Valuable Old Records From

Tahiti

THE work in historical research that is being done in Tahiti by Mr. W.

W. Bolton, M.A., is warm.lv praised in .•> letter to the editor from Mr. Eric Rams den, on the subject of the Tahiti manu scripts recently transferred to the Mit chell Library, Sydney.

Mr. Ramsden says emphatically that the credit for the discovery of these documents goes to Mr. Bolton. Mr, Ramsden does claim, however, that he was instrumental in having the “trea sure trove” transferred to the Mitchell Library, where the mass of documents 's now being tenderly cared for and is being scrutinised by specialists and by

historians generally. The Mitchell Library authorities unhesitatingly give their warm thanks to Mr. Ramsden for assisting them in securing possession of the documents.

Mr. Ramsden especially praises tne work done in Tahiti by Mr. Bolton in tracing the graves of the early mis sionaries there, and placing headstones over them. He says that Mr. Bolton during the years has amassed a great deal of historical material of first-class importance.

Mr. A. Gerdeau, of New York, who is a principal of the large American firm that purchases most of the Torres Strait mother-of-pearl shell, visited Thursday Island with his wife in September.

HTHERE was a time (writes a Madang resident, bitterly) when we people isolated in this little town used to enjoy’ some social life by gathering in the even ings in the Madang Hotel. There, at least, there was some light and liveliness.

Now, for some reason, all that has been changed, and the hotel at nights has assumed a monastic appearance. We people who do not worry much about the passing of time who does, in the tropics ?—cannot help remarking on the punctuality with which the lights are extinguished in the hostelry as the dock strikes the forbidden hour. The powers that direct the licensed house are ob serving the law in letter as well as spirit—but they represent a sad develop ment so far as we are concerned.