Uawana, Beware!

From Our Own Correspondent.

Honolulu, Sept. 10.

IN the village of Takaroa, down in the Tuamotus, although it is nearby “glam orous Tahiti”, life is humdrum. There is a movie show once a week, and the 400 inhabitants share one radio set.

On the same street is a big grass hut in which an enterprising youth named Uawana has a billiards table. The green cloth is faded and the rubber sides are perishing, but the Takaroans like the way the balls, especially the vari-coloured snooker balls, roll and chase each other around and around. Uawana makes a steady income.

Very soon, though, Uawana is going to have some competition. Teni Huri, an other Takaroan, leaves here this week with a plan to “clean up”. In case this meets the eye of Uawana before Teni Huri gets home, here is the lowdown: Teni Huri came to Hawaii in March, 1937, in the yacht “Viva”, which had been a-wandering around the South Seas. The “Viva” was sold here, and so Teni Huri was stranded. Local government authori ties allowed Teni to find work with the local relief gangs. He saved up against the day when a yacht would call in, en route to his beloved isles.

Teni is a man of thfe world. He has sailed to Mexico, to Mangareva, and even to the Cook Islands in trading schooners.

Prom every voyage he took back to Tak aroa something that intrigued the villagers, in the same way as missionaries and tra ders intrigue with beads and red cloth.

This time Teni has something up his sleeve that he knows will set Takaroa on

fire. At the local Y.M.C.A. he first came across ping-pong Teni couldn’t believe his eyes. Billiard balls are heavy, they bruise your toes when you over-enthusi astically drive them from the table. But ping-pong balls! They have the lightness and energy of a bird.

Teni saved his pennies. To-day he has six ping-pong sets. He has small pots of different coloured paint which will be a surprise up his sleeve when the Takaroans tire of playing all the time with white balls. This week he sails in the cutter “Laila”, which belongs to the Northrup Castles, local people who plan a prolonged

South Sea cruise. Teni is going as one of the crew. The “Laila” will drop him at Takaroa.

Teni has it all worked out. Even to the profits he will make. So, Uawana, be ware!

Teni Hurl, just before leaving Honolulu, with his ping-pong sets.