Solomon Islands

News

From Our Own Correspondent

Tulagi, Nov. 20.

‘C’OR two or three years of the depres sion, since the S.S. Mitiaro was laid up and finally sunk, several small ships privately owned have carried on freight ing in the Group. The situation is now slightly altered, as Messrs. Levers’ M.V.

Kurimarau has taken over some of the heaviest inter-island trips, and Messrs. W.

R. Carpenter and Co. are using their own ships.

It is an advantage to shippers to get rid of their accumulation in one load, but it also means that larger storage has to be provided, and communication with centres is less frequent, as the larger vessel can take a three months’ accumu lation, whereas the smaller vessels had to come more frequently, giving an inci dental mail and news service that was much appreciated.

Exactly what niche will be filled by the vessels rendered more or less idle under the new conditions is not yet known.

They gave a good service at a time when no other freighting system could have been carried on, and it remains to be seen whether new arrangements will in every case be perfectly satisfactory.

Old Settler On Furlough

One of the real old settlers of the Solo mons, Mr. Henry Kuper, whose romantic career—the last quarter-century spent on fascinating Santa Anna Island—has pro vided him with experiences and adven tures of changing interest, has at last taken a holiday.

Instead of doing the prosaic trip South, Mr. Kuper went to the East in the Bremerhaven, and instead of coming back by the return trip, he decided to remain in the Orient for a few weeks longer.

Evidently he is enjoying his trip, and should have a fund of fresh tales to tell when he returns.

Food Shortages

Merchants in the Group seem to have been slipping lately in their importations of some rather important items. It is not so long ago since for two or three suc cessive steamers the beer supply and the rice supply failed a week or so after the vessel’s arrival from Sydney. Now for two successive steamers flour has been out of stock weeks before the new supply came in.

Harassed residents believe that it should be possible to estimate requirements a little nearer than that.

Bishop And Mrs. Baddeley’S Son

The birth of a son to Bishop and Mrs.

Walter Baddeley, of the Melanesian Mis sion Society, on November 16 has caused quite a flutter of pleasure in all circles.

The lad arrived unexpectedly at Siota Mission Station, and it is hoped that he will be called after Siota or its patron saint.

Congratulations have been showered upon the happy parents,

A New Industry?

Though European traders do not buy a wide variety of produce from natives, Chinese in the away-from-Tulagi stores include amongst their purchases live snakes. What they do with them is not certain. A few of their suppliers state with contempt that they cook and eat them, but the more reliable say that they prepare medicine from “two small feller something inside” the snake.

The latter sounds more likely, but many of us would not be too keen on being treated by a Chinese doctor using his own drugs. Whether the Chinese buy them for personal use, or whether extract of snake in commercial quantities figures in our exports, is a matter that only compilers of Blue Books are aware.

Amended Ration Scale For

Natives

The amended ration scale recommended at the last meeting of the Advisory Coun cil was the measure of most general in terest to whites and natives.

While Europeans recognise that it is essential to have a native diet that will ensure the health of employees, it is not certain that natives will welcome the change. While fresh vegetables cost more to grow or to buy than do imported food stuffs, the native is inclined to imagine he is fed on these things for economy.

An attempt some time ago by a large employing company to provide corn meal had to be discontinued owing to the op position of the natives. In that case the diet was merely approved by the Govern ment. Now it is prescribed, and accept ance may be readier.