Hobu-Hobu And Munda,

Bsi

Letter to the Editor JUDGING by the triumphant chortle— “So that rather foxes that one, doesn’t it?” —with which he ends his letter in your December issue, it would be thought that Mr. Clemens had just succeeded in demolishing a series of argu ments put forward against the choice of Hobu Hobu as the war-time seat of Government in the Western Solomons.

Whereas, in point of fact, there has never been any objection in that respect, as, in the circumstances, Hobu Hobu was the obvious choice. There was no argument against it. neither at the time the de cision was made, nor in my letter in the September “PIM.” So Mr. Clemen’s letter is mainly an exercise in the ancient pas time of setting up straw men to knock them down again.

There is, however, and always has been, a strong body of opinion against the re tention of Hobu Hobu as the permanent, peacetime seat of Government in the Western Solomons for reasons given in my letter of September. Public opinion is unanimous in declaring for the re establishment of Gizo as District Head- Quarters and Chief Port for the Western Solomons.

The sole point made bv Mr. Clemens relates to the depth to which the Munda Bar channel was blasted bv our verv good friends the US Navy. I am glad to accept his correction that the depth was six fathoms and not 21 as I was informed at the time. I felt no need to Question the correctness of my information at the time, as I saw no deep-draught vessels using the Bar, but noticed that they con tinued to discharge and load outside at Sasavele, as heretofore. The US Navy blasted the bar channel, but it did not remove the maze of reefs which litter the

harbour, to which the bar channel -is merely the entrance from the open ocean.

So the night-marish conditions remain, as a harbour for big ships.

Finally. I am assured by an old local resident of Munda, who piloted two visit ing war-ships into Munda last year at mean tide, that the depth of water on the bar at that time, soundings taken by naval men, was 25 feet. (Rise and fall of tide hereabouts is from 3 to 5 feet, according to season.) Someone had better sound the Munda bar, officially.

I am, etc.,

Leslie P. Gill.

Munda, BSI, 1/5/1948.