A Samoan's Labour-Saving

Device

From Our Own Correspondent.

A Apia. Nov. 17.

SAMOAN native named Va’a, of the village of Faleasiu, on the main beach road. 13 miles west of Apia, wanted the dilapidated small shed along side the main road, which was used for packing cases, pulled down, so that the young men of the village would be com pelled to build a new and better one.

But the young men—the taulealeas— did not wish to do the work.

Then Va’a had a brainwave. He bor rowed a long i-inch wire rope from the village missionary and, in the early morning dusk, fastened it to the posts of the old shed and then stretched it across the main road, tying it to a coco nut tree on the other side. Some pass ing motor truck or car would then. Va’a calculated, run against the wire and thus pull the old shed down without any ef fort by him.

And so it happened. A banana truck came along and ran against the wire, and pulled the shed down. Fortunately, it was being driven at a moderate speed, and the driver managed to stop before much damage was done to him or his truck.

But the driver reported the occurrance to the Apia police; and Va’a, repentant and sorrowful, pleaded guilty to having obstructed a public place and created a source of danger to the travelling pub lic. The judge, in view of the man’s obvious ignorance and low mentality, let him off with a fine of 30/-.

Mr. E. J. Gough, who is well-known throughout the Pacific Islands, has join ed the staff of the Islands Export firm of C. Sullivan Ltd., Sydney.

Mr. S. D. Morton married Miss Vera Henderson at St. John’s Anglican Church, Port Moresby, Papua, on No vember 11. They have now settled down in their home at Koitakinumu.