Torres Strait Islands
pp. 17-18 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Thursday Is.. Dec 1.
WHAT effect the devaluation of the £ sterling will have on the sale of pearl shell is still a matter of con jecture. One independent buyer has already increased the price by £25 per ton, and is hopeful of a further increase unless the price in the USA drops sharply.
Apart from pearls and pearl shell, Thursday Island could be made into a tourist paradise if only the Government or some private company were long sighted enough to build first-class hotels.
Accommodation at present is at a pre mium, and hotels are reluctant to take any more guests.
THE cost of living here seems out of all proportion, and the variation in prices of various commodities is very confusing. Cigarette papers—a popular brand—at the local newsagent cost 3|d.
The same brand at two other shops is priced at sd. and 6d. respectively. Eggs may be bought at one end of the island for 3/6. Fresh supplies from Prince of Wales Island—limited supply only—are sold for 4/-, which is reasonable, but an other shop charges 7/-. Apples range in price from 4/- to 9/- per doz.
The Island Industries Board store under the control of the Department of Native Affairs, sells exclusively to the native population, and quality, range and price of commodities compare more than favourably with similar goods in large city stores on the mainland. Unfor tunately, smallgoods, fruit, etc., are not stocked, therefore the natives are forced to buy elsewhere to a certain extent; and they, as well as the white population, are forced to pay exorbitant prices for every day necessities. Exactly how high the price of fruit is on the Island may be gauged from the following facts. A carton of mixed fruit, bought retail in Cairns for 12/-, and air freighted up at a cost of 7/10, is still 50 per cent, cheaper than that bought retail on Thursday Island.
Quite a large proportion of the native population are employed indirectly by the Department of Native Affairs as ship wrights and labourers at the Island In dustries’ shipbuilding yards. These men are all members of the Australian Workers’ Union, and draw award wages, which, for shipwrights, is £B/16/- per week. Recently, it was found that the award was not being adhered to, and the Department of Native Affairs immediately rectified the error, all employees receiving back pay which in some cases meant in dividual payments of from £lO to £75.
When one understands the extent of the weekly payroll of the native population, it is easy to realise how important is the work done by the DNA to prevent ex ploitation of the islanders. Yet in the matter of high prices the Department seems powerless to act.
AT a special meeting of the Thursday Island Town Council held recently, it was decided to borrow the sum of £21,000 with subsidy for the purpose of concreting footpaths and the making of bitumen roads. It was also decided that the Council seek approval of a master
town plan to include all Thursday Island; and that the Council propose to the authorities that all islands contained in the Prince of Wales Group (20 islands in all) be included in this area of Local Government jurisdiction.
Death Of Jack Mcnulty
MR. JACK McNULTY died at the Thursday Island Hospital on Oc tober 4, aged 65. He was born on the island, his parents settling here in 1860. For many years Mr. McNulty, Snr., conducted the Federal Hotel. Jack grew up to love the Torres Strait Islands, be ing very interested in the early pioneer ing days of Thursday Island—then known as “Wyben”—and his collection of curios, souvenirs and manuscripts were much ad mired. In 1883 Mr. McNulty, Snr., deeded a large block of land to the Catholic Church and it was on this site that the Sacred Heart Church and Convent were built.
After the death of his parents, Jack McNulty, with his two sisters (Miss Margaret and Miss Katherine) carried on the management of the hotel, until the war intervened. The family then moved south, where Miss Katherine died. Jack returned, to do good work for the Army on Horn Island. After the war his sister returned, but both refrained from active business. He is survived by his sister, Margaret.
Personal
THERE is genuine regret at the de parture at the end of the year of Rev. Mr. Fisher, Church of Eng land. His sunny smile and friendly nature endeared him to people of all de nominations.
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Mr. Walter, late manager of the Island Industries Board, has been promoted to Investigation Officer, Department of Native Affairs. Mr. Waller, together with Mrs. Waller and son Peter, have re turned after two months’ holiday on the mainland. Their eldest son is at school in Cairns.
Mr. and Mrs. Mendis were recent arrivals on the Elsanna. They were ac companied by their son, Haymen, who, at 21 months speaks two languages, Eng lish and Singhalese. They expect to stay with Mr. Mendis, Snr„ for two months.
The wedding of Miss Cook, daughter of Sergeant Cook, and Cedric Thus,
manager of the Island Industries Board shipbuilding yard, will take place shortly.
Miss Cook, who was attached to the staff of the DNA, was presented recently with a handsome crystal water set by her fellow employees.
A permanent cure for malaria which becomes effective in three days has been discovered, according to the Chicago Herald American. The newspaper says the discovery resulted from a £2 million Federal project involving experiments with 300 convicts. The drug is still unnamed and is known only as number 13272.