New Radio Station On Pitcairn Is.

AN article, describing the introduction and erection of a radio transmitting station on Pit cairn Island by Mr. Granville P. Lindley, a philanthropic American engineer, was pub lished in this journal in June.

We now have received a letter from Mr. Lindley, wherein he says;— “I want to take exception to the last paragraph in the article, which reads as fol lows; ‘Mr. Lindley said the young folks are anxious to go places and see things. No wonder, for the monotony of the life on the island is deadly’.

“I realise this was not printed through any fault of your own, because this same wording appeared in one of the New York papers. I never made this statement, and had the New York paper that printed it retract it.

This statement, if it was made at all, was made by my associate, and when we ar rived in New York the press confused our names.

“I would like this correct ed, and in turn I would say that the people on Pitcairn are a hard-working, religious people, and are very appreci ative and are contented with their island home.

“I was one of the engi neers who helped to erect the new radio station on Pit cairn, and it has proven to be a great help to the island ers, especially in contacting ships that ply the trackless waters of the Pacific be tween Panama, New Zealand and Australia. Weather re ports, etc., are given out by Operator Andrew Young, and when the false ru mor of typhoid on the island was spread. Young was able to get assistance and correct the error by letting the world know that the report was false.

“The station has suffici ent power, because of the ideal location Pitcairn af

fords for radio, to be heard all over the world. The writer’s home in Rhode Island, U.S.A., is about 7,500 miles from Pitcairn, and it may be surprising to know that here at my home, on a short wave receiver, I quite often hear Andrew Young’s voice. Since my return to the States. I have talked to the Chief Mag istrate and others on the island several times.

“I am especially fond of the people of Pitcairn, and have set qp such a friend ship with them that I hope to return there some time in the near future and bring to these people more modern equipment, such as a water supply sys tem. and to introduce an up-to-date method which will enable them to haul out their longboats at Bounty Bay with less liability of accidents and casualties”.

The schooner-rigged 48 ft. “Lorna D.” recently departed from the Pacific coast of America on an extended South Seas cruise.

TOP: Andrew C. Young, Operator of Radio Station VR6AY, at Pitcairn Island.

BELOW: The Christian family: From left: Ivan Christian, son of magistrate; Mrs. Ada Christian, wife of magistrate; Chief Mag istrate Richard Edgar Christian; Warren Christian, the elder son of Magistrate. Front row: Two grandchildren, Esma and Errol Young. Since this photograph was taken in May, 1938, Esma has died. She was taken ill, and because medical aid was not available, her sickness proved fatal. —Photos, by Granville P. Lindley.