South Seas

A Chance For The

Publicity at the Melbourne Centenary

By Gordon Thomas.

COMMENCING in October, the Centenary celebrations in Melbourne are to be staged.

From the four quarters of the globe, countries are sending representatives for trade, industries and general propaganda work.

What an opportunity presents itself for the Territories in the Pacific to join to gether and put the South Seas “on the map!” What a wonderful exhibit could be made of the Pacific industries; tourist possibilities and native handiwork!

Fiji, with its sugar and bananas; Sa moa, with its copra and cacao; timber and copra from the Solomons; gold and desiccated coconut from New Guinea; Papua, with its rubber, copra, and gold.

Imagine the interest that could be oc casioned by miniature models of a Pa puan village; a Bulolo dredge; a copra kiln and live natives cutting copra—that mysterious product of which so little is known to those who live outside the Tropics.

The Melbourne Centenary represents Opportunity knocking at the door of every Pacific territory and group. Are we going to be deaf and unmindful of the knocking?

Are the agricultural, mineral, timber, and tourist advantages of the Islands to be kept shrouded in an apathetic dark ness when such a chance, not only to “tell the world,” but to show the world, presents itself?

Government administrations, commer cial houses, and mining companies could well afford to make a substantial mone tary and personal allocation for an ex hibit of the resources of their Islands.

Why should not the whole organisation be placed in the hands of the Pacific Islands Association?

Properly organised, such an exhibit of South Seas products and handiwork would be one of the main features of the Centenary celebrations, and we would be bringing ourselves before the eyes of the world. And the more we do that the bet ter it will be for all of us.