International “Courtesies” In
pp. 47-48 · Read in the full issue
the Solomons
From Our Own Correspondent
Tulagi, Aug. 1.
CJINCE, a few weeks ago, a Japanese sampan presented itself at Tulagi, got water, and departed with the official blessing, more of the fleet have turned up. They seem to be devoting themselves to the Eastern Solomons for the moment, and have paid friendly calls on a couple of old settlers.
At one trading station, where an old identity had a few tons of trochus stowed, three sampans were sighted to gether, and there was a hasty interment of the trochus shell. The trader’s launch went out, ensign flying, in the vain hope of scaring the Japanese. As soon as they sighted the flag, they made for the launch, which very promptly made haste for home.
However, beyond skinning the reefs round about which the trader would later have harvested they took nothing that was not theirs. At least, they left the buried shell.
Another sampan, with 35 men aboard, called at an equally isolated island. They were not sighted soon enough to do any shell-funerals, and the trader being one against 35, and having Tulagi’s recent example in international courtesy to guide him, received them politely, and assisted in repairing the engine, so getting them out of his area with all expedition.
So impressed was the Nipponese com mander that he took out his conversation book, and with a struggle that was pain ful to see, carefully announced, “You, English gentleman!”
There seems to be ample indication
that these vessels are provisioned and unloaded by means of a mother-ship, their stores being all fresh and plentiful, in spite of their having been a long time from port.
Mr. L. Pierre Ledoux, B.Sc., an anthro pologist of the American Museum of Natural History who recently carried out research work for five months in the Sepik River District in New Guinea, sailed from Sydney for the United States by the Mariposa on August 19.
Dr. W. Foskett, District Medical Officer in the Fiji Civil Service, arrived in Syd ney with his wife and four children by the Strathaird on August 20. After a few days they left by the same vessel for Eng land.
Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Andrew, of Dobu, who have been in Papua for 30 years, returned to Port Moresby by the Macdhui from Sydney on August 20, after a visit to South Australia. Mr. Andrew is chair man of the Papua District of the Metho dist Missionary Society of Australasia.
Mr. Oscar Rondahl, of Rabaul, who has extensive copra plantations in New Guinea, arrived in Sydney by the Nellore on August 25. He has gone on to Hong Kong to supervise the construction of a 40-tons schooner for inter-plantation work.