Gilbertese

The Mind Of The

A ® an interesting example of how the native can acquire education, and of how the native mind works, we reproduce helow, exactly as it ioas written, a letter received by the editor from G. I. Kiribati, a resident of Beru, in the Gilbert Islands.

TT is very seldom that you can find a magazine or a newspaper which is of interest for every kind of people.

I think that all your Readers enjoy the reading of your magazine P.I.M. S some with pleasure, some with anger. So let the Traders and Businessmen attack the Government and the Missions. It will help very much them both, and let the Government and the Missions defend their rights. Everybody must keep in mind when disputing with a man of different opinion that he has never any right to be rough or insolent.

Living on a small island since 1905, with a population about 2,000, we enjoy the greatest peace, everyone being res pectful for his neighbour, without any interference with him in matters of creed or of opinion.

The Gilbertese are the happiest people of this world, no worry at all about to morrow. If they have food, they take a good meal, if they have not they will sleep or talk. They cannot starve, always there are some coconuts on the top of the trees, fish in the sea, and plenty water in the bush.

Our good Gilbertese are very sympa thetic, and to know them and to love them, it is the same. For a man, who loves them and is happy to spend his life for them, it is very hard to find that they are children all their life.

Before the war, sometimes they were treated roughly by some Agents of Gov., who oblige them to work, but in my opin ion. that helped them to become men.

The post-war new Agents are only speak ing about liberty (a very good word used in many ways) so the Gilbertese try to live with the least work, and the most play and talk, and they are not progres sing at all.

It may be you will find somebody who will teach the Government to make the Gilbertese both free and men. To educate a son or daughter is not to make him or her a slave. Why does the Government not use the same rule for our good Gil bertese? If you accuse any Government to take a Colony for making money, yon will be fined or put away, so to let them civilise the natives. But nowadays, what is the meaning of “Civilisation?”

Mr. Lewis Armstrong, a director and general manager of Burns, Philp & Co.

Ltd., sailed from Sydney for England by the Strathnaver on March 20, accom panied by his daughter. He will be away for about nine months.

Mr. E. R. Fenn, of Parkin College, Ade

laide, South Australia, who is training

for missionary service, will be sent to Papua this year by the London Mis

sionary Society.