Tropicalities
p. 44 · Read in the full issue
THE report that “Fiji’s Indians may be repatriated,’’ published in the Octo ber issue of the Pacific Islands Monthly, was re-published by the “Fiji Times.” The “Times” referred it to cer tain Government officials in Suva, and the latter described it grumpily as “fan tastic,” and said they knew nothing about it.
On the face of it, the suggestion that 120,000 Fiji Indians, a great many of whom were born in the Colony, should be removed to India, is fantastic. That was how it appeared, in the first place, to the “PIM.” But the fact remains that, since India was granted her new status in the world, and the unhappy war-time record of Fiji Indians has become more widely known, the repatriation plan has been under consideration in high Colonial Office circles —not in Fiji.
It is most unlikely, however, that the suggestion will be given effect to. It is more likely that the whole matter will be dealt with eventually by the South Seas Regional Commission, wnich will consider, in relation to both present and future, the extraordinary position of the fecund Indian community in Britain’s biggest and best Pacific Islands Colony. * * * WHEN the Maui Pomare returned to port in New Zealand recently, her captain reported that Falcon (or Jack-in-tne-Box) Island in the Tongan Group had disappeared again.
Within the last hundred years, Falcon has been up and down many times and it is believed that the recent volcanic activity on Niuafo’ou may have caused its latest disappearance.
Of Falcon, the “Pacific Islands Year Book” says: “Maurella, the Spanish dis coverer of Vavau, and the Frenchman, Laperouse, both observed a reef which was no doubt identical with the present site of Falcon Island. HMS t'alcon observed it as a reef in 1865. In October 1885 it appeared as an island 1\ miles long and 153 feet high ... By April 1894 it was but a reef again. Early in 1896 the reef suddenly broke into eruption and cast up an island of pumice stone more than 100 feet high. This subsided again about three years later, “In October, 1927, violent volcanic eruptions began again and were visible from Nukualofa about 45 miles away. As a result of this disturbance, the present island was formed II miles long and 360 feet high.”
During one of its appearances, late in last century, the Tongan Government optimistically annexed it, but the island immediately afterwards returned to the deep. When it reappeared in 1927, the then Premier (the late Prince Tugi) again landed and planted the Tongan flag.
Sir Harry Luke, while Governor of Fiji, landed on the island and reported that it consisted of hot ash and scoria, with the only living thing upon it a lone stunted coconut tree, struggling for existence in the middle of the island. —“MAC” ♦ * ♦ THE French and British authorities in the New Hebrides have re-named certain well known thoroughfares in Vila. They become “Winston Churchill Street”; “Rue Charles de Gaulle”; and “Rue Henri Sautot” —as a “token of honour and appreciation of their out
standing services, in their various spheres, during the war.” The belated honour done to M. Sautot (first French Colonial Governor to rally to General de Gaulle) is particularly noteworthy. • * • WHEN Mr. Harold Smith, of the Chicago “ Tribune” returned to his home-town recently and addressed a meeting there, he said that Australians owed their comparative popularity in their Pacific territories to the racial tolerance and geniality of their soldiers.
“But,” he added, “I found a somewhat different story when I visited New Guinea.
There had been an ugly riot in Lae, where grievances against Australian policy had boiled over.
“There also had been an uprising at Madang. That was put down by a stern, cold district official by sheer willpower.
“The official told me, ‘You have got to be harsh with these natives, but you must be fair. You have got to make them fear you but respect you., “This officer’s district was the only one which had resumed copra production on its pre-war scale. This was accomplished because the officer had rebelliously dis obeyed instructions from Canberra to cancel all wartme labour contracts before negotiating new ones.”
Territonans will be diverted to see Colonel H. Woodman, District Officer of Madang, described as a “stern, cold official,” and dished up as a ruthless putter-down of native insurrection for the edification of readers of the Tribune— whose anti-British sentiments often lead them to twist words to “make a trap for fools.”
Another Madang official, who usually does not see eye to eye with his DO, has described Colonel Woodman’s handling of the incident referred to by Mr. Smith as “masterly.” Neither is there any outward evidence in the Madang district that the natives go in fear of their Kiap.
