He Practised!

A Minor Tragedy in Tahiti

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Dec. 10.

THE history of the world is full of illustrious examples of the spirit of man striving with relentless energy against obstacles imposed by capricious Nature. Demosthenes, his mouth full of pebbles, battling against an impediment of speech; ■ the youth who bore through snow and ice a banner with his strange device: and countless others of equal determination and valour.

Should history repeat itself (as it sometimes does) the champion of all accordion players will one day emerge from Tahiti to astonish the world. Unless, in the meantime, exasperated and des perate neighbours shall have anticipated achievement by mayhem or dynamite.

The hero of this tale is an American.

The romantic atmosphere of Tahiti has stirred within him dormant impulses which have germinated an urge for ex pression through music. He has chosen as a vehicle the once national instru ment of the South Pacific Islands—the accordion. The particular accordion he has acquired has the effective range of a ‘‘Big Bertha”, and a quality of tone that can puncture boiler iron.

After twenty-four hours, the landlady of his cottage in Papeete, fearing dam age to her property by indignant neigh bours, read the Riot Act to her American tenant.

Shortly afterward, the peace and tran quility of Taaone—hitherto a seemingly impregnable refuge from the turmoil of Papeete—was shattered. The American had, by the power of gold, persuaded a

keeper of cattle at Taaone to aljow him to practise on his premises.

From early morn ’til dewy eve, with two hours respite for rest and refresh ment at mid-day, the noise continues.

The cattle herder, whose network of nerves is as susceptive to external im pressions as the wire system of an underground railway, apparently hears nothing. His cows are equally unmoved.

But a mule on the little farm, whose ear is more sensitive, protests lustily, with much huffing and puffing and wheezing and braying (as is the habit of mules), against this outrage unon the peace and quiet of the settlement.

This thing has been going on for months. One is interested to know what will emerge from such travail; a master to astonish mankind, or the dust and blood of a pogrom?

That marvellous but fickle virtue, human endurance, will decide the issue.

Mrs. E. E. Harris was accepted by the Methodist Mission Board for service in Fiji, at its December meeting.

Mr. Tommy O’Dea, Guinea Airways well-known pilot, at present stationed at Port Moresby, returned on January 5 from a flight to the new Goilala landipg ground, at 3,000 ft. elevation, near the recently-established police camp in the heart of the new country in the Central Division. Mr. O’Dea describes the land ing as the most picturesque he has seen in New Guinea. It is approached through winding gorges, in what is probably the most mountainous country in Papua. The Administration is making use of air transport to the camp, in preference to native carriers, and finding it both cheaper and more convenient.