Phosphate Workers Return

To Mangaia

From Our Own Correspondent MANGAIA, Cl, Sept. 2.

HHE contingent of Mangaian labourers L who departed in January for work at the Makatea phosphate fields, re irned a few weeks ago to their home land, and are now awaiting re igagement.

There was great excitement when the 3 Roybank arrived off the reef, and the en were ferried ashore, with all the iscellaneous items of “trade,” from litars to bicycles, that had been pur lased at the French island, where goods, tally unprocurable here, are on sale in r ery store.

As usual, each returnee had a Chinese jdarwood chest to contain the less-bulky ophies of his period abroad; and these >xes, shining new as they are, aroused me envy in those who have to keep ecious Sunday clothes in a mere suit se, for Cl stores are quite unable to pply the chests, even in the smallest :es.

This Makatea term has been less for nate, for separated families and lovers, an previous ones. One youth arrived bare time to attend his mother’s meral —she had died while the Roybank is halfway between Rarotonga and mgaia.

Others, expecting to be met by their eethearts, found the girls gone where ench scent and dress-lengths have no lue. These tragic occurrences cast mething of a gloom upon the usually y scene; those who found all well at ime were correspondingly relieved. It not a mere coincidence that the songs Central Polynesia lay stress upon part

ing and farewells; he who leaves his island has no certainty that those who were on the beach to see him off will be there to welcome him back again. In spite of that possibility, however, locals are not dis couraged, and the phosphate diggings re main an El Dorado for the youth of Mangaia Island.

Noumea, New Caledonia, welcomes the offer, made recently, to provide a free course of study at an Australian Uni

versity or Technical College for a New Council 1 has asked Governor t? thank Noumea, believes Caledonian students wll ° , would benefit most are those specialising in agriculture and cattle a ? d Jjf. considers that Australian ing! ” thlS direCtl ° n are outstand -