Mr. Smith has something to say about education also. This he asserts has been abandoned by the Australian Government and the educational field is being left entirely to the missionaries.
This will be news to New Guinea’s Director of Educaton, W. C. Groves, who has been sweating over long-range plans for native education for months past, ♦ * * THE forces of the United States, during the Pacific War, made many gestures of goodwill towards their British Allies; and, of all these, I like best the thing that occurred on Betio Islet, after the terrible, bloody battle wherein the US Marines took Tarawa Atoll (Gilbert Islands) from the Japs. When the invaders had been rooted out, it was time, to display the Stars and Stripes. But, first, the American Commander sent for a British official representing the Gilbert Islands Administration; and the American ensign and the Union Jack were hoisted simultaneously over that tiny island — British land, dyed red with the blood of a thousand very brave Americans.
Then, later, when the Americans learned of the cruel massacre on Tarawa of five British civilians and 17 New Zea land servicemen (coast watchers) they erected a memorial on which they in scribed these never-to-be-forgotten words: “In memory of 22 British subjects,
murdered by the Japanese at Betio, on 15th October, 1942. Standing unarmed to their posts, they matched brutality with gallantry and met death with fortitude.”—R. • ♦ • ONE day, almost exactly 60 years ago, the Auckland schooner “Olive” dis embarked two young Englishmen, John M. Ellis and Albert Willis, and three Pacific Island natives, upon Hull Island, in the Phoenix Group. They were em ployees of John T, Arundel and Co., of London; and it was their job to survey the fertiliser resources of the Phoenix Islands, and plant coconuts. Their domain comprised eight barren islands, spread over 200 miles of equatorial sea, and they were the only inhabitants.
Captain Ross shook hands with Jack Ellis. “Now you are the king of Hull Island,” he said to the youth. Then turing to the younger lad, he added: “And you are the Prime Minister!”
That incident was recalled recently when the “Prime Minster” now Sir Albert Ellis, CMG, a member of the British Phosphate Commission —re-visited the Phoenix Islands. But what a differ ence he found there!
The coconuts planted on Hull, Sydney and Gardiner Islands, so long ago, have flourished, and made these atolls beauti ful, and fit for human occupation.
Gilbertese have been transferred from the overcrowded Gilberts, and now there is a flourishing colony of over one thousand people forming a district of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony. Another of the islands, Canton, is now an important station on the Trans-Pacific air route, and this is the joint possession of Great Britain and the United States.
Another, Phoenix, is notable because it literally swarms with rabbits —descendants of animals released there by American guano workers 70 years ago— and no one can satisfactorily explain how they exist. This, apparently, is the rabbit counterpart of the famous human community that lives by “taking in each other’s washing.”
Because the Gilbertese cannot easily pronounce Hull, Sydney and Gardiner, the atolls have been re-named Orona, Manra and Nikumaroro. * * * THE “pupu” tiny snail-shells, three eighth’s of an inch across —of Mangaia Island, made into neck laces, are now being sold from Honolulu to Hamilton, NZ, as tourist curio material.
Each little shell, when dried, has to be pierced separately with a blunt needle.
And as it takes thousands of shells to make a dozen necklaces, at 7/6 a dozen, the work is hardly a paying proposition!
At present I am filling-in idle time by piercing shells for this trade. It is tiring to hand, eye and temper; but we of Mangaia, the ever-hard-ups of Cl, cannot afford to neglect any chance of making a few bawbees.
So, while wet weather lasts, snail catching is the order of the day, and there is a brisk demand for caustic soda, in which the “pupu” are bleached.—“ETl.”
The cantata, “Esther,” which was per formed in Suva, Fiji, on November 11, was enthusiastically received by a large audience. The performance was given by the 100-voice choir of the Seventh-day Adventist Fulton Mission School. Most of the performers were Fijians; the re mainder, Indians. The cantata was sung wholly in English which constituted a remarkable feat of memorising on the part of the students, most of whom can not read the language.