Blackbirding Story of Old

Tonga

Letter to the Editor I WAS interested in the “White Flying Fox at Kolovai” and “Memories of Old Tonga,” published in the May and July issues of the “PIM.”

The story of the “White Flying Fox at Kolovai” I wrote 50 years ago, and had it published in the Sydney Morning Herald, after it had been told to me by Mr. G. Skudder, a trader at Kolovai, and who was the actor of “the White Flying Fox” trick. Two years later, the same story was published in the London Times by Walter Parker, of Nukualofa, one time a sheep farmer on the Island of Eua. Parker had changed the name of the old chief to “Kata” and the trader to “Jimmy the Beachcomber,” who wanted to marry Kata’s daughter, and to obtain his consent he played “the White Flying Fox” trick on the old gentleman.

In “Memories of Old Tonga” the writer must have been misinformed, as the Ata people were not taken to Raga Iti, Tahiti, but to Chile, where they had to work in nitrate and cobalt mines.

In 1894, while on a visit to Auckland, I was invited by friends of mine to go with them to a Maori village, near Auck land, where the Maoris were having a horse-race on the beach. Here I met a native of Tonga, Isileli Latu, about 60 years of age, who was the only survivor of the ill-fated blackbirding people of Ata. The story he told me was the same as published in the “PIM.”

One day, when he was quite young, about 17 years of age, a ship called at Ata. The best of the young men pad died out in their canoes, and were en couraged on board to trade, exchanging oil, vegetables, island curios for knives, axes, spades, clothing, etc. Suddenly, the hatches closed down over their heads.

The ship sailed off. It was a black birding ship, and after several months’ sailing, they landed in Chile, where he had to work in nitrate and cobalt mines for about 15 years. Latu became ill, had to leave the mine, and was taken care of by a Catholic priest, who later obtained a passage for him on a British ship sailing for New Zealand. Latu first worked for a Maori farmer, married a Maori girl, had several children, and, as he said, felt very happy.

After my return from Auckland I described my meeting with Isileli Latu, and his experiences, to King George Tubou 11. I gave him the names of my Auckland friends, the name of the Maori village, etc., and he promised me to write to Auckland to the Government agent, to get into communication with Isileli Latu. But I am afraid it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind.”

I am, etc.,

F. T. Goedicke.

Nukualofa, September 12, 1945.

The price of whisky, rum, brandy, gin and wines will be increased by 3/- per bottle as a result of a Customs amend ment passed by the Fiji Legislative Coun cil at its December meeting. It is esti mated that revenue will be increased by £24,000 per annum thereby—unless Fiji’s drinking habits fall off considerably or consumption is adversely affected by the rise in price.