Beachcombers Of

B.S.I.

Mr. Ashley’s Record There

THE following is taken, exactly as printed, from the Sun, Melbourne, of March 31: The man who banished beachcombers from the Solomon Islands reached Mel bourne in the Merkur yesterday. He was Mr. F. N. Ashley, Resident Commissioner of the Group, who passed through Mel bourne on his way to England.

Mr. Ashley has been Commissioner for the past seven years and has had a varied career in British administration, having occupied a similar post in Nigeria for 19 years.

On his arrival, Mr. Ashley said he came from the land where there was no unem ployment and where the Administration had balanced its budget during the de pressed years.

He spoke optimistically of the future of the Solomons. Improved copra prices had enhanced the Islands’ financial position.

“I am sure now that we are out of the wood,” he said. Mr. Ashley added that some of the surrounding islands were a lotus-land. The natives had all they re quired except the desire to work. It was his ambition to create ambition in them.

“The day of the beachcomber is dead,” he added.

Before his arrival, the islands were fre quented by these men, who lounged about doing nothing but trade on the natives.

Since the imposition of a £5O bond on land ing the nuisance had been stamped out.

EDITORIAL NOTE: Solomon Islands residents will be grateful to have Mr. Ashley’s estimate of social and other values within the Territory. His remark about beachcombers especially is interest ing. We can imagine old residents sitting around in earnest consultation, trying to identify the beachcombers. Probably, the R.C. mistook for beachcombers that procession of unfortunate men who, under the calamitous copra collapse of 1931- 34, were driven off their plantations and either earned a living as best they could around the Islands or shook the coral dust from their feet and returned to colder but more hospitable climes.

Mr. E. Nissole, who has been pastor of the French Reformed Church in New Caledonia for 10 years, arrived in Sydney from Noumea by the Laperouse on April 4.

The motor boat Tiafau, which recently foundered 15 miles off Aleipata, Western Samoa, when carrying 16 passengers and mails from Apia to Pago Pago, American Samoa. The passengers were eventually rescued by the Hauraki, after miraculous escapes from drowning.

This photograph was taken on Apia beach by Mr. F. L. McFall, shipping superintendent of Messrs.

Bums Philp (South Sea) Co. Ltd., who refloated the wreck and took it from Savaii to Upolu.