Tropicalities

Written for The Pacific Islands Monthly hy “Sea Serpent.”

A TONGA correspondent writes that “Darky” George has “gone west.”

He came originally from Antigua, in the West Indies, and has been al ways looked upon as an integral part of the Haapai group. It was he, whilst trading at the island of Haafeva, on being asked by a tourist if there were any white men on the island, replied: “No, sir, I am the only white man living among these natives.” As George was the only “coal-black baby” am ongst the copper-coloured islanders, the visitor was mightily amused, and the joke will assuredly outlive any recol lections of the man himself. “Darky”

George was one of nature’s gentlemen and the sincere mourners, who followed his catafalque, were the white men of Haapai paying their last respects to a real “white” man.

A Correspondent At Vavau,

Tonga, writes: “I have been going through the estimates, and I find that the 47 European officials in the Government draw £ 19,300 in salaries and the natives (I don’t know how many) draw £26,700. Fourteen Europeans draw an aver age of £600 a year; 10 an average of £400, and 23 an average of £300. It seems to me, in these hard times, that the ‘big men’ draw too much, and the Government ought to re duce their salaries. A few of them even approach £1,000, and I say it is far too much. I think, for the tropics, in these hard times, the standard wage in the Gov ernment should be £350—not much more, anyhow—and a man and his family can live on that all right. If the Government took £100 off the six-hundred-pounders and £50 off the four-hundred-pounders, it would save about £2,000 this year in salaries. I don’t worry about the Tongans’ salary, because, although they don’t work much, it’s all their own money they play with, and they get it back themselves.”

There seems to be some similarity between the thought processes of our Vavau friend, and those of the price less Mr. Lang, Premier of N.S.W., who wants to bring all public officials down to the dead level of £500 per an num. Men are not paid £400, or £600, or £1,000 per annum because someone loves them, but because that is the estimated relative value of their ser vices in a highly competitive market in which they offer and sell their ser vices. There wil be differences be tween men’s earnings just as long as there are differences between men’s respective ability. There is only one fair way of applying inevitable salary cuts, and that is on a percentage basis.

The Lang method is a combination of lunacy and sovietism. * * * INTERESTING to note the manner in which the wireless telephone is coming into use for administrative and industrial purposes in the Pacific Islands. The system is being used for the regulation and control of the avi

ation transport services on the New Guinea goldfields. It is also being introduced to enable the master of the phosphate ship, Triona (running be tween Australia and the Central Pacific) to communicate with the offi cials of the Phosphate Commission at Nauru and Ocean Island. One always likes to say “I told you so!” Years ago, this writer forecast that the coming of radio, the aeroplane and the inter nal combustion engine would open a new era in the development of the Pacific territories. The general use of seaplanes and wireless telephones for inter-island communication is as certain as the sunrise.

It is, by the way, strange that the radio trade has not yet awakened to the wonderful field there is in the Pacific for the introduction of first class receiving sets. * * * Extraordinary how general is the effect of this world depres sion. One would suppose that isolated Pacific communities, “where life is simple and easy,” would escape the troubles of our highly organised com munities. But here is recent testimony from a well known trader on Ambrym, in the New Hebrides: “Generally things here are as bad as in other parts of the Pacific —perhaps worse, as the rul ing rate for very indifferent labour is 30/- per month, with food. The natives appear to be becoming accustomed to the low rate paid for copra. But there is very little margin left and we are all just living on the edge of things.” * * * F. O. Greenwood and R. A. Laws are planning wisely in connec tion with their Rabaul business.

The ever-increasing burden of taxation in Australia is compelling the directors of existing companies, and the pro moters of new corporations, to plan methods of escaping from some of the merciless imposts. Those with Pacific connections are looking to Rabaul and Suva, where the costs of registering companies are only a tithe of Sydney charges, and are asking whether it is not possible, with that registration, to trade in Australia, while avoiding some of Australia’s ferocious income tax ation. Messrs. Greenwood and Laws are preparing to give advice and ser vice to public companies in this connection. Also, they are getting ready to give executive service to new companies, which, presently, will en gage in developmental enterprises in the Territory. There is a boom coming in New Guinea which is likely to interest mainland investors—that is as certain as the sunrise—and men with vision should get ready to make the best of it.