Nauru's "Pigsty Alley"

From Our Own Correspondent

Nauru, Jan. 16.

WHILE no signboards indicate the names of local thoroughfares, the designation “Pigsty Alley” seems to have been generally agreed upon by Eu ropean residents for the new stretch of unmade road which passes behind the police lines and is skirted by rows of pigsties belonging to the native police.

The story behind this road is interesting.

Last year the Administration desired to build a special hospital wing for in fant welfare and baby health work—a praiseworthy project in view of the high infantile mortality. There being insuffi cient space within the grounds of the old native hospital, it was decided to ex tend one wing across the main palm lined road at its entrance to the Admin istration residential settlement. This has necessitated the opening up of a series of minor tracks, including the circuitous “Pigsty Alley”, along which all traffic from the British Phosphate Commission’s offices to the Administration must pass.

The fact that the new baby health building is of excellent design, and will serve a most useful purpose, has not prevented the European community from condemning its erection on the present site. The stretch of road, now cut <3ff from vision and use, was the most pic turesque on Nauru, being lined with spe cial coconut palms imported from the Solomons by General Griffiths during his regime.