Food Refused

Suspicious Natives in New Hebrides

THE volcanic eruption on the island of Lopevi (in the New Hebrides) and the evacuation of the population to the neighbouring island of Paama, were described in “P.1.M.” in December. Since then, there has been a remarkable sequel.

On their arrival in Paama, the evacu ees were afforded hospitality in the already over-crowded villages around the mission station. When it became evident there was no prospect of an early return, they were offered land for settlement on the east coast, where were only "a few villages with a sparse popu lation, and they were within easy reach of Lopevi. They gladly accepted the offer.

No sooner had the six new volcanic vents subsided than a few enterprising souls crossed the channel in canoes to spy out the land. They were dismayed to find the entire island utterly deso late. They returned convinced that Lopevi was no longer fit for habitation, and resolved to settle down on Paama.

When the Condominium Government was informed of the situation by Mr. F.

H Harvey, of the Epi Broadcasting Sta tion, and Rev. M. Frater, it offered to provide the refugees with food. Under the direction of Dr. Monfort, French medical officer, the French Government yacht “Concorde” was despatched with rice and tinned meats. But the natives refused to accept the hospitality of the Condominium and would not touch the food.

It is difficult to discover a reason for such extraordinary behaviour. Readers of “P 1.M.” will remember that, two years ago, a similarly embarrassing situation arose between the natives of the Group and the British Administration, over the distribution of Coronation Medals. Dur ing his cruise through the Islands, Sir Arthur Richards, then High Commis sioner, presented to native chiefs a decorative medal, as a token of good will on the occasion of the King’s coro nation. The natives not only disap proved, but resented the complimentary gesture. It was a strange thing to hap pen—probably the only case in the world where Coronation Medals had

been so contemptuously spumed.

It was believed that the natives, act ing under the influence of herd psy chology, were carried away by an alarm ist rumour that the Coronation Medals were a prelude to the imposition of a poll-tax. For years, the dread of this levy has been a disturbing undercurrent in native life. Suspicion rested on a few chiefs in the northern islands, with strong isolationist views, and one, the patriarchal chief of Paama, was sum moned before the two Resident Commis sioners at Vila. He was found guilty of spreading false rumours and was sen tenced to a term of imprisonment. His return to Paama intensified, rather than allayed, native susceptibilities, and the agitation about the poll-tax became associated with a new obsession. Nation alism, as it is expressed in so many places in the world to-day, exercises a disturbing influence. In some islands, this pan-Melanesian fantasy hangs oyer the native mind like the intoxicating fumes of a narcotic.

The behaviour of the Lopevi people is the more surprising because, unlike the Paamese, they are a tranquil people and not sticklers for their rights. Lopevi,

too, though one of the most conspicu ous and picturesque, was possibly the poorest island in the New Hebrides. The hungry natives should have revelled in a boat-load of foodstuffs, as a heaven sent gift.

Perhaps their behaviour is best ex plained by this story. “Why don’t they have a drink with me?” asked an Aus tralian visitor in a Scottish village inn “Och,” said his friend, “they think ye want to sell them a lawn-mower or a washing-machine.”

Brigadier-General Sir Herbert Hart, who was Administrator of Western Samoa from 1931 until 1935, and who now is Chief Administrative Officer of the Imperial War Graves Commission, with headquarters in Palestine, visited Australia and New Zealand in February.

Dr. G. A. Irwin, who has been on the staff of the Government Hospital at Apia, Western Samoa, for the past four years, arrived in New Zealand in mid- February.

Mrs. E. M. Zahel, who has been head teacher for 31 years on Badu Island, Torres Strait, returned to her station in February after a holiday in Sydney.

Rev. A. Aufinger, of the Society of the Divine Word. Alexishafen, New Guinea, has been appointed Roman Catholic priest to the parish of Wau, Morobe Dis trict. It is reported that plans are afoot to build a Catholic Church in Wau.

Mrs. A. M. Carolin, an English author ess, who writes under the name of “Mary Atherton”, arrived in Sydney in Febru ary on her way to Tahiti, where she will put the finishing touches to a new novel which she is writing. The book, which will have a South Seas setting, will be called “Delay No Longer”.

Mr. A. K. Grabowsky has joined the staff of A.P.C. Ltd., in Port Moresby.

He is a brother of a former manager of Guinea Airways Ltd.