost every yard of the beach in which we were interested.

“rnHERE were two mildly diverting in- A cidents. At one stage we heard a number of heavy detonations and asked a native what they were. He said he didn’t know, but would go and find out. About a quarter of an hour later he came back and informed us that some Jap guns were being test-fired. We asked him how he knew and he replied: ‘Oh, I just went down and asked the Jap patrol,’

“The other laugh we got that day was when our native sergeant volunteered to go down to the beach and take photo graphs of the Jap patrol from close range.

We explained the mechanism of the camera and he went off determined to make a success of the job. When he came back he reported that he’d taken a number of excellent shots. Unfor tunately our instruction had not been quite painstaking enough, for we dis covered he’d taken them all on the same section of film.

“After a night spent in great copifort as the guests of the Chief we set out slowly on the morning of the third day

for the point at which the boats were hidden. On our way we were disturbed to receive news that a native messenger we had sent to warn our other patrols of the Jap dispositions had failed to con tact them but had run into a party of Japs, who had told him that there were Americans on the island, and that all hatives should be on the lookout for them.

“Our sergeant, who was the real hero of the expedition, volunteered to go back himself and endeavour to contact the patrols. This he managed to do. Our anxieties for them were groundless, for they, too, had found native friends who, throwing a protective screen round them, were bringing them through the bush to our point of rendezvous at a rousing pace.

“fpHEIR mission, like ours, had laeen X completed with only minor mis adventures. Once one of their native NCO’s and another man had been separated from the rest of the patrol and had bivouacked by" themselves in the bush. In the morning they were awak ened by a Jap bugler sounding Reveille about fifty yards away; and the NCO, still half asleep, had stumbled to his feet and almost fallen in with the Japs from sheer force of habit.

“On another occasion one of the patrols ran slap into a Jap patrol. The two patrols stood staring blankly at each other for several seconds before deciding to make off in opposite directions.

“That night, with natives mounting guard in a semi-circle round our beach hide-out, we were able to re-embark in our boats in perfect security and this time our steering was so accurate that we soon made contact.

“Once aboard we were quickly in good spirits again and on the homeward voyage we could always work up a glow of satis faction by picturing to ourselves the bad tempered behaviour of the Japanese on the island, who undoubtedly spent the next few days thrashing about through some of the most unpleasant country in the South Pacific, in pursuit of an enemy who was safely out of their reach.”

TRENCH was taken • back to Guadal canal, where he resumed his duties as Acting-Resident Commissioner.

The patrol had been a pleasant inter lude. He began to think of drawing up, an advertisement for use by the Recruit ing Branch of the Colonial Office. It would describe the life of an Adminis trative Officer in the Western Pacific and would carry the headline, “Never a Dull Moment!”

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"Friendly" Islands

p. 29

Letter to the Editor IN a little speech I made some time ago, when our Foa people were entertain ing HBM Consul and Agent from Nukualofa, and Dr. McGusty, from Suva, I said I would like to endorse Captain Cook’s remarks, as written in his log book: “The Tonga people are hospitable and are friendly”—and that was why he called Tonga the Friendly Islands.

A few days later, I was approached by one of our local European residents who censored my remarks. He said my expression should have been: “The Tonga peonle were at that time hospitable and friendly, but have changed a lot since those days.”

I do not accept that. I left the Old Country 62 years ago, and, during those 62 years, I have been twice around the world, have visited five continents and most of the islands of the Pacific —Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, New Guinea, New Britain.

New Ireland, all the different islands nearby, the Solomons (Buka and Bou gainville), Marshall, Gilbert and Caroline, I have sat and eaten with kings and princes, European and native, and I have sat and slept with the worst cannibals in New Britain in 1884-5. So I should know something about people.

I do not want to say that our Tonga pedfcle are angels and saints. They have their good and bad here, as in the world all over. But I endorse Captain Cook’s remark of 150 years ago: “The Tonga people are hospitable and friendly.”

I am, etc.,

Haapai, Tonga.

P. T. Goedicke.

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Rotuma

p. 30

A Garden In

By “Amel”

IT has always been my opinion that the best place to have a vegetable garden is somewhere near the flower garden . . . that is, as close to the house as possible. After all, one does not usually grow one’s flowers in a distant part of the bush. The idea is to have them somewhere handy, to see and enjoy. And so it should be with vegetable gardens.

In Fiji, the main drawback to having a garden near the house was the over abundance of land-crabs, annoying crea tures with large burrows and voracious appetites, extremely partial to flowers and vegetables, small puppies, kittens, chick ens and even human beings . . . accord ing to Dad!

He was trailing one—or maybe it was trailing him!—around the verandah in his bare feet one dark night, and he couldn’t find the torch or the matches.

His imagination worked overtime. He said it had eyes like clothes pegs and he could hear its claws clanking as it prepared to spring at his throat. We reckoned it must have been his knees

knocking together!

HERE in Rotuma, we have no crabs to contend with: but the other pests are overwhelming. We are sur rounded with a great variety of livestock belonging to our neighbours. Of course, as far as fowls are concerned, it must be admitted that ours also do their share

of scrat c*}ing where they should not—but we consider that they are privileged. . Tlle , ne l ghbours ’ livestock, however, does not stop at fowls. It also includes norses, cows, goats, pigs, ducks and dogs. all of which spell ruination to a garden any sort * fV , The L do f 1 eat anything, but bones in. the nice soft soil of E" e garden; and it’s funny how they f" ust . slee P on the plants, even when H}f re ls ,P len ty of lawn at their disposal, ducks don’t do any scratching, but . to ar g rea t hunks out of everything H 1 anc * s*° a °f shovelling with tneir bills, which is just as bad. ur neighbours’ cows and horses never sie ®P* They prowl all through the night, rattling chains, rustling ropes, chewing riedges and pushing the fences over. In daytime, the goats and the pigs afflict us, one of the latter having the ill-grace to expire under the front porch.

J the depredations of these bipeds and quadrupeds, the elements ar . e also leagued against us. Our p i a £ e 15 situated on the windward side of M °tusa’s narrow isthmus, and is fully exposed to the sweeping, salt-laden wind blue Pacific, which withers every thing it touches.

The soil of the isthmus is almost pure sand — one can dig to a depth of eieht fppt and still find white sand—but there must be some nourishment in it, because it supports numerous coconut palms bana nas and huge native trees, all of which do very well.

But. apparently, to grow European vegetables one must add something, such

as seaweed or manure, and bring earth from the bush, to supplement the sand.

We did this, and after much hard work have managed to raise a small plot of very nice vegetables.

But with all the obstacles to be over come, there is no need to wonder why we find it easier to obtain vegetables from a tin!

Territorian Bride

pp. 30-32

Captain J. R. Grey, who has been Ship ping Controller in North Queensland for the past two years, has now been trans ferred to Western Australia to take up a new position.

A former well-known resident of Fiji, Mrs. C. H. H. Irvine, died in Sydney recently. She was married in Levuka in 1874, the year of the cession of Fiji to Britain, and her husband, who later became Attorney-General of the Colony, died in 1903. Mrs. Irvine had been liv ing with her daughter, Mrs. Doyle, in Australia, for many years, Mr. R. F. Freeman, who died recently at the age of 76 years, went to Fiji in 1888 as a chemist for the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. He stayed with the company until 1898 when he leased the Baulevu estate in the upper Rewa. Mr.

Freeman left Fiji a number of years ago and since lived in retirement in Sydney, where he died.

On November 4, 1944, Miss Shirley Evelyn Chugg married Mr. George W. J. Manners, of South Camberwell, Victoria. This photograph shows the couple leaving the church after the ceremony. Miss Chugg was born in Kavieng, TNG—one of the first white children to be born in the then newly-constituted Mandate. She is the elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Chugg, well-known residents of New Guinea. Before the evacuation, Mr. Chugg was stationed in Madang.

Mr. Peter Kellert, owner of “Stockholm” and other plantations in eastern New Britain, has had a spell in hospital in Sydney and has undergone a couple of operations. He now is convalescent and appears to be making an excellent re covery. Mr. Kellert, and members of his household, were rescued last year by an Australian commando, after they had been prisoners of the Japs on the north coast of the Gazelle Peninsula for 2i years. While he was in hospital, Mr.

