Gilbert And Ellice Notes

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Tarawa, Dec. 1.

THE M-V. “Moamoa” (Burns Philp South Sea Co. Ltd.) has returned to its headquarters at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, after transporting a large num ber of lepers, on behalf of the Medical Department, to the up-to-date Fiji leper station at Makogai, near Suva.

The “Moamoa” underwent a general overhaul on the slip whilst in Suva, and collected copra throughout the Ellice Islands on the return trip.

The “Moamoa’s” chief engineer, Mr. J.

A. Harris, joined the ranks of the bene dicts whilst in Suva, being quietly mar ried to Miss Clara Reiher, daughter of Mr. Henry Reiher, of Tarawa.

A new auxiliary vessel, the “Kiakia”, built for the Colony Government, has arrived from the shipbuilding yards in Hong Kong, to be placed at the dis posal of the Medical Department as a travelling medical officer’s vessel in the Group.

Administrative Conference

The Government vessel. “Nimanoa”. brought the Acting Resident Commis sioner (His Honour R. H. Garvey) from

Ocean Island to Tarawa, where the vari ous District Officers of the Colony as sembled for the purpose of an Adminis trative Conference.

Drought

Drought conditions have prevailed in the Southern Gilberts, leaving the na tives in certain districts without one of their staple foods —the coconut.

The R.C.S. “Nimanoa” has made two special trips with full cargoes of nuts from other parts of the Group for de livery as food relief in the drought-stricken districts, on behalf of the Gov ernment.

Personal

District Officer E. R. Bevington, late of Beru, has been transferred to Ocean Is land, and Dr. K. R. Steehson has been

appointed to Beru as Resident Medical Officer and Administrative Officer.

Mr. P. D. Macdonald, Secretary to the Government at Ocean Island, proceeds in January to Fanning Island to relieve as Administrative Officer at that centre.

It is understood that Major C. A. Swin bourne, 0.8. E., late Senior Administra tive Officer at Tarawa, Central Gilberts, may be permanently appointed to Fan ning Island on his return from furlough in a few months’ time.

For the first time for over 20 years there have been enough Europeans gath ered together at one time at Tarawa, other than crews from visiting war ships, to justify a visit in force to Bai riki to engage in a challenge cricket

match against the Bairiki (native) Boys’

High School. The occasion was the re cent visit to Tarawa by the Acting Re sident Commissioner, His Honour R. H.

Garvey, and the simultaneous assemb ling of all Colony Administrative Officers for Conference.

The visiting cricketers were royally entertained by Captain F. G. L. Holland (Superintendent of Education) and Mrs.

Holland, and a most enjoyable afternoon was spent, both in the field and at the pavilion.

Rev. H. T. Shotten, M.A., of the Meth odist Mission at Kiriwina, Papua, arrived in Sydney with Mrs. Shotten and their child by the December “Macdhui”. Ow ing to his wife’s ill-health, Mr. Shotten will retire from the mission field, after six years of service.

Mr. Herbert Rushton, C.8.E., who was Colonial Treasurer in Fiji from 1922 un til 1929, when he was transferred to Kenya, died recently in England, at the age of 62.

Dr. Monier, of the 13th Regiment of Colonial Artillery, has been appointed Director of the Gaston Bourret Insti tute in New Caledonia. He is due in Noumea this month by the “Commissaire Ramel”.