End Of Tulagi

Old BSI Landmarks Go

From Our Own Correspondent HONIARA, April 14.

PRE-WAR the Capital of the Protec torate, post-war a Government station, and for the past four years the subject of controversy, Tulagi is now almost deserted.

Early this month the Government station was finally closed down and moved over to headquarters at Honiara, ter minating Tulagi postal facilities, district gaol, etc.

All that the Government will maintain there in future is a dispensary and dres ser, one auxiliary vessel and a small marine department to handle shipping repairs. Messrs. Carpenter retain their offices there. Qantas and TOA flying boats will base there, as formerly but customs duties and clearance of aircraft will be carried out by officers from Honiara.

Soon work will begin on pulling down the old Residency to provide materials for the new Residency, to be built shortly on a ridge overlooking Honiara. With a vast floor space of beautiful hardwood, to be laid down in the new Residency, the old Residency has been a Tulagi land mark since it was built in 1932. When Tulagi was flattened in the struggle be tween Americans and Japanese in August, 1942, the Residency remained intact— only damage being to a flight of steps from a near-miss bomb.

The Japs apparently found the old house quite comfortable when they briefly held Tulagi. Then the Americans used it as a club.

The old office buildings on the fore shore, which also miraculously escaped annihilation and were used during the war, are to be removed to help the cur rent material shortage.