Kellert was visited by a young, smiling soldier—the officer in charge of the com mando which had rescued him in 1944.

Mr. Kellert at first did not know him— the man who got him away in the dark ness before dawn one night was rough and tough and heavily bearded, and did not look very “civilised.” A former re sident of New Guinea, who now holds a commission and a couple of decorations, may be amused to hear this description of himself.

Mr. F. G. Everett, formerly accountant at the Labasa branch of W. R. Carpenter & Co. (Fiji), Ltd., has been transferred to Rotuma, to take the place of Mr. C. E Christoffersen, who left Rotuma some months ago.

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PACIFIC ISLANDS SOCIETY

Visitors from the Islands to Sydney (or those Interested In Islands affairs), are advised to communicate with the honorary secretary of Ihe above Society, which has been formed to study the history, traditions, economics, and political developments of the Pacific Islands.

Regular monthly meetings are held at History House, 8 Young Street, Sydney.

Address for Correspondence:

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS SOCIETY,

Box 2434 MM., G.P.0., Svdney.

Formosa—Stepping Stone To Tokio

pp. 32-33

T'HE island of Formosa, situated 90 miles off the China coast, and conveniently between the Philippines and the Japanese homeland, was (until the beginning of the Pacific war) one of the least-known regions of the world. We have learned some thing in the last three years of this semi-tropical region where Japan trained her jungle-fighters, and now, with the Philippines liberated by MacArthur, we are destined soon to learn much more. There are nearly 6,000,000 people in Formosa.

One hundred and fifty thousand native tribesmen live mostly on the island’s mountainous eastern half.

They are of Indonesian stock and have racial and cultural resemblances to the natives of northern Luzon. They speak a language that belongs to the Malaya-Polynesian group and, among their more annoying habits (from the Jap viewpoint) is that of head hunting. Both the Japs—and the Chinese before them—had much trouble with these unquellable moun tain tribes. rpHE island is said to have been dis- A covered by a Portuguese navi gator who named it “Ilha Formosa” (Beautiful Island). The Dutch settled there about 1624 and remained until 1661. Chinese started to migrate in large numbers about the same time and at the end of the century annexed the island.

After the conclusion of the war be tween China and Japan, in 1895, Formosa was ceded to Japan and ex ported by her. The present non mdigenous population is 5£ million Chinese and 300,000 Japanese. The pre-war European population was negligible: members of the American or British Consulates and a few tea merchants.

Japan has put a great deal of money into improving and building railways, roads and power plants. The Japs created monopolies for camphor, opium and salt, introduced pineapple growing and canning, stimulated sugar cane, rice and tea production.

Coal, gold, copper, petroleum were of fair importance. But, in spite of these things, the migration of Japa nese settlers was. small, in view of the overcrowded millions in their home land. Most Japanese were “white collar workers” who regarded Formosa as a means to an end—the end being a return to Japan with some degree of wealth.

The island lies, roughly, between 25 and 22 degrees north latitude. A chain of mountains runs north and south on the east coast, some peaks rising to 14.000 feet. The short winter is wet and, particularly in the mountains, cold. The summers are long and humid. Typhoons are pre valent in the season.

On the east coast, near Suo, are some of the highest cliffs in the world

—they tower up 6,000 feet from the sea.

The capital is Taihoku, linked by rail to the chief port, Keeling, on the north coast.

FORESTS cover about two-thirds of the island; but, due to the moun tainous nature of the best timber country, little of it is milled. Cedar, camphor and hibiscus is used for most local cabinet work and house build ing.

Formosa is the world’s chief source of camphor. Chinese workers go into the forests to fell the timber and cut it into chips, which are boiled down in large iron utensils, the crude camphor-gum then being delivered to the camphor monopoly in Taihoku.

An extensive scheme of reforestation has been carried out where camphor trees, growing in their natural state, have been cut down for production of camphor oils.

The Japanese have tried to pacify the natives by gradually encroaching on their territory, taut with indif ferent success.

As far as the Chinese are con cerned, they are treated by their Jap overlords with harshness and con tempt. The Japanese have tried to force their own language and culture on the Chinese, have forbidden the use of Chinese in schools or in the publication of newspapers. The Chinese are the artisans and the tillers of the soil.

IT was from Formosa that the Japs first attacked the Philippines in 1941; and it was here that many of the most important Allied prisoners of war were interned: Lieut.-General Wainwright, who took over from MacArthur on Bataan; Sir Mark Young, the Governor of Hong Kong; Sir Shenton Thomas, Governor of the Straits Settlements; and other high ranking Dutch and British officials caught by the Jap invasion of Indo nesia.

At the Cairo Declaration of Decem ber 1, 1943, the island of Formosa was named as one of the territories which Japan should be forced to return to its original owner—in this case, China.

Formosa was first attacked by our forces in November, 1943, when China based American air forces raided the Jap air base near Shinchiku. The island was bombed fairly regularly from that date and in October, 1944, US navy and air forces combined to strike a heavy blow at its shipping and military installations.

Only 225 miles separate northern Luzon (Philippines) from Formosa.

Formosa will probably see much of the US air forces in the next few weeks.

Seven students from American Samoa, instead of the usual one, were admitted recently to the Central Medical School in Suva. They are: Fiafia Tuana (27), Aukusotino Tuiteleliapaga (22), Taielua To’afili (21), Keli Tauvela (lih, Suisami S. Leiata (19), Vausigago Uperesa (20), Etauati T. Leiato (18).

Advertisements & other items, p. 32 (1 item)

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Rabaul Men In Jap Prison

p. 33

Camp

rERE recently was published, in the “POW, Bulletin,” in Sydney, a photo graph of a group of Australians in the Sentsuji Prisoners of War Camp, in Japan; and three Rabaul men—Lieut. C.

G Kilner, Lieut. Clarrie Archer and Major (Dr.) N. B. Watch—are there clearly recognisable. They appear to be in good health.

Mrs. Geoff Kilner has received a num ber of letters from her husband, written in that camp. In a letter which was re ceived in Sydney in July, 1943, Lieut.

Kilner said: “The following Rabaul prisoners of war were well, when I saw them last: Spensley; Garth Walker; Jack Evans; Evan Evans; Philpott; Goodwin; Bird; Haslam; Beckett; Lionel Saunders; lan Mac Lean; Mac Ewan; Coote; Harold Page; Gerald Hogan; Field; Townsend; Harry Adams; Frank Saunders; Mac Lean, Snr.”

In a letter received in Sydney in January, 1945, Lieut. Kilner mentioned another Rabaul man: “Jack Barrie (Rabaul Electricity) was not in the prison camp with the others, and I did not see him during the action. There is no word of him at all.” (Editorial Note: From apparently authentic reports received from several sources, it is believed that Barry met his death at Tol, New Britain, in the Japanese massacre there in the early stages of the

enemy occupation of the Gazelle Penin sula in 1942. Kilner and Archer were also reported victims of the Tol massacre, but later were reported POW in Japan.)

Advertisements & other items, p. 33 (1 item)

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World History

pp. 34-38

On April 25: Most Important Meeting in World History

rpHE most important assembly m the A history of the human race will take place in San Francisco on April 25 1945. Representatives of all the belligerent nations—except Axis and non-liberated nations—will gather there to create an international organisation which will prevent another World War, and which may take steps to remove the causes of war (greed, poverty, injustice, oppression), World War I ended in an Armistice, based on the Fourteen Points of President Wilson. The Fourteen Points provided for the creation of a League of Nations—which was to prevent future wars. The League was hamstrung from its inception mostly because two of the world’s four greatest nations, United States and Russia, were not members. USA, home of the Fourteen Points, swung to isolationism, and abandoned the League. Russia was in the throes of revolution. From about 1931, the League became merely a gorgeous facade at Geneva, and the Rome- Berlin-Tokio Axis, unchecked, prepared for World War 11.

Having bv a escanpd g thp npHis S nf l i e Q‘RQ°L m 5 C i 0S ’

Ji.? ? enl . s °f 1939-42 and become world-dominant in 1944-45, the three Great Powers of Britain, United States and Russia are planning an

international authority which will prevent war. In September and October, 1944, the representatives of the United Nations (United States, Russia, Britain and China) met in conference at Dumbarton Oaks, United States; and they there ham mered out the framework of a plan for an international organisation designed to police the post-war world, forbid wars and, above all, re move the economic and social condi tions which lead to international friction.

