Thursday Is. Notes

Electric Light This Month —Shell Industry Quiet

From Our Own Correspondent

Thursday Is., Sept. 1.

Thursday island is, like most other places, very quiet just now.

The engines for the electric light ing scheme have arrived and have been installed in the recently-completed power house. It is expected that the light will be switched on some time in September.

In the shelling industry, owing to the restricted amount agreed upon at the beginning of the year having been won by most of the boats at work —the quantity being about seven tons per lugger—there is now the question of what the boats will do for the remain der of the season. Some of the divers announce their intention of returning to Japan to engage in fishing, which they consider would be more profitable.

Trochus is maintaining a fair price, but the shell is become scarce and some of the boats come in with but very little, although, apart from the fact of there being less shell to pick up, there is also the point that July and August are the cold months of the year, when trochus likes to get beneath the stones, and the swimmers find it more difficult to pick it up. There is a rumour that there will be shortly res triction put upon gathering any shell smaller than three inches, so as to give the trochus patches time to re cuperate.

Nothing is doing in copra, but some parcels of husked coconut are being shipped to buyers south.

A number of boats are working beche de mer; one firm is sending away a quantity of chalk fish, which, being of lower price than other varieties, is generally not given a great amount of attention.

Low prices and restricted output have had a natural effect upon the Torres Straits islanders who engage in marine industries and whose fleet of 30 odd cutters and luggers is worked under the direction of the Aboriginal Department; but these are people who have gardens which they can go back to and work for the maintenance of their families. Of late years this pro ductive side of Island activity has been to a certain extent neglected, owing to all available men and boys being sent out for boat work, thus entailing ab sence from home for the greater part of the year; but this year the people residing on the fertile islands have put in much more time in their ban ana and sweet potato gardens. Some of the islanders, with an eye to busi ness, grew a quantity of fine tomatoes for sale, but as these when brought in to Thursday Island only produced an offer of 1d. per lb., they have decided that the industry is not likely to be a flourishing one.

There is not much doing in the sale of pearls either. Buyers are ready to do business only where really large and good pearls are concerned: smaller pearls are therefore held by various people awaiting sale, but without much nrospect of anything doing for some time.

Melbider Again In Commission

The Government ketch, Melbider, has now had her broken propeller replaced and is once again on the run. She left this week on a tour of the Tor res Straits islands, taking with her the Protector of Aboriginals (Mr. C. B.

Buxton) on official duties, and the Acting-Inspector of Schools (Mr. J.

Western) who is examining the various native schools in the islands.

Stolen Launch Recovered

The stolen launch mentioned in a previous issue, which was seized by some adventurers and brought up from Cairns and then on through the Straits in an effort to get away to Dutch terri tory, has been discovered in Dutch New Guinea and is being held by the auth orities.

The principal in the affair will be probably brought across to Australia shortly. Two of the men who had been put ashore at Naghir Island, in Torrest Straits, and were later brought in to Thursday Island and arrested by the police, are now awaiting trial.

Boatbuilding Enterprise

The recently-started boatbuilding company, known as the Port Kennedy Engineering Company, is finding itself kept busy, which is a very welcome sign. It is a European organisation and the white boatbuilders have introduced some new and practical ideas.

The venture is worthy of all success; a considerable sum has been laid out in up-to-date machinery and equip ment, and the slips are giving local young men employment and opportun ity of taking up both the engineering and boatbuilding work as a practical profession. The company is turning out kauri-built dinghies, a new depart ure, in place of the usual silky-oak, which has hitherto been used.

In The Cause Of Charity

One thing that the depression seems not to have effected to a large extent so far is the cause of charity, or anything connected with religious objects, so far as Thursday Island itself is concerned. Entertainments, dances, etc., in connection with the two local churches, continue to be well patronised.

The annual Moonlight Fete, organised by the parishioners of the Anglican Cathedral (All Souls’ Memorial) parish, was held on August 28, and the night being an ideal one

a large gathering turned out. The well-kept grounds were attractively decorated and the numerous stalls did good business, somewhere about £200 being taken.

The electric light is not yet on, so that the customary acetylene illuminations had to be again drawn upon, though probably for the last time, as the parish and cathedral authorities have made arrangements for the installation of the electric light in the vari ous buildings and grounds which come under their care.

Personal Items

Several changes are taking place in the official and commercial part of the commun ity. The manager of the Queensland Na tional Bank, after a three years’ term, goes to Brisbane. Our postmaster, Mr. G. Jack son, has notice of transfer. The wives of both these gentlemen are active C.W.A. mem bers and will be missed in that connection.

Mr. Shaw, manager of the National Bank of Australasia, is also amongst the batch who left by the Changte at the end of the month, but he is going on vacation only and returns later on; he is being relieved by Mr. Dixon.

The Bishop of Carpentaria, accompanied by Mrs. Davies, recently completed a visitation of the Torres Straits islands, in the mission ketch. Herald.

Mr. Oswald, the new manager of the Queens land National Bank, arrived in the Taiping on the 27th, relieving Mr. McMahon, who has been transferred south.