Ontong Java Now A

Closed Area

rERE has been a steady decline in the population of Ontong Java, an atoll group in the British Solomon Is lands, in recent years, and medical sur veys have clearly shown that the decline is directly due to epidemics introduced by visiting vessels.

Ontong Java is an isolated place, and the people have not been brought into contact with Europeans to a sufficient extent to give them immunity from or resistance to the diseases, especially chest troubles, usually introduced by visiting ships.

The High Commissioner for the West ern Pacific, in a proclamation dated Oc tober 6. has accordingly declared Ontong Java to be a closed district, and persons now may go there only if they under go strict medical examination and quar antine and receive a permit from the Administration. All ships proposing to visit the atoll will be medically inspect ed at Tulagi.

Ontong Java (otherwise known as Lord Howe's Group) has a peculiar interest,

because the people there are of Polynes ian origin—evidently an offshoot from the

east which somehow has become estab lished in Melanesia. It was written of them nearly 20 years ago: “The natives suffered severely in the pneumonic in fluenza epidemic, which swept through the atoll in 1919. Owing to generations of perfect health they had no anti-toxins in their blood, which would have helped them to combat the scourge”.

Mr. H. A. Markham conducted a trade store in the group for many years, but he sold out in the ’twenties, and there has been a succession of white traders there practically ever since.

It is evidently intended to maintain a closed area here for an indefinite time so that the population—now very small —may have a chance to rehabilitate it self and increase in numbers.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs.

Maxwell C. Mann, of Kopoko, New Britain, T.N.G., at Namanula Hospital on November 18.

Mrs. F. E. Williams, wife of the Papuan Government Anthropologist, arrived in Australia from Port Moresby in Novem ber to spend an extended holiday.

Right Rev. J. W. C. Wand, Archbishop of Brisbane, returned to Queensland in November, after opening and consecrating the new Anglican Cathedral at Dogura, North Eastern Division.

A group of typical men of Ontong Java.