The conference finished on October 7, and the outline of the plan quickly was submitted to every non-Axis Government in the world. Wholly in principle, and generally in substance, it was approved by all the Allied nations (over 20).

WHEN the Big Three (Churchill, " Roosevelt and Stalin) met at Yalta, In the Crimea, in January, and got ready for the final and early destruction of the power of Germany and Japan, they resolved also that there should be a very early confer ence of all the nations, to form the international organisation outlined at Dumbarton Oaks. That is the con ference to be opened in San Francisco on April 25.

The proposed set-up has as yet no

name: it still is referred to as “an organisation.” It must have a head quarters; but no place has even been hinted at.

Practically all the non-Axis nations capable of expressing an opinion have approved the plan; but, whether they approve or not, the plan will go through, and will function, because the Big Three, being in this matter completely in accord, have agreed that it shall. The rest of the nations will do what they are told—or else!

Those of us who have seen the horrors of two World Wars, and wit nessed the pitiful breakdown of the League of Nations because it was too cumbersome, and had no teeth, can but thank God that at last there has arisen an authority (the Big Three) strong enough to really take charge of world affairs, and with vision enough to make an intelligent attempt to drag humanity out of the morass into which it has fallen.

The Dumbarton Oaks plan, which the ’Frisco conference will implement, is too long for publication'here. But we have compiled, from the official report issued on October 11, the following summary of its recommen dations:

Dumbarton Oaks Plan

AN organisation is to be set up to main tain international peace and secur ity, by collective action. There must be international co-operation in the solu tion of economic and social and other humanitarian problems, which otherwise might lead to international friction, and

to war. A centre is to be found, where international action for these purposes may be harmonised.

In pursuit of these purposes, the members of the international organisation should act in accordance with a set of principles, which include the sovereign equality of all peace-loving nations; and each member to accept certain obligations for the purpose of maintaining world-wide peace. Each member is to assist the organisation where necessary in enforcing the Charter, and to refrain from assisting non-member States in resisting the organisation. All peaceting States may become members.

The structure of the organisation should be; A General Assembly; a Security Council; an International Court of Justice; a Secretariat; and whatever subsidiary agencies may be found necessary.

The General Assembly, comprising representatives of member States in numbers fixed by their individual char-

ters, should meet annually to consider any matters relating to the maintenance of international peace, and to make recommendations concerning same to the Security Council, and to other executive agencies of the organisation. Each mem ber should have one vote, and important decisions should be made only by a two thirds majority.

Subject to certain clearly defined rules, the security Council should be the execu five boc jy of the organisation, and should exer cise absolute power in carrying out the ob j ec ts of the organisation: and all mem ber States should accept the obliga tion to support the Council in that respect. The Council should consist of one representative of each of 11 States (five of which should always represent Britain, United States, Russia, France an fi china, and six elected by the Gen eral Assembly). Voting procedure in the Security Council has still to be fixed. The Security Council should function contmu ously; but, while each member State

should have permanent representation at the organisation’s headquarters, the Council should have liberty to meet any where, at any time.

The International Court of Justice should be constituted in accordance with a Statute which would be part of the Charter of the organisation.

International disputes which threaten peace should be dealt with immediately by the Security Council, which is empow ered to take any action deemed neces sary. Normally, disputes which appear

incapable of settlement by negotiation, should go to the Court of Justice. But if the threat to peace is urgent, or if reference to the Court is impracticable, or if the authority of the Council or the Court is defied, then the Council may take any measures it thinks fit to main tain the peace, including the use of armed force.

“Nothing in the Charter should preclude the existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of inter national peace and security as are appro priate for regional action’ —but, of course, all regional arrangements are to be in accord with the purposes and principles of the organisation.

The General Assembly should set up an Economic and Social Council for “the creation of conditions of stability and well-being, which are necessary for peace ful and friendly relations among nations.”

The General Assembly would nominate 18 States, whose representatives would constitute the E. and S. Council. The Council would have a permanent Secre tariat. and would have power to carry out the decisions of the General Assem bly; to make recommendations, on its own initiative, to the Assembly; to receive and consider renorts from all agencies brought into relationship with the organisation.

TO better understand what is planned, a comparison may be made between the League of Nations and the proposed set-up, which may be called DO (Dumbarton Oaks).

In the League, the paramount authority lay with the General Assembly, which was composed of the representatives of "'some 50 little nations, and a few big nations, and in which the vote of the little nation was almost equal to that of the big nation. The Council appeared to be important—actually, it was dragged always at the tail of the Assembly.

The DO plan places the authority wholly and absolutely in the hands of the Security Council, which can en force the co-operation of member States in maintaining peace.

In the League set-up, the nations could withdraw, and ignore their obligations, and little could be done about it.

Under the DO plan, nations which do not join the “organisation” will be at a very grave disadvantage in world affairs; and those who do wish to enter may not do so until they have given certain undertakings that they will support the Council in whatever police actions the Council considers necessary.

In the League organisation, the con trol was clumsy and top-heavy. In the new set-up, the control will be in the hands of a permanent Security Council of eleven persons, five of them the direct representatives of the Big Three, France and China.

Under the League, any nation which decided to defy the League’s wishes (seizure of Manchuria by Japan, and of Abyssinia by Italy, for example) could “get away with it.” But, under the DO plan, the Security Council need not wait even for Assembly discussion; it will have authority to immediately attack the offending nation with the strong forces per manently at its disposal.

Small disputes in distant places

could not be dealt with by the top heavy and centralised League. But the DO plan provides for “regional

arrangements,” so that local disputes can be settled locally, with reference to the central authority necessary only when all other means fail.

The League, theoretically, tried to remove the causes of war, but actually it did nothing. The DO proposal provides for a special Economic and Social Council, with wide powers, the general purpose of which is to re move the economic and social causes of friction between nations.

Before the new “organisation” can function, the huge but useless struc ture of the League of Nations (which in 1928 was costing about £1,000.000 per annum) has to be got out of the way and liquidated.

Mr. Henry Dexter, formerly a trader at Milne Bay, Papua, and now a tomato planter at “Samarai,” Hayling Island, Hants., England, is 80 years old on March 26, In a recent letter, he sends greetings ■to Papua friends—and one infers from his remarks that, while his body is in Hayling Island, his heart remains with his memories in his old trade-store on Milne Bay.

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Mokogai

pp. 38-39

The Story of Fiji's Model Leper Settlement

rIS map is a reproduction of the cover of a small booklet issued by the Information Office, Suva, Fiji, and written by Dr. C. J. Austin, Medical Superintendent of Mokogai Central Leper Hospital. It is, as the title indicates, the story of the Hospital since its inauguration in November, 1911.

Dr. Austin describes Mokogai as “noted for its beauty . . . the varying blues and green of the lagoon, the white of the surf contrasting with golden sands and the red roofs of the buildings enhancing the grace and colour of coconut and other tropical trees, provide a picture to stimulate the most jaded taste.”

Dr. Austin says that there is evidence from Fijian mythology and the language to indicate that leprosy was known in the Fijian islands long before the advent of Europeans or Asiatics. Mention was made of the disease by the earliest missionaries, and it was found after Cession that leprosy was a serious and increasing prob lem. Fijian chiefs, it is said, ascribed this increase to the Government’s action in forbidding the clubbing of advanced cases. A Lepers’ Ordinance was passed in 1899 and a station was established on the island of Beqa; this was later re moved to Mokogai, in 1911.

There were 44 patients at that time but as the years passed the numbers increased —not because the disease increased, but because other Territories arid islands were included in the scheme. There were 631 inmates at the end of 1943.

The staff to-dav consists 6f the Medical Superintendent, 16 Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary and ten native Sisters to assist them. Apart from the general nursing in the hospital itself, the Sisters, each day, visit the hospital villages for inspection purposes: they also do the laboratory work, assist at operations and the more medical aspects of the clerical work of the settlement. They also control the patients’ rations and run the Co operative Store.

