Nauru Friction

Political and Religious

THERE has been a certain amount of political friction in Nauru lately, which appears to have had its base in religious controversy.

The Roman Catholic authorities, in their wisdom, recently sent a second priest to Nauru, to establish and conduct a school there. For some reasons, the Roman Catholic community there seemed to take this as a reflection upon the priest already on the Island, and there was such a fierce argument between the two fac tions that the Administrator was obliged to take official notice of it.

Then there was some slight dispute between the new Administrator, Com mander Garcia, and the leading chief of the Island. The native Nauruans are Polynesians of an advanced culture, and under their very modern chief they have displayed an almost aggressive inclina tion for self-government. It is the policy of British administrators everywhere to encourage native races to govern them selves, but they are not expected, in this connection, to display an aggressive or dictatorial attitude towards their British advisers. The chief decided, among other things, that the Nauruans should have a church of their own, and he duly estab lished the Nauruan Church, and it was matters arising out of this development which made it necessary for the Adminis trator to take a very firm attitude.