Many Months

14 Nuns Escape Prisoners of Japs in Gilberts for Many Months

FOURTEEN Sisters of the Order of the Lady of the Sacred Heart (three of them Australians) are safe in Tar awa (Gilbert Islands) after two years in Japanese hands. Much anxiety con cerning them had been felt for two years.

The story of their experiences is told in the iollowing letter from Mother M.

Clementine, Superior of the Kensington Mission, Tarawa:— “The Japanese landed at Tarawa on December 10, 1941.

“Towards evening they hoisted a flag on the island and departed. They arrived again on September 3, 1942. and told the Fathers and Sisters to leave the mis sion at once.

“The Sisters went to Teaoraereke (an islet of the Tarawa atoll) where they were kept under guard until April, 1943.

The Japanese visited them two or three times a week and pillaged the dormi tories and kitchen. They took everything they could get.

“During November, 1943, American boats arrived off Tarawa, and fighting between Japanese and Americans fol lowed.

“Our five Japanese guards held coun cil and decided to kill us on the next day, November 27. , ..

“A native boy, who overheard them plotting, warned us, and. with the assistance of Father Jolivel, we escaped in a launch to Tarawa, then in American hands.”

The Indian male population of Fiji now exceeds the Fijian male population.

Proportionately, there are 97 females to every 100 Fijian males, but only oi females to every 100 Indian males, ii, however, only the Indian people born m the Colony are considered, the figure is 95.3 females to every 100 males.