Ocean Islanders

New Home For

Transfer to Rabi, in Fiji

Suva, Nov. 12.

THE High Commission for the Wes tern Pacific has completed prepara tions for the transfer of the native population of Ocean Island to the island of Rabi, which lies off the north-eastern coast of Vanua Levu, in the Fiji Group.

When the Pacific war came, there were on Ocean Island about 700 Bana bans and 1,100 Gilbertese. The Banabans were the indigenous Micronesian people, and the Gilbertese had been brought in from the adjoining group, together with over 1,000 Chinese, to provide labour for the phosphate workings.

As described elsewhere in this issue, the invading Japs scattered these people far and wide. They were taken as slaves to the Carolines, to Tarawa and to Nauru —in all of which places the Japs con structed most elaborate fortifications.

Ocean Island is a dry. inhospitable lump of phosphatic rock—there are only a few pockets of good soil for the main tenance of life among the natives. So, instead of reassembling the native peoples in Ocean Island, the Commission has wisely decided to provide them with a new home. Rabi has been purchased from the Fijians, and it will become the future home of the Banabans and, pre sumably, of some of the Gilbertese Rabi is a fertile, well-watered island, running up to 1,500 feet high in the centre, 10 miles long by five across, and it lies 15 miles due north of Taveuni.

It is protected generally by Taveuni and Vanua Levu, to the south and west.