The lav staff includes a clerk, farm overseer. Public Works overseer, foreman mechanic. Captain of the “Mokogai.” a baker and a lorry driver, as well as Fijians and Indians working under the foregoing.

The main hosnital area is divided into a women’s and a men’s section; but the more able-bodied people live in villages—

there is a Fijian, Indian, Solomon Island, Rotuman and Gilbert Island village, each with its own headman. Large areas of land are available for village gardens, in which work patients are encouraged.

The women do a great deal of the laundry and mending work for the men and are expert needlewomen. Some of the men have become expert house and boat builders, under the supervision of one of their members, and are regularly employed by the Public Works Depart ment of Fiji.

IN the matter of treatment, Chaulmoogra Oil is regarded as of first importance, although every type of leprosy treat ment has been tried at Mokogai. Moko gai’s own Hydnocarpus trees (from which the oil comes) provides about half of their requirements. An appeal was made a year or so ago to Fiji planters to grow one or two of these trees and thus assist in the good work.

Leprosy cannot yet be said to have a cure; “arrested” is the word used in con nection with a patient who has shown no clinical or bacteriological signs of leprotic activity over a period of two years. Of the 660 patients discharged on parole, and subject to periodic examination, 103 have had to be re-admitted to Mokogai. The average of re-admitted cases has, how ever, fallen by 5 per cent, in the last decade.

Dr. Austin, in conclusion, states that there is still some controversy with regard to contagion, and therefore the isolation policy. In 1919 there were 352 Fijian patients at the hospital; to-day there are 444, an increase of 92. This might seem that the isolation policy had coihpletely failed, but it is pointed out that in 1919, all cases admitted were in advanced stages—no cases at all were admitted in the early and relatively non-infectious stages.

To-day, however, all cases admitted are in the early stages and stand a very good chance of ultimately returning to normal life.

This booklet, which is profusely illus trated with excellent photographs, gives the outsider a new line of thought.

Leprosy which is traditionally regarded a$ something abhorrent and calamitous is brought into new focus in reading of the model settlement of Mokogai.

The Selection Committee which recently awarded the first Morris Hedstrom Uni versity Scholarship to Ravuama Vunivalu consisted of Mr. F. R. J. Davies, Acting Director of Education, Fiji; Mr. Robert Munro, LL.B., Auckland University: and Sir Maynard Hedstrom, of Suva, Fiji.

Lautoka Thanks Its Town

p. 39

Board Chairman

rE conclusion of the Lautoka (Fiji) Town Board’s activities for 1944 was made an occasion for a vote of appreciation to Mr. David P. Ragg, chair man of the Board., Deputy-chairman, Mr. H. W. Gray, in replying to the chairman’s seasonal greetings, said: “The progressive and conscientious policies adopted by the chairman has brought about many com mendable improvements in the town area, despite the small amount of funds available. The chairman’s unsparing efforts on behalf of the community has involve.d far-sighted, intelligent and sedulous planning, particularly in this initial year of the Board under the town’s new constitution.”

He voiced the sentiments of all mem bers when he stated that it had been a pleasure to serve under the chairman.

Meetings and deliberations throughout

the year were conducted with the utmost harmony, and members indicated that they would be happy to serve another year under the able * direction of his chairmanship.

Mr. David P. Ragg, since January, 1944, has been Lautoka’s first chairman under its new constitution. He is a son of the Hon. H. H. Ragg, MLC, of Fiji.

Other members of the Town Board are: Dr. James Taylor (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. R. B. Roberts (District Engineer), and Messrs. C. A. Adams, J.

Bucknell, R. Prasad, A. Lakshman and Ratu Meli Qoro. Mr. R. C. Evans is the Town Clerk.

Captain A. S. Fitch, the energetic and apparently tireless founder of Steamships Trading Co., Ltd., of Papua, was laid low by illness a couple of months ago, and finally .underwent special treatment at the Wahroonga Sanatorium, Sydney. He took a definite turn for the better early in March, and now is making a satisfac tory recovery.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 39-40 (1 item)

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Easter Is. Glyphs

p. 41

Probably Belong to Much Later Period Than Statue-makers

Tahiti, Dec. 14.

IHAVE been looking again at the prob lems of the Easter Island glyphs.

A re-examination of my sources of information has convinced me that there is not the slightest evidence to connqpt the celebrated inscribed wooden tablets with the very remote period of image sculpture on Easter. It is clear that the present inhabitants bear no relationship with the ancient artisans who carved those grim guardians.

Men so indefatigable as workers in stone—had they possessed any system of ideographs—would not have entrusted the perpetuation of their literature (whether sacred or common) to. perish able tablets of wood. Nor would any island timber have survived the long centuries following the departure of the last of the original inhabitants.

Two interpretations of the mystical script have been described by Mr. Wil liam Churchill, in the introduction of his scholarly “Easter Island”: “In the first volume of the Journal of the Polynesian Society (1892) Dr. A. Car roll, of New South Wales, undertook to read them. The reading was far too glib; it was a record of obscure events upon the slopes of the Andes, Called upon to explain the principles of inter pretation, Dr Carroll vanishes from the record.

“Paymaster Thomson was an eye-wit ness of the reading of the hieroglyphs by an Easter Islander. He has to acknow ledge that a fraud was practised upon him by the reader. Yet he offers what purports to be the text and translation of several of these tablet records . . .

“The translation can have no value save only insofar as it shows that Dr.

Carroll’s version is in no wise concerned with the same part of the world.”

A generation of vipers has grown up on Easter —and on many other islands as well —whose delight has been to lead unsuspecting scientists into enticing by paths which invariably end in the deserts of confusion worse confounded.

These gentry—foreseeing the day when scientists (now gnawing at their chains in the dismal, dusty apartments of their museums) will again be free to ransack the islands—are, no doubt, preparing new material to astonish and excite the investigators.

The obvious and logical explanation that the hieroglyphs of Easter Island tab lets are merely mnemonic symbols, designed to guide the priesthood of a lately-arrived neo-Polynesian tribe, through the intricate complications of elaborate ritual, would rob them of their mystery and, at the same time, destroy a thriving industry.

Many prows will be pointed toward

Easter in the not distant future.-

Acr.

New Tb Hospital In Fiji

p. 41

rE Methodist Overseas Missions had been asked to supply a nursing staff for a hospital for tubercular patients which the Fijian Government had decided to establish at Tamsmia, in Fiii, the sec retary of the missions (Rev. J. W. Bur ton) told members of the Women’s Auxiliary at their annual meeting in Sydney in March.

A matron, three trained nurses, and 10 trainees would be required. Four nurses had already volunteered, Mr. Burton said.

For rehabilitation awaiting the missions in the Islands and in India, £lOO,OOO had been saved, but .it was possible that £250,000 would be needed.

Mr. V. R. Cleary, of the Fiji Customs Department, has been transferred to Northern Rhodesia as a Customs Officer.

He was born in Suva and joined the Cus toms Department as a clerk in 1927 and has been in the Customs Department con tinuously. During last year he acted as Comptroller of Customs at Lautoka.

A recent portrait of Ravuama Vunivalu, winner of the Morris Hedstrom Scholarship for 1945.

This award was announced in February “PIM.”

Advertisements & other items, p. 41 (1 item)

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ANGAU Officer Married in Sydney

Captain Kevin Clark Atkinson,

of ANGAU, was married to Miss Patricia Charker, in the Arch bishop’s Chapel, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, on March 11.

Captain Atkinson is a son of Captain

O. J. Atkinson, also of ANGAU, who was Resident Magistrate at Buna, Papua, prior to the Japanese invasion of the area.

An elder brother, Mr. R. Atkinson, was a Queensland Rhodes Scholar and is now an aeronautical engineer working for the British Government in England.

Polynesia

p. 42

Ersatz Curios

A Flourishing Trade in Polynesia

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Feb. 1.

rjTHE article of commerce popularly A known as the Hawaiian grass skirt, is not compounded of grass. In these islands, it is fashioned from the inner bark of the Fau tree (Hibiscus tiliaceus).

The process, from the tree to finished costume, is long, complicated, and requires skill and patience.

