Abemama "Out"

G. and E. Headquarters Probably Will Remain On Tarawa

IT would appear that that section of the British High Commission for the Western Pacific that is responsible for the administration of the Gilbert & Ellice Colony has abandonded its plan to establish its Headquarters on the atoll of Abemana. Indications are that Head quarters will remain on Tarawa, 100 miles north of Abemana.

When the Pacific war came, and the Japs invaded the Gilbert &' Ellice Group, the Colony’s Headquarters were on Ocean Island, where there were large Adminis tration buildings and one oi the finest Residencies in the South Pacific. The Ocean Island installation, including the fine big Residency, was completely des troyed; and when the Americans threw the Japs out of the Gilberts, in 1943, Headquarters were established tempor arily on Tarawa atoll and it was an nounced that permanent Headquarters would be built on Abemama, and far reaching plans were made to that end.

The decision not to return to Ocean Island was understandable, in that Ocean Island is not really part of the Gilbert & Ellice group and there are no harbour facilities there. All the Gilbert & Ellice islands are atolls and some of the lagoons will accommodate ships up to 3,000 or 4,000 tons. Three of the best lagoons are Abemama, Tarawa and Butaritari, and the authorities selected Abemama as the best. Architects and surveyors were set to work.

But Administrative officers, like doctors, rarely agree. Abemama was the selection of Sir Alexander Grantham, Mr. Vaskess and Mr. H. E. Maude and there are few men who know more about the Gil bert & Ellice Colony and its peculiar ad ministrative problems than Messrs. Vas kess and Maude.

However, Sir Alexander has moved on to a higher post; Mr. Vaskess has retired; and Mr. Maude has been absent on long leave for about a year. The new regime apparently does not like the Abemama plan, and all preparations in relation thereto have ceased.

Present indications are that the Ad ministration will stay on Tarawa and that, in view of the great difficulties in the way of getting building materials, the establishment will be housed in build ings of pandanus construction.

In the old days there was an adminis trative establishment on Betio islet, in the Tarawa atoll. It was a pretty place, covered with coconut and pandanus palms, and there was a large native vil lage. But the Japs turned Betio into a fortress, and the Americans literally blew it to pieces. The new Administrative Headquarters, therefore, were placed on the adjoining islet of Baireke, and they still are there.

The present official set-up shows an in clination to return to the now barren Betio and make Headquarters there apparently because it bought, for 6,000 dollars, a huge dump of American equip ment on Betio, and because the Ameri cans constructed a small boat harbour in the lagoon off Betio. Reports state that there are now only a few hungry natives on Betio the people who comprised the native village there in pre-war days have moved to the other islets of the atoll, of which there are about a dozen. It is stated that there are only 55 coconut trees left on Betio.

Dr. R. .T. Snodgrass, Deputy Director of Medical Services, Fiji, who recently re turned from leave , is Acting Director in the absence of Dr. J. C. R. Buchanan, who left for the United Kingdom re cently.