Tropicalities

JVTORFOLK ISLAND can supply two outstanding examples of the danger that lies in tampering with the balance of Nature by the careless introduction of new plant and animal life. Off the •coast of Norfolk Island is Phillip Island, and long ago this was a green and pleasant place. Someone introduced rab bits to Phillip Island, as a source of food .supply and as something to shoot at.

The rabbits—after the manner of rabbits the world over—increased enormously, so that they completely destroyed the grass and small shrubs. To-day Phillip Island is little more than a bare and barren rock, and people say that erosion is now proceeding so rapidly, owing to the effects of rain and wind, that one can see the shape of the island changing from year to year.

Somone introduced to N.I. a pretty flower called the Cape Tulip (known locally as “Cascade Onion”); but it did not remain in the flower garden. It in waded the paddocks, and is now creeping with alarming rapidity over the hillsides and valleys, killing the grasses and tak ing, complete possession of the pastures.

It is a plant of no value and is already a serious pest. * * ♦ the faded pages of a bundle of official documents recently removed to the Mitchell Library in Sydney is the record of a tragedy in the Pacific more than a •century ago. It is a record, too, of the callous indifference of some of the old whaling captains, and their disregard for human life in some of the islands they touched at. Two of the crew of the “Lady Rowena,” whaler, gave evidence at Ton gatabu on July 3, 1833, before Captain Price Blackwood, R.N., of H.M.S. “Imo gene,” of the killing of a number of na tives of New Britain. It appeared that *ome of the islanders approached the whaler in canoes with “no sign of war like aggression.” Several natives were killed outright, and others wounded. The chief was shot by the commander, Cap tain Russell, who gave no reason for his conduct. Furthermore, he picked up a native boy, who had been wounded in the cheek, “although his father, as was sup posed from his anxiety to retain him. made every resistance.” The lad was still on the vessel when the deponents gave evidence before Captain Blackwood.

What ultimately became of him history •does not relate. H.M.S. “Imogene” brought the men who gave this evidence back to Sydney from Tonga, their papers were forwarded to Governor Bourke, but apparently nothing further was done in the matter.—E.R. * * * G. NORDMANN, one of Tahiti’s V bes t known citizens, recalls a meeting with Governor Schultz, one time Governor •of Samoa, whose death was recently announced in the “P.1.M.” Like most Poly nesians, Oscar, in his young days, had the urge to travel and see something of the world. Therefore, he joined the old Sierra under the command of Captain Trask. On •one voyage their most distinguished pas senger was the Governor of German Samoa. Oscar, who had been appointed bedroom steward to that dignitary, had, naturally, an excellent knowledge of French, but was not so much at home with <Jerman. So, in English, the young Tahitian asked Governor Schultz how

many oranges he would like in the morn ing. “Nien!” declared His Excellency, most emphatically. Promptly, at 8 a.m. the following day, Oscar arrived with nine oranges for Governor Schultz. Since those days he has learnt that when a man says “No” in German he means it. Oscar’s home at Punauuia was for many years occupied by that eccentric French genius, the late Paul Gauguin. Gauguin’s half-caste son and Tahitian widow still live in the imme diate vicinity. He has re-christened the house “Hacienda Paul Gauguin.”—E.R. • ♦ * “¥ TNLESS early action is taken to stop the activities of unauthorised fisher men in the Manus area of New Guinea, it is feared that the reefs will be cleared out and the trochus fishing industry ruined. Frequent reports have been re ceived of the presence of Japanese fish ing vessels on the reefs. The vessels available to the Administration have not sufficient speed to patrol the waters of the territory, and the need for a fast patrol launch is being considered.”

This is part of the report of Sir George Pearce to Cabinet, after his recent Minis terial tour of the Pacific Territories. It merely emphasises the slowness and cir cumlocution of so-called governments.

Every one of the facts stated was known over a year ago, and was frequently reported. * * * ONE of the most curious of post mortems is about to take place in Canberra. Scientists will examine one of the “mummified” bodies found recently in a cave near Salamaua, New Guinea, with the object of deciding whether the body was artificially preserved, or mum mified, or whether its preservation was merely an accident associated with the conditions in the cave. If it is really a mummy, deductions of a highly interest ing character will be made by the scientists.

UNIVERSITY graduates are being selected by New Zealand for training in the Dominion’s “tropical corps,” for service in Cook Islands, Western Samoa and Niue. One man already is in Apia, and two others may go shortly to other territories. If the system develops, selected men may be sent to the N.Z. universities to undergo post-graduate courses in anthropology, the history and customs of the Polynesian races, and Polynesian languages. The recent history of Samoa is a blot upon New Zealand administration; but against that may be set the Dominion’s good record in the Cook Islands, and its success in saving and re-establishing the Maori race. The Maoris now are actually growing in num bers, and are increasingly valuable citi zens of New Zealand. ♦ ♦ * THE published accounts of the Solomon Islands Protectorate and of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony show a condi tion of finance that must bring covetous water into the mouths of sundry Govern ment Treasurers of larger dominions. The Solomon Islands have an excess of assets over liabilities of over £60,000; and the Protectorate carries £53,000 in actual cash, and another £55,000 under the heading of investments. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands at the end of 1934 had an excess of assets over liabilities of £112,778. Assets included £llO,OOO In cash, £54,000 in investments, and £50,000 in readily accessible funds. * ♦ * WE can fairly claim that the Pacific Islands Monthly reaches around the world. A few months ago, a reader in South-west Africa asked us if we could find for him a man whom he had met in the war period and who, he believed, was now somewhere in the Pacific Islands. We published a paragraph, containing the en quiry. As a result, a gentleman who re sides in Yokohama, Japan, has written to us to say that the man enquired for was alive and well a year ago and was, he thought, in the Caroline or Marshall Islands: and he has supplied the address of a missionary in Jaluit, in the Japanese Mandated Territory, who probably can give exact information.