Actually, this ’Ahu More—as the skirt (and the corselet and headpiece which usually go with it) is named, is the only “curio” available in the islands which is not ersatz. Most of the other objects offered as “curios” are manufactured by Chinamen and Europeans with the aid of noisy, power-driven machines.

Before 1914 the old Boche sent out ship loads of carefully executed replicas of Polynesian artifacts which were judici ously planted in the several islands.

We suspect that many of these ersatz artifacts are now reposing - in museums whither they were taken by learned scientists who swarmed over the islands during the notorious 1920 decade.

The ’Ahu More are now in great re quest, as souvenirs, by men of our armed forces. This “curio” commerce has brought considerable (so-called) Dollar Prosperity to the islands. Unhappily, most of the gain has stuck to the fingers of predatory middlemen. We learn from the radio that the proprietors of the several Hollywood honky-tonks have been “brought before Jhe beak” on charges of scandalously overcharging men of the armed forces. That, precisely, is what is going on in the islands of the Pacific.

War profiteers are an undying race. As often as not, they are the very men who radio to our soldiers and sailors overseas— “We are behind you 100 per cent.” So they are; but the percentage is usually very much higher!

The notorious 1920 decade in the United States was a saturnalia of war profiteers —a prolonged Witches’ Sabbath of ghouls and harpies fattened on the blood of battlefields.

During this war, the vampires appear to have been frustrated. The little leeches, however, swarm merrily in the jungle growth of the wilderness through which we are passing.

N. Caledonian Resident

p. 42

Killed In Italy

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Feb. 9.

CHARLES WITT, a New Caledonian of Australian origin, has been killed on the Italian front. His mother is in Sydney.

During the war he served here in the French censor’s office and then became secretary of M. Antier, of the civilian sec tion of the d’Argenlieu mission, with whom he eventually left for London.

There he asked to see service with his Caledonian compatriots of the Pacific Battalion, wtih whom he was serving as aspirant, or cadet officer, at the time of his death.

He was a most likeable and hard work ing young man whom it was always a pleasure to meet when one entered the censor’s office in Governor Sautot’s day, and sympathy goes out to his family in their loss.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 42-44 (2 items)

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Appointed

p. 44

Fijian Affairs Personnel Appointed

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 21.

THE constitution of the Fijian Affairs Board under the Fijian Affairs Ordinance, has been announced and comprises the following personnel: Lieut.-Col. the Hon. Ratu J. L. V. Suk una, CBE, Secretary for Fijian Affairs; Hon. Ratu George C. Tuisawau, Roko Tui, Rewa; Hon. Ratu Tiale W. T. Vuiya sawa, Roko Tui, Ba; Hon. Ratu George B. Toganivalu, Roko Tui, Bua; Hon. Ratu Edward T. Cakobau, MC, Roko Tui, Lomaiviti; Hon. Ratu George W. Lala balavu, MSM, Roko Tui, Cakaudroye; Sir Henry M. Scott, KC, legal adviser; R. H.

Lester, clerk and treasurer; J. R. Steven son, accountant; E. Tuiloma grade “A” clerk; W. C. Nayagodamu,- grade “B" clerk.

Henri Sautot Promoted

p. 44

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Feb. 12.

THAT good Republican, Henri Sautot, whom the New Caledonian “brous sards” or “maquis” brought from the New Hebrides to be first Free French Governor, has at last seen his services to his country rewarded by promotion to Administrator, First Class.

As Governor of the Province of Ouban gui-Chari, in Central Africa, he last year attended the Brazzaville Conference of Governors and delegates from all French African territories. The conference ap proved a proposal that a mission be sent to Russia to study methods of rapid development in outlying regions.

Territorian Wedding In

p. 44

Sydney

Miss Fay Macgregor on her wedding day. A report of the wedding appears on page 19.

Peter Kilner, nephew of the bride, acted as pageboy. —Photo by Howard Harris.

Europe

p. 45

N. Caledonia Nickel for Europe And Cheap Electricity for Noumea

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Feb, 9.

THE important role that New Caledonian nickel may play in the reconstruction of Western Europe was indicated to me this week by Monsieur Rapadzie, manager of the Nickel Company here. He said that, although the contract under which the Colony has, since 1940, furnished all its nickel output, save the require ments of Australian industry, to the United States came to an end on December 31 last, there is a great probability that all the 1945 production will still ga to America, where it will be made available to the Governments of war-torn France, Belgium, Holland and Italy.

As the uses of nickel in times of peace are as important as its wartime uses, the demand for Caledonian nickel is not likely to fall. In the last two or three years, with American technical improvements, Noumea smelters have maintained their production at almost the pre-war level, two furnaces doing as much work as three furnaces previously.

M. Rapadzie revealed that when a Japanese invasion of this island was ex pected early in 1942, Australian com mandos had everything prepared, in co operation with the company’s staff, to destroy vital parts of the Point Doniambo smelters, and to hide other parts.

At the company’s Yate smelters at the extreme point of the south-east coast, arrangements were made to dismantle and hide the regulators of the hydro electric works, which were a Swiss patent irreplaceable by the Japanese, and this could also have been done with a minimum of delay. mHE Nickel Co. has now in hand an J. important plan which will lower the cost of electricity in the township of Noumea to one-quarter or one-fifth of its present high price of 5 frs. the kilowatt.

This is a' high figure by Australian or New Zealand standards —Sydney electricity costs the householder only about one tenth of the Noumea charge—and a cheaper supply will be a boon to small industrialists and workshops in this backward port, as well as for household use and badly needed refrigeration. Port installations should also benefit. The current will be brought 37 miles from Yate, where the works have been closed

down since electrolytic smelting ceased there in 1932. This was at the time of a nickel slump, when the Thio smelters were also closed and all Caledonian smelting concentrated at Noumea. The cost of the scheme is in the region of 40,000,000 francs (£250,000), and the line is expected to be through by about July, 1946.

The route has recently been surveyed by an Australian engineer, Mr. Carter, in conjunction with the company’s engineers, and will cross the solid ironstone Plaine des Lacs, about the most barren region of New Caledonia, and then go underneath the new road constructed by French military forces to the La Coulee River and the capital. The copper wire has

been ordered in the USA and the trans formers, switches and piles are likely to come from Australia.

The industry, says M. Rapadzie, is organising to produce more; also to refine nickel to 99.5 per cent, pure instead of having this done in Europe as formerly (matte of 78 per cent, nickel being sent there from the Noumea smelters). This will be possible because electrolysis will be able to supplement the present blast furnace smelting. The average power available from Yate was given me as 8,000 kilowatts per month, the maximum being 14,000 kilowatts in the height of the rainy season, falling to perhaps 3,000 in months of low rain such as October - November.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 45-46 (1 item)

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Harbour Cruise

p. 46

A Howling Success

THE Pacific Territories Association cruise on Sydney Harbour, on Feb ruary 23, drew the largest crowd of Territorians ever collected in one spot in Sydney. It is estimated that between seven and eight hundred people were on the ferry when it left Circular Quay— and, for once, most of them were early and the ferry was late.

The roar of sound from No. 7 wharf, as the Territorians loosened up their tongues, could be heard two blocks away.

And with little interruption this went on after they had eihbarked, and throughout the rest of the evening. A musical pro gramme had been arranged, but it is a safe bet that not more than two people on board had any idea what it was about.

In other words, the whole show was an unqualified success: when a Territorian can meet friends whom he may not have seen for many moons, and talk his head off, he is supremely happy. There have been many requests to the PTA for a repeat performance. If this should hap pen, it has been suggested that the execu tive hire “King George V,” or the Sydney Town Hall, in order to give plenty of space to move about; and that, if music is provided, it be only in the form of a soft, background noise against which Territorians swopping news or reminis cences will not have to compete.

The PTA executive is to be congratu lated on a good idea, and on the admir able organisation which made of it so great a success.

News has been received that Mr. Tony Wane, of Ba, Fiji, who is serving in Italy has been wounded. He is a son of Mr and Mrs. Geo. Wane, of Rarawai

Papuan Association

p. 46

Still on Warpath

HAVING gained little or no satisfaction from the present Government (re presented by External Territories Minister Ward) the Papuan Association of Brisbane has decided to try the other side of the political fence.

