Solomon Is. News

From Our Own Correspondent

Tulagi, Oct. 15.

THE Malaita this trip included among her ports Tetere on Guadalcanal, where mineral investigations have ap parently been promising enough to war rant the landing of some heavy gear that could not conveniently be handled except by a large vessel. A certain amount of road-making has been done, and residents hope that the road is really the path to prosperity. Other ventures of the same kind show signs of progress.

Japanese shelling luggers, or the same lugger in various places, have been sighted recently. In the Marovo Lagoon, a resident actually boarded the Haito Maru, and spoke for some time with the captain and engineer. He has sent a full description of the visitors to Tulagi.

The inter-island vessel Mitiaro, which had been laid up since the early days of the depression, except for a harbour tour taken in a fit of restlessness a few months ago, has been shorn of her fittings and has followed her predecessor the Malanta to a watery grave. For some time she had been the home of Mr. Jock Cromar, who has been compelled to look for other quarters.

Until information was received re cently that the Malaita had left Sydney,

a few settlers were distinctly worried about things. Rice was unobtainable at the principal merchants, although the ar rival of the Bolton from Rabaul relieved the situation. Beer also was getting a bit short, though still procurable. It would have been disastrous had there been no beer when the warship Sussex arrived!

Chinese stores, and especially restaur ants, are using tobacco currency these days. Natives purchase meals and in some cases goods, from the Chinese stores, for tobacco, in the same way as they do among themselves. It is a sign of the narrow margin of profit that contents the Asiatic, when he uses coin that so de preciates in value, as must a stick of tobacco when much handled. It is said that New Guinea stores use this form of currency to a great extent in their deal ings with natives.

Responsible Solomon Islands folk have often said that there are no poisonous snakes in the group. But at present in one small district there is almost a plague of those reptiles. Quite recently there were three deaths from snake bites.

Mr. F. L. Pinching, who, in spite of ill-health, has carried on his medical work for Messrs. Levers’ Pacific Plantations, Ltd., long after he might reasonably have considered his share of good work in the Solomons had earned him the right to a rest, leaves by this steamer for Sydney.

Dr. Gunther has replaced Mr. Pinching.

Levers’ medical craft, the Miro, which looked like being a total wreck on the Guadalcanal coast, was salvaged by the Valerie, Messrs. C. Bignell and J. Adam deserving great credit for getting the vessel safely off, and into the slip at Tulagi. Fortunately the weather was good after the vessel grounded.