Tropicalities

Written for The Pacific Islands Monthly by ''Sea-Serpent”

ONE learns with surprise, from the report of the British Resident Commissioner in New Hebrides, of the extent of the volcanic eruption which occurred in Ambrym, on June 28, 1929.

The disturbance commenced suddenly, with little preliminary rumbling, and the flow of lava from Mount Benbow was enormous. The main lava stream proceeded in a westerly and south westerly direction for twelve miles be fore entering the sea, and in places this lava stream was a mile wide. Two smaller subsidiary flows worked along the coast for a distance of three miles.

About 500 of the 5,000 natives on Am brym were forced to evacuate the island and were temporarily main tained by the Administration on Male kula. Mount Benbow, which had not previously erupted since 1913, quiet ened dowh on June 30. * * * THE various British Islands admin istrations in the South Seas, who find it so difficult to provide adequate plantation labour at a suitable price, should go for information to New Cale donia and New Hebrides, where the French are making extensive use of indentured Tonkinese and Javanese.

The system seems to work quite well.

The labour is cheap the men are well cared for, they are reliable and steady workers, and the French authorities see that they are carefully collected and returned to their own countries at the expiry of their term of engagement.

M. Guyon, New Caledonia adminis trator, in a recent official report said: “We have received the congratulations of the Governor-Generals of Indo-China and of the Dutch East Indies for our treatment of our Indo-Chinese and Javanase workmen. I have opened wide the doors of New Caledonia and New Hebrides to inspectors sent by the two Governments to investigate the conditions under which these labourers work and live; and the inspectors have reported euloglsti cally to their respective Governments on what they have seen. The inspector from the Dutch East Indies has reported that the Javanese workers in New Caledonia and New Hebrides found conditions of life there very superior to those which they experienced in their own country; and similar statements regarding the Tonkinese were made at a re cent conference by officials in Indo-China.

The main trouble seems to be an in herent enmity between Javanese and Tonkinese. They fight on sight, and keep the New Caledonian gendarmerie in the district concerned everlastingly on the the jump. * * * THE pineapple is coming into in creasing use in the United King dom. According to a London trade

report, pineapple, until comparatively

recently, has been looked upon as an ingredient in fruit salads, or the Sun day treat in private houses and board ing establishments, but, thanks to the publicity efforts of the Malayan Gov ernment, pineapple is fast becoming a valuable adjunct in almost every

household in the British Isles. It is not generally known that there are no fewer than 1,008 ways of utilising pine apple to enhance the flavour of various dishes, to bring out the latent flavours, and to increase the caloric and vitamin values of most everyday meals. It can be used to improve the flavour of all savoury dishes, and it is said that a thin slice of pineapple fried with the morning eggs and bacon adds a zest and relish to that homely dish that must be tasted to be appreciated. From the report it would appear that the market for pineapple is an ever-in creasing one. This should be to the advantage of Fiji, where the pineapple industry is now flourishing. It would not be surprising if other Groups com menced to cultivate it on a commercial basis. * * * THE lack of enterprise on the part of Australian manufacturers in re lationship to the opportunities existing in the Pacific Islands is a source of much wonder to me. Consider this extract from the annual report of the Resident Commissioner in New Heb rides : “Dwelling houses are usually imported, cut and ready for erection, as the supply of skiiled artisans is very limited. Practi cally all buildings are constructed of wood or galvanised iron, with wood or steel frames, owing to the frequency of earth tremors.”

The need for ready-cut houses is found in all the groups, while the re ference to making provision against earthquakes applies to a good many of them. Australia, owing mostly to her geographical advantage, supplies most of the required building material, but the trade in ready-cut buildings, which is simply being thrust at Australia, is nothing like what it might be, if it were really studied and catered for. * * * THE design on the New Guinea post age stamp does not seem to meet with general approval, judging from a letter recently published in The Rabaul Times. The writer of the letter strenu ously objects to the coconut palm pic tured thereon. “A man who has never seen a coconut palm before would be depressed on seeing the palm on our stamps,” he declares. “How that palm ever got past a pest inspector,” con tinues the writer, “is beyond my com prehension. It has been close-planted, below high water mark, has elephant beetles, weevils, brontispa, hispa, mal nutrition and grasshoppers. It is also depressed and barren. Unfortunately, it is a faithful representation of the state of the coconut industry to-day. but we should not bruit it about on such a wonderful advertising medium as a postage stamp.” * * * FOR some months past a veil of secrecy has been spread over the activities of a native “kautaha” (com pany) operating throughout the Ton gan Group. From rumours it is con sidered that somebody from overseas has promised these Tongans a calling vessel if they can store up about 1,000 tons of dry copra; the inducement for their efforts being a fabulous price for their product f.o.b. at the Tongan ports. The whole business is shrouded in mystery. Up to date the “kautaha” is said to have stored copra approxi mating 600 tons. May the natives’ hopes be realised, but the big local buyers in Tonga are profoundly scep tical. * * * Following the proposal to use more copper coins in Fiji, there is now some talk of introducing copper coin age in the British Solomon Islands.

Its advocates consider that it would de crease the cost of livipg. At present, only silver coins are used in the B.S.I., and this invariably operates against the purchaser. Of course, it is more noticeable in the case of the native, as the whites generally have their goods booked, and then the copper symbol is employed.