Tropicalities

FLYNN, lately planter in Papua and recruiter in New Guinea, and now world-famous film-star, has written a book Beam Ends, just pub lished by Cassells. It contains much about his adventures in these territories, and should be well worth reading. Re cently, in the Sydney home of a woman well-known and esteemed in New Guinea, I was permitted to examine a diary kept by Errol Flynn, about 1934, when he was away by himself in the jungle behind Finschhaven, T.N.G. Apparently, sitting at nights in his camp, he set down his thoughts on life in general, not dreaming that the pages ever would be read by anyone else. They throw an interesting sidelight on the character of a very clever and remarkable man. He certainly can write. The book, very battered and water stained, came into the hands of my friend by a series of curious chances.—R. ♦ ♦ « THERE has been a good deal in the * Australian newspapers lately about the presentation to the Australian National Museum by the Government of Japan of two of the queer stone “coins” which were at one time used as currency by the natives of the Line Islands. The two specimens under nbtice came from Yap, in the Caroline Group.

These tokens are large limestone discs, about the size of a small grindstone, and with a hole in the centre. In pre-Euro pean times, they were regular currency, and they ranged in size from small discs, weighing only a few pounds, to huge shaped stones weighing several tons.

These stone currencies, of course, are of value now only as curios—but as curios their value is considerable. ♦ ♦ ♦ AS my friend and I sat in a small boat, waiting to return to our ship, which was anchored outside the reef, we threw our sun-glasses to two Fijian lads who had been our escorts on the island. Mine accidentally fell in deep water, and sank.

Wili, being dressed in his Sunday best, was loath to dive in for them, so he ordered a little native lad, who was standing nearby and was clad in his birthday suit only, to do the job for him.

But alas! the child came up without the glasses. By this time Wili was greatly distressed and after some deep thought he commenced to disrobe. First his scar let neckerchief, then his shirt, and next his sulu. We were amused as we watched the alarmed expressions of some of the older ladies in the boat. But Wili was quite respectable, for he was still dressed in singlet and shorts. Diving in, he immediately retrieved the glasses.

When on shore again, he proceeded to take off his singlet, which he hung out to dry. My pal whispered: “If he takes off his trousers now, those dear old ladies will faint.” But Wili, still remembering his best manners, politely turned his back, put on his siCu, stepped out of his

wet shorts, hastened into his shirt and, looking as immaculate as ever—plus sun glasses waved us a smiling farewell with his scarlet neckerchief. —“CROTON” * * * TN the days before 1914, the arrogance * of German naval men and colonists in the Pacific often was a sore trial to the British. One famous instance was pro vided by a German geography book. In the edition intended for use in British or near-British countries, there occurred this reference to a certain Pacific island: ‘Under the glorious sway of the late T .ord Beaconsfield, this island was fortunate enough to become part of that Empire upon which the sun, etc.”

But, in the original German edition, the same passage read thus: “This island has recently been seized by the rapacious British, who with their wonted hypo critical pretences of introducing Christianity and civilisation, are fast exterminating Its unhappy natives.” ♦ ♦ ♦ OINCE the recent alteration in the value of the franc, public servants in the Condominium of the New Hebrides are suffering worse headaches than ever before. They receive half their salaries in sterling, and half in francs. As Aus tralian currency is used mostly in the territory, and as it is the fixed practice there, in calculating government amounts to keep to the old exchange rate of 124 francs to the £ sterling, public servants tihere have been more or less in clover.

An official on £3O per month, for instance, received £l5 sterling, and 1,860 francs (being £l5 sterling converted into francs at 124). Then he could convert this into Australian currency, at £l/5/- A. to £1 sterling, and 62 francs to £AI. This gave him £4B/10/- per month in Australian money. But, this month, he is not so

happy. About 102 francs are required to buy £1 Australian, and his monthly sal ary now is equal to £36/15/- Australian. ♦ * ♦ T)AGAN Island, in the Mariana Group, * now under Japanese control, has been in the news lately. It has some historical interest for Germans, because it has a deep, sheltered anchorage, and it was a rendezvous for the German warships in 1914. Admiral von Spee’s squadron ■— Scharnhorst, Gncisenau, Eurnherg, Leip zig and Dresden secretly assembled there in the early days of August, 1914. and took in supplies for that fateful cruise that ended in the Falklands battle.

The raider Emden also made Pagan a kind of base, and from there she went to the Indian Ocean, to destroy shipping until she was herself destroyed at Cocos Island in November, 1914.