Mr. J. C. Barley's Lucky
p. 42 · Read in the full issue
Escape
WHEN Mr. J. C. Barley (now Resident Commissioner, Gilbert & Ellice Islands Colony) contracted, in the Solomon Islands, a type of malaria that still renders him subject to long periods of sickness, he probably wrote himself down as one of Life’s unlucky wights.
But Lady Luck has a curious way of adjusting the balance.
Mr. Barley, last November, was in South Queensland, on sick leave; and it was arranged that he should sail for his home, on Ocean Island, by the BPC ves sel “Triona”.
Through some mischance, Mr. Barley did not sail by the “Triona”; and the “Triona”, on December 7, was sunk by a German raider, off Nauru. The crew were released by the enemy, but all important official personages were car ried off as prisoners—and still are being buffeted around the Pacific somewhere, as prisoners. Mr. Barley escaped all that, Mr. “Classic” Strickland, sub-manager for dagger & Harvey, in Rarotonga, and Mr. D. Munro, planter, of Arorangi, Rarotonga, returned from New Zealand in January.