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How 14 Returning BSI Residents

Were Officially Greeted at

Honiara

REPORTS that the 14 persons who re turned to their homes in the British Solomons in the “Southern Cross” in April received a very cold official welcome reached Sydney in recent months. Now, in a private letter from a member of the party, we have the full story; “The ‘Southern Cross’ tied up at Honi ara at 9 a.m. on Anril 18. After our ter rible voyage, and our four years of absence from our homes, we were very eager to get ashore. We were told, very curtly, that we could not leave the ship until the Customs and other officials had seen us.

We were informed that we must each produce a landing-bond of at least £5O.

“The hours passed. No official came to welcome us. Officialdom, in fact, gave us the impression that they hated us. We, in turn, decided that we did not much like the stiff English rulers of our par ticular section of Pacific Islands.

“At last, at 2 p.m., a truck arrived at the wharf. We were requested to get aboard, and proceed to the office of the Resident Commissioner. The RC, Colonel Noel, was abroad: we were met, with for mality and courtesy, bv the Acting Com missioner, Mr. David Trench. We learned that the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Alexander Grantham, from Suva, hanened to be in Honiara that day. So we presume that our treatment was known to the highest British authority in the South Pacific.

“Although every one of us was an old Solomons resident, and most of us had owned property there, worth large sums, when we were evacuated before the Jap in vasion, and although some of us had served in the Allied forces and been awarded decorations, we were all com elled to give a £5O guarantee that we would not become a charge upon the Government. We gave it—there was no alternative—but we were very bitter about it.

THERE was one of our party—a well known old trader and recruiter— who could not nroduce £5O, or any guarantee. Some of the party, who hold him in regard and respect, offered to provide the bond. The British officials were reluctant to accept it.

“The old trader was sent back aboard the ‘Southern Cross.’ The Bishop of Melanesia, nominal owner of the South ern Cross,’ offered to provide a £5O bond.

The officials would not accept it—they wanted an unlimited bond, to cover the whole cost of sending the old trader back to Australia, should that be necesary.

The Bishop, naturally, would not give an open cheque.

“So our poor old friend had to remain on the ‘Southern Cross’ for several days, while they argued. Eventually, the offi cials took the Bishop’s bond, and the trader was released.

“Once we were ashore, the Administra tion treated us well enough. We were supplied with quarters, and we were allowed to get meals at the mess attached to the Honiara Club, where a restaurant is conducted by a Chinese concession aire.

“We had a formal meeting with Sir Alexander Grantham, on the subject of our rehabilitation in the Solomons. We reminded him of what Australia is do ing for her soldiers in Australia, and for her Territorians in Papua and New Guinea; and we urged that some sort of official assistance should be given by the

British Government, in the Solomons.

The High Commissioner listened very courteously to our pleas and arguments, but he gave us no assurances whatever.

We got the impression that the British Colonial Office has no plan for the re habilitation of white settlers in the Solomons.”

The Southern Pacific Insurance Co.

Ltd., established bv the Carpenter group of companies 11 years ago, reports a pro fit of £8,755 in the year ended March 31 last. Income from premiums during the year totalled £139,218. The Company’s turnover and nrofits have grown, year by year, from very modest beginnings—the first year’s figures were stated only in hundreds.