Solomons Battered

“Young Hurricane” Does Much Damage

Honiara, Feb. 3

WHAT has been described as a “young hurricane” struck the central islands of the Solo mons on the night of January 23.

It lasted until well on in the morn ing of the 24th.

Great damage has been done over a wide area, not so much from the terrific wind, as from the enormous seas whipped up by the wind.

The night was made hideous by the screaming of the gale, the crash of falling trees, and the roar of the sea.

Here, the last of the three jetties (bequeathed by the war) was battered to pieces and disappeared.

This “port” now has no jetty.

Power and telephone lines are down in all directions. Many roofs have been damaged.

Invading seas undermined part of the Residency. The Trade Scheme jetty, battered by waves and debris, collapsed. So did some of TS buildings. Many waterfront build ings are damaged by coral boulders and debris thrown ashore by the huge waves.

Battered by the eroding waves, the Bailey bridge which connected the remnants of the old Kukum wharf to the shore simply collapsed into the sea.

A ship has arrived to pick up tons

of scrap, stacked on the sho: now is going to have great 1

in loading.

All stations of the Mela Mission which have commui have reported heavy dama buHdings. Buildings and a pi jetty at the Mission’s HQ at were demolished.

Father de Kerk’s 20 years’ v Tangarere (mid-west coast, G canal) was wiped out in a few when the storm struck that n Father Wall and the Siste caped into the mountains whe natives are caring for then they lost everything.

The Catholic station at Av (mid-south coast, Guadal was similarly destroyed an mission staff, completely de: are sheltering in the jungle.

The Catholic Mission vessel Anna was wrecked on an isla Malaita, and the Govemmei sent a ship to rescue the Tan and Avu Avu missionaries.

Many coastal villages on tt Christoval and Ysabel coasts overwhelmed by the sea.

Those picturesque villages the Malaita coasts, built on i constructed out of boulders 1 coastal natives in the past 60 years, have been mostl molished.

All jungle paths are brok fallen trees.

Levers’ labour lines nea Honiara air-strip have bee: molished by the sea.

The flood in the Lunga carried away the well-] bridge built by the American There was no warning o storm. The day after the Fiji warned us that a dan storm was developing.

Tulagi Now In Favoi

There now is a strong and ing feeling among officials non-officials that a great m was made by high authority it abandoned war-torn Tulag placed the headquarters to\ Honiara.

Honiara has an airstrip, some land space around it Honiara emphatically is not a and BSl’s economy always v ruled by its sea transport. ' is a safe port.

If that “young hurricane’ come from any direction exce; west, we should all have washed into the sea.

The last of our wharves has What happens now? Do we fer the commercial shippir Tulagi?

Meanwhile, there is acute a: for the safety of the little Matoma, with Mr. Ernie Pi Up to February 3, there wi word of her.

Rabaul Tennis

results of the finals of the abaul Tennis Championship ournament are as follows: 's Singles Championship: A. 5 defeated R. Sebastian. 6-4, es’ Singles Championship: !gan defeated Mrs. Kent, 6-3, s Doubles: A. Squires and J. y defeated G. Leighton and k, 6-2, 6-2. bs’ Doubles: Mrs. Gilmore and Sgan defeated Mrs. Leo and jCO, 6-3, 6-0. id Doubles; A. Squires and lent defeated E. Wright and Igan.