But Slowly!

Honiara Is Growing— But Slowly!

From Our Own Correspondent

Honiara, Bsi, July 31.

A determined hustle-on with the new capital building programme, with labour working overtime, at over time rates, has resulted in a new “suburb” popping up on the skyline on what is known as Langakiki Ridge, above Honiara.

Five houses, informally designated as bachelors’ residences, and capable of being added to as the necessity arises, are well on the way to completion, after little more than three months.

These will begin to relieve the housing situation in Honiara “camp” where bachelor Government employees live in 15 small, two-room huts with community bathing and laundry arrangements.

Road lay-out was a contingency faced after building was begun, but luckily, a completely overgrown American road, bulldozed down the landward side of the ridge, turned up to solve the problem.

Water arrangements are temporary until the proposed “reservoir” is constructed higher up in the old ammunition dump.

Meanwhile, the inconsistencies of their water supply remain one of the chief hazards of the occupants of the eight other new houses already in use. In most instances, water has to be pumped up to supply them and has a way of failing to arrive at critical moments.

Their troubles were increased recently by the curiosity of native passers-by who tried turning-on various master taps along the pipeline to see what they were for. The results were imperceptible to them but only too obvious to the frus trated householders.