Thursday Is. Notes.

Bligh and Torres Straits.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Thursday Is., Nov. 25.

THE local branch of the Royal Geo graphical Society has added several new members to its list recently. A course of meetings has been arranged for some time ahead, and some good evenings are expected shortly from vis iting lecturers. Recently an evening was given to “Captain Bligh, the Bounty mutiny, and their relation to Torres Strait discovery,” the paper being one prepared by the Rev. W. H. MacFarlane.

There was a large attendance of members and friends, and some inter esting relics were shown, including an old sword picked up years ago on the Barrier Reef somewhere near Raine Is land, a copper kettle of the period of the “Bounty” (found by a Murray Island native in the same vicinity, so that it is quite possible that it may have be longed to the “Pandora,” which found ered when carrying some of the muti neers to England via Torres Strait), and a specimen of breadfruit. The lec ture covered the events down to the wreck of the “Pandora,” and a subse quent evening will be devoted to the second voyage of Bligh through Torres Strait.

It is interesting to notice that some of the names given by Bligh on his voyage have not survived—for instance, his Prince Edward Islands are now known by other names, and cartographers did not retain the name of the “Clarence Archipelago,” which he gave to the Straits when he hoisted the flag at North Possession Island. But one who fared much worse in this respect was Captain Edwards, whose designations of Wolf Bay (so called because of the howling of wolves—which must have been blackfellows’ dogs or possibly din goes), Sandwich Sound, Parker’s Island (now Wednesday), Lafory’s Island, etc., are just memories.

The Roman Catholic bazaar is one of the annual fixtures that is always looked torward to, and this year the event was as successful as ever, despite the bad times. It was held on November 11, in the church grounds, which were illum inated by electric light, and good work was put in by the stallholders. The proceeds amounted to about £218.

Refrigerators.

The installation of electric light in the town has enabled business people to make use of the power plant for various purposes, and one of the results is the putting-in of capacious refrigerators for handling of perishable lines.

With the new Port Kennedy Fresh Food and Ice Company operating in addition to the old-established Torres Strait Company, and the installation of refrig erators in the big stores, the island is finding itself able to make the best sel ectmn of small-goods, etc., that it has ever had.

The "talkies” are coming northward, and the Island, moving with the times, is to have its present silent pictures re placed by the vocal films very shortly.

It is expected that the necessary new plant will be installed before Christmas.

The work of dismantling the Barracks is going steadily forward, and the en gineers who were left by H.M.A.S. “Al

batross” a couple of months ago have now most of the buildings down ready for transhipment to Darwin, where they are to be re-erected. The process of transportation will take some time, how ever. It is rumoured that one or two of the military buildings will be left, and a small staff retained here. The removal of the garrison will have an effect on T. I., both from a commercial and social standpoint, however, and people here are very regretful at seeing the gradual disappearance of the big buildings on the hill.

State Enterprise?

Some time back, the co-operative en terprise which was started many years ago at Badu Island, Torres Strait, with the object of assisting Torres Strait in dustries and benefiting the natives, and which was known as “P. I.” (Papuan In dustries, Ltd.) was taken over by the Aboriginal Department and run by a Board under the name of “A. I.” (“Ab original Industries”). The stores at Badu were very convenient for natives on the western side, but those of the eastern group did not share this advantage so much, and the boats lost much time in

having to go round that way for their supplies after coming into Thursday Is land.

The Deputy-Protector of Aboriginals, who is up from Brisbane, has recently made a tour of the islands, and has ar ranged that, in addition to the Govern ment ketch “Melbider” carrying supplies of goods for sale to the natives, there will also be a small store on each of the bigger islands, worked as a department of the A.I. stores at Badu, and under the care of the Government Teacher.

This will prove very satisfying to the native (so long as he has the money to get stuff), but business people in Thurs day Island will feel the difference, and are wondering whether there is justifi cation for what would seem to be Gov ernment opposition to private enterprise.

The local branch of the Country Women’s Association has lately been en gaged in formulating some plan where by there might be a house or some suit able accommodation provided in Thurs day Island for the families of island officials, visitors from the Gulf district, or elsewhere, when they have to come in for varying periods.

The Stormy Weather.

During the last few weeks we have had heavy rains over part of the Strait, and a touch of the nor’-west.

One of the native-owned fishing lug gers had an experience during this period. Sudden squalls coming up while the lugger was out at work, with her four dinghies operating a few miles away in different directions, prevented the small boats from getting back to the parentship. Eater, two of the dinghies managed to reach the lugger, but the other two, containing four men each, were lost sight of. Search parties were sent out. One boatload found its way back to Badu a couple of days later, after various adventures, the boys hav ing to pull some miles: the other was eventually discovered at Somerset, where the crew had made for succour.

This sort of thing may happen at any time, of course, since the trocas-getting boats have to scatter their dinghies over wide areas, miles away from the lugger, which has to anchor in a safe situation and clear of the breakers into which the smaller craft have to venture and take their risk of an upset of the dinghy and its contents.