Condition

Nauru In Prosperous

From Our New Zealand Correspondent AUCKLAND, March 2.

THE native inhabitants of Nauru Island have been less severely hit by the de pression than those of most Pacific Islands, according- to Commander R. C. Garcia.

Administrator of the island, who reached Auckland, New Zealand, recently on a holiday visit.

The landowners received grants from the British Phosphate Commission, he said, and as the export of phosphates had been well maintained during the depression, its effects had not been seriously felt. The natives were not dependent on copra pro duction for a livelihood, and hence were not affected by the fall in prices.

A record year in the shipment of phos phates from Nauru and Ocean Islands was forecast by Mr. A. F. Ellis. New Zealand representative of the Commission, who also returned to Auckland recently. Estimates were for a shipment of 750.000 tons of phosphates from the two islands this year.

Sir Henry Scott, K.C., of Suva, Fiji, departed from the Colony on a brief visit to New Zealand by the Aorangi on Feb ruary 13.

Tasiu Moffatt Ohigita, Who Ar

rived in Sydney from Fiji in February to await the sailing of the Melanesian Mission’s motor yacht Southern Cross VII. for the Solomons, is a member of the cele brated Anglican native order known as The Brothers.

Moffatt was one of the original seven who, led by Ini Kopuria, commenced their labours on the island of Guadalcanal in 1927. When selected to extend the activi ties of The Brothers to Fiji in 1929, he found that in order to communicate with his fellow Melanesians (the descendants of people originally taken there as labour ers), he would have to learn Fijian. He accomplished the task in seven months — no mean achievement. Since then he has spent two terms in Fiji, almost six years in all, working among the 800-odd Mela nesians in and around Suva.

Moffatt was on the Southern Cross VI. when that vessel was wrecked at Aneit yum, New Hebrides, in 1932, and was in strumental in saving the lives of several European members of the crew. He is now on his way back to the Solomons to await the orders of his Bishop.—E.R.

Mrs. G. E. Aumuller, wife of the mana ger of Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd. at Samarai, returned to Papua by the Macdhui early in March.

Tasiu Moffatt Ohigita Photo.: Dorothy Welding.