No "Dollar-prosperity"
p. 21 · Read in the full issue
in Mangaia Traders and Others Just Grin and Bear It
From Our Own Correspondent MANGAIA, Cl, December. rE local native “tea-shops” (they sell coffee) are re-opening now that flour is available once more. On this isolated island, bread is still some thing of a foreign delicacy to the natives, who are very fond of “varaoa,” as they call it.
The price of a roll and a bowl of coffee is still 3d. —probably the cheapest in the world to-day.
Owing to wartime conditions, we Euro neans miss many things. Foreign gas lamps, stoves, etc., are quite useless until snare parts aeain become available.
Gramophones are valueless, too, as soon as springs break. There seems no solu tion to this situation, unless New Zea land or Australian manufacturers are able to produce these items. But so far, inquiries in these countries have met with no success.
However, these are some of the “hard shins” we can bear with a srin—the shortage of sewing needles, on the other hand, is less humorous.
One bv one the local “independent” traders are going out of business because they are unable to replenish their stocks.
Others are carrying on only under crush ing difficulties An anomalous situation exists in the fact that the same lieence fee (€5 per annum) is demanded of the “small” man as from the bier cornora tions. Thus, the struggling trader has to xnake £5 for the ‘Administration before he starts to make anvthing for himself.
The local-made boats which have re nlaced canoes for lightering cargo from the steamers, have not been a success.
Oargo is now received soaking wet. or at the best. damp. The big firms have had much loss as a consequence. The - old cargo canoes kept the cases out of the water, but the new boats tend to become half submerged in rough seas.
One of the oldest identities of the Savu Savu District of Fiji, Mrs. J. S. Dods, died in Suva in earlv January. She was born in Levuka in 1857. and spent all her life in the Colony. She is survived by six children, including Mr. M. J. Dods, of Savu Savu, and Mrs. J. White, of Suva.