Rorotongon Soldier

Returns Home Free Beer and Jungle Adventures

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Oct. 6.

ARAROTONGAN warrior, Pte. Tuaine Utanga, of the NZ Forces, received a great welcome when he visited his homeland on a month’s furlough in September. His visit, however, was hardly a rest—most days were spent in going from one “umukai” to another, while every night his home was crowded with friends eager to learn of his experiences and to hear this talented Maori musician render his latest compositions.

He had many exciting stories to tell of Jap-hunting in the Solomons and other Pacific war areas. He displayed also several of the souvenirs he made in the Solomon Islands, the most interesting be ing the ukulele carved from teak and inlaid with pearl-shell, and inscribed metal plates cut from fragments of Japanese aircraft. It may be readily be lieved that the Islander is popular among his comrades (he is the only Maori in his battalion) for he is a talented musician and carries his guitar wherever he goes.

He has composed the words and music of more than twenty songs in modern style, including a few catchy “blues” tunes. One of the best is a beautiful waltz song, “On Vella Lavella Island.”

On Green Island, Pte. Utanga provided amusement for the New Zealanders and Americans by capturing a number of bush fowl and training the cocks to fight in a wire-netting arena erected for the pur pose.

“The best adventure of all,” he said, “was the time when we were chasing the Japs back through the jungle and came upon a huge dump of food that had been abandoned in their hurry to get away.

There was a great quantity of taro taken from native plantations, and there was also a lot of tinned fish and tinned rice, ready-cooked. But the real dis covery was four cases of ‘sake.’

“Soldiers of any nationality have got to be in an awful hurry to leave four cases of perfectly good beer behind in a steaming jungle. We were not in all that hurry, and saw no sense in leaving it for somebody else.

“There were four dozen small tins in each case, and therfe were only six of us —but we managed to get through the lot. Then we picked up our rifles and went on after the Japs in a much hap pier state of mind.