A telegram has been sent to Mr. Men zies—who the Association feels may have some barbs in his armoury they do not possess—asking him to inquire into the Government’s reasons for not restoring civil control. The telegram emphasised the fact that in other areas reoccupied by Allied Nations forces, civil administra tion naturally followed those forces.

A member of the Association speaking in Brisbane, recently, said that certain selected planters and their wives were being permitted to return to selected areas providing that the wives paid their own fares and freight. Apparently the Government intended to make all evacu ees pay their own fares when they returned to the Territories

Jubilee Celebration

p. 46

Nelson & Robertson's

A NUMBER of old business and per sonal friends of the firm of Nelson & Robertson Pty., Ltd., met at din ner at Ushers Hotel, Sydney, on February 20, as the ‘guests of the directors, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the business. Mr. Nor man Nelson, presiding, created a happy and mellow atmosphere, in which memories of the good old days found an interested audience.

The first toast honoured, after “The King,” was a tribute to the late Ivan Nelson, founder of the firm, and his ener getic profitable activities among the Pacific Islands were recalled. All the old servants of the company, with their wives, were present as guests, and direc tors took the opportunity to praise their long and loyal service. Mr. J. A. Burke brought greetings from an associated Queensland company. A toast was drunk to Mrs. Ivan Nelson, widow of the founder, and “She’s a Jolly Good Fellow’’ was sung very heartily.

Advertisements & other items, p. 46 (1 item)

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Split In Guinea Airways

p. 47

mHE disagreement among shareholders J. of Guinea Airways, Ltd., on the proposed merger with Australian National Airways (which was defeated in a general meeting) looks like developing into a legal squabble. Four of the dir ectors responsible for the merger plan resigned. The four vacancies were con tested by two panels: Pro-Merger: S. Powell, A. Moulden, R.

B. Wiltshire, W. lan Potter.

Anti-Merger: R. M. Ansett, Donald Reid, L. H. M. Marritt, R. P. Goode.

The voting at the general meeting called to elect four directors was very close, and was complicated by the lodge ment of an extraordinary number of proxies.

After an adjournment, and a counting of votes, it was announced that the Pro- Merger Panel had been successful, by a comparatively small majority.

Although there has been no indication that the merger plan will be proceeded with, there appears to be much ill-feeling between the two sections of shareholders.

Mr. R. M. Ansett has announced that he intends to challenge the election of the four directors in the South Australian Courts. (GA head office is in Adelaide.)

Ng Club Party

p. 47

ABOUT 60 people attended the bridge party arranged by the New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney, in the Feminist Club Rooms, on March 3.

Although there was not such a large gathering as is usual at club functions, members who attended enjoyed a plea sant evening at cards.

The next social function will be held at some date yet to be fixed in April.

Further Fmf Awards

p. 47

NEW awards to members of the Fiji Military Forces were announced in mid-February. They included the award of OBE to Major S. G. C. Cowled and of MBE to Captain J. S. Thomson.

Major Cowled, who in civilian life is a Methodist missionary in Fiji, is Senior Chaplain to the Fiji Military Forces. He went overseas with the Ist Battalion and served in the Solomons for 16 months.

The citation accompanying his award said that during that time he made the well being of troops of all creeds his constant concern. His influence could be discerned throughout the spiritual and social life of the Battalion.

Captain Thomson in civilian life is an officer in the Administrative Service in Fiji. He was Adjutant of the 3rd Bat talion during the five months when it was serving on Bougainville.

Suva Memories

pp. 47-48

Letter to the Editor MR. HANCOCK is substantially correct in his description (in your issue of November) of the episode of the horse-trough. But he omitted the lady in the affair. One of the lads was a member of the Bank of N.S.W. staff, who bet the Bank of NZ lad, in the presence of the lady, that he was not game to dive into the horse-trough. He lost.

On the following New Year’s Day the lad who dived into the horse-trough espied an Indian laundryman’s delivery van outside the Grand Pacific Hotel. He promptly took charge and drove the van all over Suva, delivering the laundry indiscriminately, so that Mrs. Jones received Mrs. Smith’s washing, and Mrs.

Brown received that of Mrs. Jones. In

fact, there was such a mix-up that the episode nearly ended in a riot.

Needless to say, head office heard noth ing of these affairs. They were happy days.

That la has made the supreme sacri fice. Rest to his gallant soul!

I am, etc.,

Athol Matthews.

Auckland.

Mr. Jock Campbell, who was formerly a teacher at the Rabaul European School, has been manpowered cut of the AIF to take up a position at the Brisbane State High School.

Mr. A. I. Biggs, an assistant master of the Boys’ Grammar School, Suva, was recently admitted to the Colonial Service, and has now been transferred to the Gold Coast, W. Africa.

Advertisements & other items, pp. 47-48 (1 item)

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Papeete Street Names

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Feb. 1.

/|LD customs are very tenacious. For example, every avenue and by-way of Papeete has been duly named; yet I doubt if anyone has the foggiest idea of the name of the highway on which his domicile is situated.

Long ago, while Papeete was a Poly nesian community, each little section was given a Tahitian name. Those names persist. One may be aware that he resides in Orovini, or in Taunoa, and be pro foundly ignorant of the street names thereabout.

When -street names appear on official notices, one has to inquire regarding the district in which they are situated in order to identify the location.

Caledonians fa be "Rescued"

From Australia

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Feb. 9.

THERE is some hope that the many New Caledonians stranded in Australia will soon be able to return to this country, if not by ship, then by air.

Through the intervention of the repre sentative of the French Government in the Commonwealth, an Australian com pany is said to be prepared to put a 20passenger plane at the disposal of such passengers for two or three flights, Syd ney-Brisbane-Noumea, during the present month. This should considerably relieve the situation.

With the authorisation of the Noumea authorities, Caledonians bound for Aus tralia for health or business reasons will

be taken as return passengers. The single fare is quoted at 5,670 francs. (About £A35.)

Sir Charles Rosenthal

MUCH satisfaction was expressed in Norfolk Island recently when it became known that the Australian Government had decided to keep Sir Charles Rosenthal in office as Adminis trator for the present, although his five years’ appointment had expired.

Sir Charles has been one of the most energetic Administrators the little Ter ritory has ever known. Before the Paci fic War, he directed his attention to pub lic works and the establishment of new industries. The war created for him a large volume of additional work; and as he is a distinguished military officer (rank of Major-general) he was able to render very useful service in connection with war organisation in this part of the world.

Fijians Farewell Their Co

MEN of his battalion recently fare welled Lieut.-Colonel A. B. Ackland, commanding officer of the First Battalion, Fiji Labour Corps. * He was accorded full Fijian cerefnonies and was presented with an engraved tabua, a tortoise-shell cigarette case and an album containing photographs of the Battalion camp and personnel and views of Fiji.

Lieut.-Colonel Ackland left shortly afterwards for England, where he will attend courses in connection with the Land Agency to be set up to deal with native lands in British Colonies. He was accompanied by three Fijians, who will be his assistants on his return.

Advertisements & other items, p. 48 (1 item)

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About Islands People

p. 49

Messrs. W. H. B. Buckhurst and C. Har vey have been appointed official members of the Legislative Council of Fiji; and Mr. I. E. Lucchinelli and Dr. H. S. Evans have been appointed provisionally as offi cial members.

Lieut.-Col. D. Junor, of the AIF, has recently been promoted to the rank of Colonel. Col. Junor left Fiji in July, 1940, to join the AIF as a Major in the Signal Corps. He served in the Middle East and North Africa and, after return ing to Australia, went to New Guinea to commence a school of signals of the AIF forces in New Guinea. He is now on the headquarters staff at the Central Signals Training Depot in Victoria.

Mr. H. J. Moorhouse, who has been the manager of the Queensland Insurance Co., Ltd., for Fiji for the past 10 years, has been transferred as manager* for India and Burma. He expects to leave Fiji about next May. In his place, Mr. I. B. Chalm ers has been appointed acting manager for Fiji. Mr. Chalmers is a son of Mr. Nat, Chalmers, solicitor, of Ba, and was born in Fiji. He was serving with the Fiji Military Forces until his recent discharge.

