Thursday Island Topics

From Our Own Correspondent

THREAT TO PEARLING INDUSTRY — COPRA TRADE IN DUTCH NEW GUINEA — WHEN NATIVES SAW THEIR FIRST AEROPLANE — SPORT

And Entertainments.

Thursday Is., July 26.

THE first issue of The Pacific Islands Monthly will be eagerly looked for on Thursday Island, as it will bring local residents in touch with other island groups in a way that has hither to not been attempted. This northern outpost of Queensland cannot properly be said to belong to “The Islands,” but there are many points of resemblance, and the circulation of a paper dealing with the different parts of the Pacific ought to foster better knowledge of and closer relations with our neighbours.

Apart from this, the new journal will treat with a very interesting part of the globe, and one that makes its appeal to nearly all Australians. Its introduc tion should do much to induce our leis ured classes to visit these island para dises, to which T.I. claims to belong.

Personal

There is a constant changing of offi cials at Thursday Island, and the latest is the transfer of Dr. C. R. Wiburd, who has been acting Quarantine Officer for three months, to a more important post in Brisbane. The post has been filled by Dr. Bevington, of Sydney, who arrived with his wife by the Marella.

The vacancy in the Roman Catholic presbytery, caused by the transfer of the Rev. Father Doyle to the south coast of Papua, has been filled by the Rev. Father Finch, who gave up his appointment as a teacher of philosophy in the Sacred Heart College, near Syd ney, for work with the Sacred Heart Mission. Father Finch makes a notable addition to the clergy of the district.

Shell Output Restricted

The pearling industry, outwardly, is normal, though production is now re stricted owing to a lessened demand abroad, and this has resulted in about 15 per cent of the fleet being laid up.

But the whole industry is apparently, destined to undergo radical changes in its organisation, to an extent yet un known, and with results that cannot be foreseen.

The present time of depression is not a suitable one to disturb an industry which is of great service to the country.

Worked as it has been for many years past, it has been eminently successful; to-day the export of shell is of more importance to the Commonwealth than ever. Any drastic changes, even if they fulfil the ideas of enthusiastic politi cians, may result in disaster to an im portant industry.

It may be said that the industries of the district are only in their infancy, though the pearling may decline. The fishing grounds, if wisely worked, are a permanent asset. In years to come, the methods of production may be very different to those of to-day, but the old system should be only gradually altered.

Like many other Australian concerns, the raw material is exported and repur chased in the finished state, and all the profits of manufacture and the wages paid are placed in alien pockets, instead of in those of the Commonwealth. If the authorities endeavoured to start local manufacture of the shell, new avenues for white employment would be opened, and another export added which would be clear profit to Australia.

Other Industries Needed

What this district needs is other marine industries, which could be worked quite independently of the pearling concerns, and which would give employment to small white capita lists and a certain number of white employees.

That such openings exist is undeni able. The canning of various edible marine products seems to offer pros pects of success, if wise management and freedom from impossible restric tions were assured. But policies which insist upon advanced labour conditions on the one hand, and on preference to native fishing concerns (to the extinc tion of the white owner) on the other, will not bring this desirable state of affairs about.

The settlement of white people in the Far North is a matter of national im portance, and if it is to increase a more sympathetic and intelligent attitude to wards the peculiar needs of the district is necessary.

Copra Then—And Now

How are the mighty fallen!

I have before me a newspaper cut ting quoting the opinion of a Fiji coco nut planter, in which he says: “A good copra plantation is better than most gold mines.” But that was written 12 years ago.

To-day, a planter from New Guinea spoke bitterly of the coconut industry.

Said he: “Talk about the Consols of the East! Why, to-day, the crop is hardly worth the gathering.”

Readers of the P.I.M. do not want to have a subject like this rubbed in—it is too serious for that —but they may be interested in reading about the pro duction of copra in Dutch New Guinea.

The local price offered by Chinese merchants in Merauke, the chief set tlement there, is about £8/10/- per ton.

The coastline of Dutch New Guinea is studded with coconut groves, which are exclusively native owned, and, as may be expected, suffer from close planting and lack of care. Beach areas give the best returns. The soil is a sandy loam, with a big percentage of disin tegrated coral, the rainfall is copious, and the production could be very largely increased if better methods of planting were introduced.

There are usually one or two Chinese traders in each kampong or village, who more or less supervise the prepara tion of the copra. It is universally smoke-dried, and is of good quality, but it is usually sold as sun-dried. The copra is picked up by small Chinese owned cutters, which bring it to Mer auke. From that centre over 200 miles of coastline are exploited in this way.

There is no government inspection, but an export duty, at present about five guilders (8/-) is extracted. There is only one possible avenue of export, which is the vessels of the big Dutch shipping company who control the trade of the Archipelago, and who, in the case of New Guinea, hold the sole rights to carry copra.

