Strange Case Of The

Sewing Thread

Tahiti's Thieves and Black Marketeers

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Feb. 5.

rERE is a great deal of petty thiev ing going on in and about Papeete.

Many Polynesians inherit from the old communal system of pre-European days the theory that anything that Nature produces—such as fruits, vegetables, and so forth —should be regarded as common property in cases of need; and the tak ing of anything of that category does not constitute thievery. (Some Europeans have also adopted that code and thrive on it.) Anything bought with the coin of the realm is, however, regarded, by natives, as property the filching of which is un lawful. In earlier times, therefore, one could leave one’s house unlocked and unguarded, confident that nothing of value would be disturbed or taken.

Now times have changed. The en lightenment of civilisation has instructed the predatory element of our people in the higher arts of plunder, so that any thing—from pigs to jewellery, from bed linen to thousand-franc notes —is in danger from prowling marauders.

The acquisitive elite, after observing a series of gangster films from Hollywood, have set about emulating these popular heroes of Chicago. The organisation has centred its operations on incoming cargo as the most remunerative objective. It is not yet clearly known how long the broaching of cargo has been going on; but in the earlier stages of their adven ture, the thieves were wise and consider ate enough to leave some merchandise in

the cases for the consignee. Their un doing was consequential to their taking the whole of the contents of a large case of sewing- thread. At the time, there had not been one spool of thread in the island for a long period. Therefore, the sudden merry chatter of sewing-mach ines, owned by the wives and sweethearts of the bandits, led the police by an easy path to the culprits.

A search of the premises of that select band of Chinamen who operate the Black Market, revealed the remainder of the plunder in some extraordinary hiding places.

The judicial inquiry into the whole affair is still going on at the time of this writing.

Many—not all—of our Tahiti China men are past-masters in the enterprise known as the Black Market. Some, indeed, are wise enough to “temper the wind to the shorn lamb”; others could give Torquemada lessons on how to clamp on the thumb-screws. They “get away with it” because most natives are dependent on the Chinese wayside shop for bread, coffee and various household supplies; and, in addition, are usually more or less in debt to this fountain of sundry favours. Naturally, they do not wish to stir up trouble which would dry up this well-spring.

Europeans, on their part, shrink from getting involved with Court proceedings.

Consequently, our judicial authorities never hear of these violations of the law, and the Black Market flourishes, notwith standing stringent regulations designed to prevent all such practices.

Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Nicholson, who went to Fiji from New Zealand in the early 80’s, celebrated their golden wedding in Suva on January 27.