Good work has been done in Canberra during recent weeks, in framing the new Native Labour Ordinance for the Austra lian Pacific Territories, by Mr. Robert Melrose (former Director of the New Guinea. Department of Native Affairs)' and Mr. N. Penglase (former District Officer), The new Ordinance probably will come into operation simultaneously with the new Provisional Government; and it is anticipated that Messrs. Melrose and Penglase will hold important posi tions in that Government.

Mrs. Wikitoria Byron, hon. secretary of the Polynesian dub of Sydney, recently sustained the loss of her mother, Peepi Mokena, relict of the late Tamaiharoa te Tauri Mokena, of Awahou, Rotorua, NZ.

Mrs. Mokena was a chieftainess both of the Ngati Rangiwewehi, sub-tribe of the

Arawa, and of the Ngati Ruanui of Tara naki, NZ.

Mr. C. W. Seton, well known in pre war days as a planter in the British Solomon Islands, has been awarded a DCM. He now is in the Australian Forces; but it is believed the decoration has been given for good wdrk done by him under the Americans, some two years ago, when the Japs were being cleared out of the Solomons.

Mr. Albert C. English, Papua’s oldest and most highly esteemed resident, has received official permission to return to the Territory and is now in Sydney await ing transport. Mr. English was a youth of 20, when on June 23. 1883 —over 61 years ago—he landed at Kerapuna to collect natural history specimens. He spent the rest of his life in New Guinea, first as Government official, and latterly as planter. He enjoys magnificent health, and he is in better shape physically than many men thirty years his junior—but he is quite determined that he will not spend another winter in the chilly westerly winds of New South Wales.

Mr. E. Taylor, formerly Assistant Dir ector of District Services in New Guinea, is now recovered after a very long illness, contracted in the service of ANGAU (where he held the rank of Colonel) and has been discharged from the Australian Forces. It is presumed that he will have a place in the new Provisional Adminis tration.

A Fijian, Alipate Dovirata, who a few months ago was fined £5 and bound over for 12 months for assaulting a woman in Toorak Road, Suva, recently assaulted another European woman and was imprisoned for six weeks. The woman and her husband were walking along the street when the Fijian, in a state of intoxication, came along and used inde cent language to the couple. The hus band remonstrated with him, whereupon the Fijian knocked the woman down.

Papa Noel Brings Queer

p. 49

Things

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Jan. 2.

PAPA- NOEL —our Saint Nicholas —is quite as real to our South Sea chil dren as he is to little tots elsewhere in the world.

The problem of toys for our babies has been*difficult. Some toy animals of a new and strange species have been evolved. Rag dolls that look like visi tors from Mars have taken the place of the glamorous models of Hollywood blondes formerly available.

The spirit of Christmas is, neverthe less, unquenchable. Our babies have had quite as hilarious a time with their odd looking presents from Saint Nicholas, as have those of other lands with their model tanks, airplanes and rocket-bombs.

Advertisements & other items, p. 49 (1 item)

Flit

Thomson St., opposite G.P.0., Cable Address: Suva, Fiji. “BEHARI,”

Mrs. R. Brij Behari, Prop.,

SUVA SOUVENIR STORE.

Tortoise-Shell Ware; Fiji Curios; Marine Shells; Cats’ Eyes; Engravings of all descriptions on Tortoise-Shell Jewellery; Silver Rings with Cat’s Eyes inlaid; Necklaces; Bracelets; Brooches: Silver Filigree and Ivory Ornaments, etc., etc.

Engravings on Tortoise-Shell Ornaments made to customers’ own designs.

High-class work at lowest possible prices.

All overseas orders receive our careful and prompt attention. GIVE US A TRIAL.

For Inliamod Etos and Eroßda

SOLD EVEBTWHEIE

H. A. Ro«» A Ca. Pty. Ltd., Klni Bt, Sy*n»y

We Want Reliable

Representatives

Throughout the Pacific, to Sell on Our Behalf:

NOW:

Locks and Padlocks.

Bicycles and Cargocycles.

Animal Glues for all Purposes.

Electric Lighting Plants.

Aromatic and Perfume Compounds, Camphor.

Pencils, Penholders, Erasers.

Grinding and Crushing Mills.

Californian and Mexican Wines.

Mexican Jade Curios, Ornaments.

Canned Fish, Piece Goods.

Motor Oils, Diesel Oils.

POST-WAR;

Sewing Machines.

Refrigerators, Radio Receivers.

Paper Products.

Barbers’ Chairs, Beauty Parlor Fittings.

Electric Appliances.

Typewriters.

Tyres and Tubes.

Lumber.

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

TRADING COMPANY,

2016 Parker Street, Berkeley 4,

California, U.S.A.

m m 4 * 4?

Ask for

FLIT

Th£ World Famous Insect Destroyer

LIMITED SUPPLIES AGAIN FOR CIVILIANS

Islands Produce

Cocoa

Official prices for New Hebrides cocoa beans, controlled by the Cocoa, Chocolate and Confec tionery Committee, are as follows; — Buying: £4l/10/- per ton, f.o.b. Island port.

Selling: Delivered Sydney, Melbourne or Hobart, £53/5/- per ton.

Accra: £69/10/- (on wharf, Sydney, all charges paid).

New Guinea cocoa beans: No quotations.

Western Samoa: Last sale reported, Ist quality, £BO (f.0.b., Apia). „

Trochus Shell

No sales have been reported since January, when small parcels changed hands at £llO per ton. Nominal quotations obtained in mid- March indicate that the market is unchanged at that figure.

Coffee

No purchases are permitted without the consent of the Tea and Coffee Control Board, to whom all offers must first be submitted.

Nominal quotations as follows: — New Caledonian: Arabica, £Bl per ton (c.l.f.

Sydney). Robusta, £63 per ton (c.i.f. Sydney).

New' Hebrides: Robusta, £63/10/- per ton (c.i.f. Sydney).

Mysore; £240 (c. & f. Sydney).

New Guinea and Papuan; No firm quotations available.

No quotations.

Vanilla Beans

White Label and Yellow Label, 17/2 per lb., c. & f. Sydney.

Kapok

Market for Javanese kapok has been suspended.

Indian kapok is being quoted for Indent at 1/6 per lb. c.i.f. stg.

Cotton

Government controlled. Stocks being made available to manufacturers at following rates:— For spinning and weaving yarns, 14y 2 d. per lb.; cordage making, 11 3 / 4 d. per lb.; condenser yarn, 12d. per lb.

Ivory Nuts

No firm quotations available.

Rice

No quotations.

Green Snail Shell

f.a.q., £lO3 per ton, In store, Sydney.

Pearl Shell

Government-controlled price:— “B” Class, £2OO per ton. “C” Class £l9O per ton. “D” Class, £135 per ton.

Fiji Buying Prices

Suva, February 13

T'' HE following, taken from the "Fiji Times,” shows the prices current in Suva on the date mentioned. The prices, of course are given in Fiji currency, which is 12Vi per cent, below sterling, and 12y 2 per cent, above Aus tralian.

Copra (Plantation Grade) Copra (FMS Grade) .. £ 18/10/- Copra Sacks, each Kerosene, per gallon ... "

Flour, per sack, 32/6; per lb Sharps, per 140 lb. sack ... ' 94 /« Sharps, 5 lb.

Barbed Wire Pearl Shell, per ton ..

Beche-de-mer (best quality) about ib.

Beche-de-mer (raw fish) about lb Trocas Shell, per ton . . . . . 6d. . . 4d.

Benzine, per gal ' o/m Benzine (bowser), per gal

Price Of Gold

Standard £lo/9- oz £9/11/7

Sept. 8.—Not quoted—outbreak of war.

Sept. 15 to 29.—Not quoted.

Oct. 6 . . £ll 15 0 [unquoted] £l2 15 6 Oct. 12.—Fixed price based on £l2/7/6 per ton, c.i.f., London, for plantation hot-air dried.

Jan. 8. 1940, to April 20, 1940 —Fixed price for plantation hot-air dried, £l3/5/- per ton, c.i.f., London.

April 20, 1940.—Fixed price for plantation hot air dried, £l2/17/6 per ton, c.i.f., London.

