Delegates to Fiji Hosts

Gracious Gesture From NG Delegates to Fiji Hosts

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, May 8.

ONE of the highlights of the South Pacific Conference was the visit of more than 50 delegates, officials and pressmen to one of the most famous places in Fijian history, the tiny island stronghold of Bau.

During the afternoon a unique cere mony was carried out. Addressing Ratu George Cakobau, who had received the conference visitors and who was respon sible for the organisation of their lavish entertainment by the people of Bau, one of the New Guinea delegates (Waiau Ahnon, of Rabaul) said that his people had waited many years for an oppor tunity to acknowledge a debt they owed to the Fijian people.

The delegate presented a great coil of New Guinea shell-money (tambu) to Ratu George in recognition of the fact that Fijian mission-teachers were promi nent among those who first took the Christian Gospel to the territory in 1875.

“Your teachers found us fighting one another in a state of savagery,” Waiau told Ratu George. “They taught us how to live in peace with our neighbours.”

The gift was handed to Ratu George who insisted, however, that it must be accepted Fijian fashion.

He passed the money ring to two old men sitting with about 100 others. They held it with bowed heads, while a low murmur arose from the group.

Dr. G. T. Barnes, Pathologist in the Medical Department in Fiji, has been transferred to a similar post in Nigeria.