Tropicalitls

IT is reported In New Zealand that the name of Professor Peter H. Buck will be prominently featured in the New Year’s Honours List. The Director of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, who is known to his Maori people as Te Rangi Hiroa. will be a visitor to New Zealand for the centenary celebrations. Later, accompanied by Mrs. Buck, he will visit Tonga. For some years he has been anxious to study material artifacts in the Friendly Islands. New Zealanders have always regretted his departure for Hawaii, which has been his home for some years, but undoubtedly his work has gained in value as a result of the experience he has had throughout Poly nesia while engaged in the Bishop Mu seum’s service. Dr. Buck recently re turned to Honolulu, after occupying the chair of anthropology at Yale Univer sity. While on the mainland he deliv ered the Terry Lectures, an honour ac corded only to a scientist of world-wide reputation. fTVHE Papuan Native Medical Assistant X has for many years proved himself an intelligent and observant addi tion to the Medical Department, both on medical patrols and on duty in the Native Hospitals were he acts as general wardsman. It is not often, though, that he carries his observations to the length of scientific determination, as did one assistant recently. Entering particulars of a newly-admitted patient, while the European in charge was absent, he diagnosed the disease himself—and cor rectly! On examination the case proved to be one of chicken pox, and the some what astonished European Medical As sistant in making the entry found that he had been anticipated, for under the heading devoted to diagnosis there ap peared in well-defined letters a note that the patient had been admitted suffering from what the native assistant described as “Schlicken fox”! * * * COCOA planters in Western Samoa should read, with attention, an article in this issue describing the new importance recently attained by the cocoa-growing industry in New Guinea.

It seems likely that war conditions will soundly establish the New Guinea cocoa industry, and that Australian manufac turers will change their formulae and processes to allow them to use regularly the product of New Guinea. The cocoa grower in Western Samoa, although he produces some of the world’s finest cocoa, is up against a number of heart-breaking problems. He gets little assistance or en couragement from the N.Z. Government; he is faced with a serious labour problem; and he is a long way from a big market.

If he were to transfer his operations to New Guinea he would learn that both the Australian and New Guinea Govern ments are sympathetic and helpful; he would find himself with an unlimited supply of cheap native labour—although he would have to train it himself; he would be quite close to the Australian market, which consumes very large quan tities of cocoa beans; and, in addition, he would receive the Australian Common wealth bounty on every pound of cocoa beans he produced. The biggest handi cap the New Guinea cocoa industry has been under, in recent years, has been lack of experience, resulting in a poor quality product. If a few of those suc cessful cocoa planters from Western Samoa settled in New Guinea they prob

ably would be able to give material as sistance in raising the general quality of the New Guinea product. But there is one disadvantage; New Guinea is mal arial, while Samoa is without fever. * * • IN the “Papuan Villager”, the Adminis tration’s little monthly magazine printed in English for the benefit of educated Papuans, recently was told a neat story of how a Government Magis trate settled a native case with a wis dom akin to Solomon’s.

Two women of Hanuabada village, near Pt. Moresby, quarrelled about the owner ship of a rooster. One said, “It’s mine”; and the other said, “No, it isn’t; it is mine”. The rooster was tied up and brought to the court-room; but there was so much argument that nobody could say to which woman it really belonged.

Then the Magistrate (Mr. Wurth) said, “Take the bird to Hanuabada this even ing at about half-past five, the feeding time for roosters. Put it down on the ground at a place between the two houses.

Then untie its bonds”.

This was done. And, as soon as the bird was free, it jumped up and ran to the house where it always got its food. * * • r[E natives of Rossel Island, the Ul tima Thule of the Louisiade Archi pelago, are still influenced to a great extent by the old-established hierarchy of chiefs and sorcerers. These enjoy far greater privileges than the ordinary is landers, and jealously guard against any signs of wealth or social climbing among the ordinary herd.

Some years ago, death was the price paid by an enterprising commoner who dared to presume, after making contact with civilisation.

He left the island, engaged for three years in a labour contract, and, while on the mainland, he learned from a white carpenter how to build houses far better than any of the miserable hovels allotted to his kind on Rossel.

On returning to his home, his first

care was to build his family a house on improved lines. With apprehension and disgust, the chiefs and their followers watched the house grow in size and beauty-far bigger and better than any on the island. As it neared completion their feelings overcame them. “Who are you”, they cried indignantly, “that you need so fine a house? Do you think that you are a chief or a whiteman?” fellow drained the presumptuous * * * SOME 35 years ago. when malaria was very prevalent in San Antonio.

Texas, U.S.A., Dr. Charles A. R.

Campbell conceived the idea of subsidising armies of bats to rid the city of its mos quito-borne disease. City officials thought it ridiculous, but the doctor established a bat refuge at his own expense near one of the city’s worst marshes, and soon mosquitoes were reduced to such an ex tent that people could frequent the place in comfort. The amazed city fathers en acted an ordinance imposing fines of 5 to 300 dollars on persons convicted of killing bats, and put up more bat houses.

In consequence, San Antonio has long had a clean bill of health so far as malaria is concerned. * » » A GERMAN, lately become naturalised and now resident in Port Moresby, described to a well-known Papuan coastal skipper his experiences in Rome when he was arrested three times in one day while en route to Germany, a couple of years ago.

Some time later, the German was a passenger on the coastal boat and at one

of the ports a local Italian trader came aboard. During the evening, when the three of them were together, the skipper, without mentioning names, said, “Rome must be a good place to keep out of. I know of a case where a man while pass ing through there was arrested three times in one day!”

“My word,” said the Italian, “dose policemens knows der work, they are best detectives in de world and always know de scoundrel when dey sees one!”—H. * * * 11WO or three retired Islands residents are doing their share in the Hitler War by acting as Wardens in Sydney, in connection with the National Emergency Service. It is part of their duty to call upon suburban householders.

This is the unhappy story of Mr. J.

Sim, lately of the Solomon Islands, who patiently w r as making a door-to-door call.

As he opened the side gate, the lady of the house came belligerently out of her fuel-shed. “Yes?” she snapped.

“I represent the National Emergency Service”, said Mr. Sim, and smiled pleas ingly.

“Well, I've been getting me groceries from Smith and Brown for four years, and I’m quite satisfied with them”, re plied the lady.

“Oh, you don’t quite understand”, said Mr. Sim. “I’m not selling groceries. I want to explain to you how ”

“You needn’t explain nothing”, shout ed the lady. “You can’t sell me noth ing, and I don’t want none of your blarney”.

She went inside and slammed the door, leaving Mr. Sim floundering in a sea of negatives.

Mr. B. P. Nicholson. Customs Officer in Fiji, arrived in Australia recently to spend long leave.