None of the copra from Merauke comes to Thursday Island for tran shipment, although it is only 150 miles away, nor does the Island get any share of the copra exported from the western division of Papua. The latter goes via Port Moresby, where hand ling charges are considerably less than the 10/- per ton exacted in Australia’s northernmost port

Football Persists

In spite of racial prejudice the na tions of Europe have secretly a great respect for England, and occasionally it is openly expressed I quote from the tag-end of an eulogistic comment in a Spanish newspaper, “El Sol,” which has on this occasion come out in the open to give the Old Country a pat on the back. Says the writer: “O England, whose word is bond, country of fair play, you deserve immortality and the veneration of all men. May you be for given for having invented football.”

Which is Preliminary to saying that football still manages to keep amongst a few enthusiasts on Thursday island, but so few white players turn were it not for the keenness of the local coloured men the sport would be dead. This would be a thousand pities, as there is no game like it to induce a healthiness of mind and body, especially for small tropical com munities. However, some interesting matches are played by mixed teams.

The Sailing Season

The sailing season is in full swing and great interest is shown in the con tests for the May Flag every Saturday The open nature of the harbour, the strong tides and winds and lumpy seas

make sailing a thrilling pastime in our small and heavily canvassed twelve footers. The Alice, Jean, Mystic and Koonya are all in the running for the flag, while the other captains are just as enthusiastic in their efforts to win. A word of thanks must be accorded launch owners who place their launches at the disposal of club officials.

A club rule exists which forbids rac ing without an attendant launch, and the number of capsizes fully justifies this precaution.

Exodus From Hospital

The first plane to visit Torres Straits was one used by Captain Hurley during his expedition to Papua, in 1923, and the majority of spectators on that oc casion were probably seeing one for the first time in their lives.

At the Thursday Island Hospital the patients, principally aboriginals, Papu ans, and other coloured odds and ends, went mad with excitement on its ap pearance. Easy chairs and beds were vacated while their owners rushed out side to see the new “bird”.

After circling round several times, the plane gave a last waggle of its tail and shot off out of sight to take the water near the jetty. The crowd of pyjama-clad invalids and cripples gaped at it open-mouthed; then, with the single-mindedness of a mob of goats chased by a small dog, followed it down the road, yelling and cheering. One solitary patient was left in the wards— he was unconscious!

The A.W.L. crowd returned, minus sundry bandages and poultices and re sumed their aches and pains, prepared for a reprimand, which was withheld owing to the rarity of the occurrence.

Not long ago another plane, this time bound for the Edie Creek goldfield, in New Guinea, flew over, but the dark ies did not turn a hair. Not so a white visitor to the island, hailing from the Cairns hinterland. He was a thoroughly interested spectator—but he confessed, later, that it was the first plane he had ever seen.

The Difference

Some countries are worth living in.

A friend of mine has just been explain ing about—but never mind where.

“You see its this way,” he said. “Over there the Government robs you all the time. But they shut their eyes and let you rob everyone else.” Of course, in Australia, the robbing is all on one side!

Entertainments

Most of the ladies are busy preparing for the annual bazaars in aid of the two churches and several preliminary entertainments to help the various stalls have been held. Successful dan ces in aid of the respective “Work Stalls” were held at the Convent Hall and the Residency.

Fancy Dress Ball

A fancy dress dance, in aid of the Roman Catholic Fete, was held in the Town Hall on July 25, and proved one of the outstanding events of the 1930 round of gaieties. In fact, it was evi dent that an opportunity to relax in fancy dress was exactly what was wanted, and it was simply rushed by everyone on the island.

Sister Hunt, on the staff of the local hospital, organised the entertainment, and was ably assisted with the decora tions, music and supper by a number of helpers. The outstanding success of the evening was due to the remarkable excellence and variety of the fancy cos tumes.

The ladies’ prize was won by Miss Burgess, representing an Oriental maiden. John Bull hopped off with a well deserved memento of the evening.

Mr. G. Assange was greeted with roars of laughter, and awarded the prize for the most comic costume.

It is hardly fair to disclose the iden tity of the most striking characters.

Some were strictly incog—if only for a time—and several mysteries were brought to light during the evening.

Britannia and John Bull lent a patri otic air to the proceedings; Bradman was a “run-getter,” and carried his bat through the innings; Monsieur and Madame Apache (a desperate pair); several Pearl Kings, in disguise; But terfly and Little Miss Muffit were in charming contrast to a disreputable locking female in nurse’s costume; pirates, clowns, red devils, Jeff and Mutt, barrister, Old Times, Tankard, Matador—all were present. The mas culine hit of the evening was provided by Charlie Chaplin, who gained a special prize.

The fancy sets were particularly good, especially a troupe of lads and lasses in brilliant scarlet, and a raf fish-looking Spanish set. Ah me!

Those Spanish ladies—how alluring; but their partners were so very fierce looking. Mr. Neenan acted as M.C.

The International Jazz Band, man dolins, guitars and ukuleles rendered plaintive Hawaiian music, assisted by volunteers at the piano, and the open ing march, with its host of gaily dressed revellers, was quite a triumph for a serious-minded place like Thurs day Island.

The last guest was removed in the ice-cream cart, under the supervision of John Bull, and the ball was declared at an end with three cheers for the orga niser.

The financial results were very satis factory to those concerned.