On February 18, 1942, FIJI and Tonga copra, Ist grade, was fixed at £lB per ton (Fijian), f.0.b.; and in July: Plantation Grade, £lB/5/-; Fair Merchantable Sun-dried, £18; and Under grade, £l7/15/-. The values are stated in Fijian currency. To get Australian or New Zealand values, add 12 y 2 per cent.; sterling values, deduct 12 y 2 per cent.

In April, 1942, unofficial quotations in Sydney were around £24 (Aust.) per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

July, 1943.—N. Guinea and Papuan copra under Aust. Government control. Fixed prices, payable at port of shipment, or on plantation, where no coastal shipment is involved: Hot-air Dried, £l5/10/-; Sun-dried, £l5; Smoke-dried, £l4/10/per ton. These prices subject to circumstantial considerations.

In September, 1943. prices were revised as follows: Hot-air and Sun-dried, £lB/10/-; Smoke-dried, £l7 per ton. Tentative there after.

New prices covering the period October 1, 1943, to June 30, 1944, were declared in 1944, as follows: Hot-air and Sun-dried, £lB/10/per ton; Smoked, £l7/10/- per to».

Prices to operate from July 1, 1944, were ten tatively fixed at: Hot-air and Sun-dried, £l9; Smoked, £lB per ton.

Copra

South Sea, Plantation, Sun-dried Hot-air Dried.

London to London Rabaul Price on— Per ton. c.i.f.

Per ton. c.i.f.

January 1, , 1932 . £14 0 0 £14 15 0 June 17 . £13 2 6 £13 5 0 December 16 .. £14 2 6 £14 5 0 January 6, 1933 . £13 0 0 £13 12 6 June 30 . £10 17 6 £11 0 0 December 1 . . . . £8 12 6 £9 0 0 January 5, , 1934 ., £8 0 0 £8 7 6 June 15 . £8 i 0 0 £8 12 6 December 28 ., . £9 i 0 0 £9 12 6 January 4, , 1935 . . £9 5 0 £10 5 0 June 7 .. £11 15 0 £12 7 6 December 6 . . . . £12 17 6 £14 0 0 South Sea South Sea Plantation Smoked to Genoa Sun-dried Hot-air Dried London and Marseilles, to London.

Rabaul.

Price on— Per ton, , c.i.f.

Per ton, c.i.f. . Per ton. c.i.f.

Jan. 3, ’36 £13 ; 2 6 £13 15 0 £14 0 0 Mar. 6 . . £11 15 0 £12 15 0 £13 0 0 June 5 , £11 10 0 £12 0 0 £12 17 0 Sept. 4 . £13 : 2 6 £13 10 0 £14 12 6 Dec. 4 . £19 ' 7 6 £19 7 6 £20 7 S Jan. 8, ’37 £22 12 6 £22 12 6 £22 12 6 Mar. 5 . £19 ( 3 0 £19 5 0 £20 0 0 June 4 . £15 15 0 £15 12 6 £16 12 « Sept. 3 . £13 ! 5 0 £13 5 0 £14 0 0 Dec. 3 . £12 10 0 £12 12 6 £13 7 e Jan. 7, ’38 £12 12 6 £12 15 0 £13 12 6 Mar. 4 £10 17 6 £11 0 0 £12 0 0 June 3 £9 15 0 £9 15 0 £10 12 6 Sept, 2 . £9 10 0 £9 10 0 £10 10 0 Dec. 2 . £9 > 0 £9 5 0 £10 2 6 Jan. 6, ’39 £9 12 6 £9 15 0 £10 10 0 Peb. 3 . £9 10 0 £9 12 6 £10 10 0 Mar. 3 . £10 0 0 £10 2 6 £11 0 0 Apr, 6 . £9 12 6 £9 15 0 £10 12 8 May 5 . £10 0 0 £10 5 0 £11 0 0 June 2 . £10 1 r 6 £10 10 0 £11 7 6 July 7 . £9 2 6 £9 7 6 £10 5 0 Aug. 4 £9 2 6 £9 5 0 £10 5 0 Sept. 1 £9 10 0 £9 12 6 £10 12 6

Quotations For Mining

July, 1943.—Papuan rubber under Australian Government control. Fixed prices, payable on plantation, where no coastal shipment is in volved, or at port of shipment: No. 1 Grade, 1/6; .No. 2 Grade, 1/4; No. 3 Grade, 1/2 per lb. These prices subject to circumstantial considerations.

In September, 1943, prices were revised as follows: No. 1 Grade, 1 /6Vz\ No. 2 Grade, 1/4; No, 3 Grade, 1/2; Inferior, 10 Vzd. to 1/2 y 2 per lb. Tentative thereafter.

In September, 1944, the following new prices, covering the period October 1, 1943, to June 30, 1944, were proclaimed: No. 1 Grade, 1/6 y 2; No. 2 Grade, 1/5 y 2; No. 3 Grade, 1/3 y 2 per lb. Com mencing July 1, 1944, prices were tentatively fixed at; No. 1 Grade, l/4y 2 ; No. 2 Grade, l/3y 2 ; No. ,3 Grade, 1/1 y 2 per lb.

Fiji

Mid-Jan.

Mid-Feb.

Mid-March Emperor Mines . .. bll/9 bll/9 bll/9 Loloma .. bl9/3 bl9/6 bl9/6 Mt. Kasl . sl/8 bl/8 bl/8 Bulolo G.D

New Guinea

., b97/6 b99/b99/- Guinea Gold ... .. blO/9 sll/3 sll/3 N.G.G., Ltd b2/6 b2/6 Oil Search ..., .. b5/4 b5/3 b5/3 Placer Dev b80/b80/- Sandy Creek ... .. sl/6 sl/6 sl/7 Sunshine Gold .. ,. s7/6 s7/6 s7/6 Cuthbert’s

Papua

.. bl2/6 bl2/6 bl2/6 Mandated Alluvials s4/s5/s5/- Orlomo Oil b2/4 b2/4 Papuan Aplnaipl . b3/4 b3/3 b3/3 Yodda Goldfields . N.Q.

N.Q. * N.Q.

RUBBER Plantatlor

London Para.

Smoked.

Price on— per lb. per lb.

January 6, 1933 2.43d July 7 3.71d December 8 .. . 4.0 5 / o d January 5, 1934 4.28d July 6 7.06d December 28 .. . 5d .. 6y«d January 4. 1935 6%d July 5 .. .. . 7 7 /sd December 0 6 3 /sd January 3. 1936 6 3 /id .. 6%d June 5 7 l /*d December 4 . . . 9 l-16d January 8, 1937 . lOVad June 4 lid .. 9 3 /sd December 3 .. . 7y a d January 7, 1938 . 7d July 1 7y»d December 2 .. . 8d January 6, 1939 . 7d . sy 8 d July 7 8>/4d December 1 .. . iiy 2 d January 5, 1940 . 13d .. 11.6 7 /«d July 5 12 3 /*d December 6 .. .. 12d January 3„ 1941 . 13d .. 12.47 7 /sd February 7 .. .. , 12.5*/ed March 7 13%d April 4 14y«d May 2 14.0<y a d June 6 13.5»/«d July 4 13 7-16d August 1 ny»d September 5 .. . 13 %d October 6 13 11-ltd October 10 —Price officially fixed at .. 13%d

Exchange Rates

THE following exchange quotations show the rates existing in Sydney in mid-July:—

Fiji

Through Bank of NSW and Bank of New Zealand: —Australia on Fiji on basis of £lOO Fiji: Buying, £Alll/2/6; selling, £AII3. FIJI - on basis of £lOO London:—

Western Samoa

Through Bank of New Zealand; —Australia on Western Samoa on basis of £lOO Samoa: Buy ing, £ A99/12/6; selling, £AIOO/2/6. Samoa on London on basis of £lOO in London:—

New Guinea And Papua

Only nominal at present.

Free French Pacific Colonies

Buying, 160; selling, 163; francs to Aust. £.

Buying. Selling. £ s. d. £ s. d.

Telegraphic transfer ... 110 15 0 112 0 0 On demand 110 12 6 111 17 6

Buying.

Selling. £ s. d. £ s. d.

Telegraphic transfer — £125 10 0 On Demand £122 18 9 125 7 6 30 days 122 8 9 125 2 6 60 days 121 18 9 124 17 6 90 days 121 8 9 124 12 0 120 days 120 18 9 —

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