"Sorrowfuls"

From the Northern "Sorrowfuls"

Rehabilitation on Buka and Bougainville

From a Special Correspondent rE Northern Solomon Islands are by no means escaping the general labour situation existing in other parts of the old Mandated New Guinea territory; and plantations on “Big Buka” (Bougainville), from Soraken to estates around Kieta. in the south, are suffering from lack of native labourers Even missionaries on Buka are unable to secure essential house-servants, and the going is grim. The manager of one of the pioneer estates in the district, which in pre-war days produced some 2,000 tons annually, may have to close down, unless labour is forthcoming.

Many of the old residents are back again on their plantations, trying to make a “do” of things. Max Babbage is on Karola, Colley at Boraken for CPL,, A. M. Stewart on Teopasino, Alf Long on Bonis. C. I. H.

Campbell on his old Raua property, Bob Stewart on Tenakau, Jack Ellis on Arawa, Drummond Thomson on Numa Numa, and Jimmy Joyes on Kekere and Iwi estates.

Kiap Raleigh Farlow holds the fort at Sohano, Buka Passage, with an ADO, a PO, two medical assistants, a police master and several other personnel; but not, unfortunately, a qualified medico — and that is a person needed in this well populated district. This is a matter that Monsignor Hannan might have “winged” about to even more useful purpose than his protest about the starving natives of this district, which made news in Southern papers lately.

Talking of missionaries reminds me that one of our outstanding personalities, Father Albert Lebel, of the Marist Mission, who did a fine war-job helping the Coastwatchers, leaves shortly for his home town in Maine, USA. We shall miss his cheerful optimism and his slogan: “I guess we’ll get by. There’s a good time coming soon.” The trip will do him good, but we shall be glad to see him back with us.

The speed age is all very well in its place; but that place is not either Buka or Bougainville, so far as Government patrols are concerned. Many of the local residents sigh for the more leisurely patrols of a few years ago, when out-of the-way native villages were carefully given the once-over, instead of the more hurried visits by jeep, which are the usual order of the day now.

That old saying about Satan finding work for idle hands is especially applic able to our local indigines who are not unknown to have a tendency to plot and scheme and turn on “cargo” stunts at almost any tick of the clock. Now, with the present policy of not encouraging able-bodied lads to work, there is ample opportunity for Satan to get in some of his nefarious work. Hence the need for watchfulness and Government contact in the dark nooks and comers of the district.

Mr. N. V. Fergus was a passenger on the flying-boat “Coriolanus” wlpch left Brisbane for Suva, Fiji, recently.

The motor-ship “Altair,” Sydney built, has been bought for the New Caledonian- Hebridean trade. Of 112 net tons, she is of steel construction with two 120 HP motors, and carries wireless equipment.

She will carry a small number of pas sengers.