Ambrym Volcano

Masses Of Cold Ash Are Worst Feature

By Oscar Newman, of Tism Plantation, Malekula, New Hebrid

IN an article published in Decei; ber, the Sunday Sun of Sydn said that natives of Ambr: Island, in the New Hebrides, w« fashioning shoes out of coconuts that they might climb over the la'j and try to stop the eruption of active volcano by feeding it w: tribal offerings. They were takii this course because they consideri the white man’s prayers had fail to stop an eruption that had be going on for many weeks.

It is a pity that the Press, wi its great facilities for gatherii news, should not check up on ti facts, instead of publishing six utter rubbish.

Prom where we live on Maleku we are only 25 miles from the vr cano. There is little or no lava 1 natives to climb over in cocod shells. It is the ash which hi caused the damage. Natives lain: when told what is in the white mau papers concerning Ambrym.

We have been within five miles. the volcano, in driving ash, whir made day as dark as night. Tl ash and cinders are quite cold the time they reach the groun save perhaps the hot cinders fallir near the actual crater. Natives Endu, not far from the volcano, o try to reach the crater, just to has a look, but failed to do so, as ti ash was falling too thickly for the to see where they were going. Aj it is pretty painful stuff to get in one’s eyes.

Plantations and crops had n been wiped out in December. On ti north of the island, Mr. plantation (which is the largest the island) is far from being o stroyed as yet. They are st< capable of reviving and bearii again in time, should the ash ft cease.

Tropical rains will soon wash ti jungle and plantations clean at bring life and fruitfulness to pat which at present are a scene of git; desolation. (Roughly, some 2,500 natives ha removed from South Ambrym. Mae went prior to the evacuate carried out by the Government, at in which Mission and planters o operated as fully as Governmoj plans allowed.

Europeans are not fleeing tt island in panrc. There were the island the following Erntj peans: Mr. L. Mitchell, of Ranot who is still there and who dol not look like a man in panic; tt Rev. and Mrs. Kirkby, who are str< on their station, not far fro' Ranon, and who have exhibits no inclination to flee; and Mt Walter McCoy, who left recenr from South East Ambrym tl cause of Government orders, ajs

cause the plantation at present not bearing. Mr. Walter McCoy ho refused to leave the island” unday Sun) has been dead four or e years!

Vlalekula has suffered more than i. Malekula is in the path of the >st regular wind here, the trade ad. We have had some seriously avy falls of ash. One day we had nps lit until after midday. And nave had numerous falls which, DUgh annoying, could only be med light, lasting for days at les.

Paama has had a bad time, both th ash and earthquakes. The v. M. & Mrs. Chiles, who have >t gone out on furlough, spoke of 3 island shaking from earthquake ;er earthquake, for hours on end. happens to be right on the line ;ween Ambrym and Lopevi, which a volcanic cone of 5,000 feet ing sheer from the sea, with am issuing from its flanks. It ipted badly in 1939, but since jn it has been quietly smoking its >e of peace. Paama has suffered ire from earthquakes than the ler islands. The earthquakes ; not serious ones, though rather rming at times. rhe trade wind picks up most of J immense volume of ash pluming m the volcano, but a lot reaches

‘ counter-trades and. descending

it goes south, is brought back on j trade wind over Epi and Paama. rth winds, fortunately few so far the south of the Group is con

cerned, carry ash over the islands mentioned; and Vila, 100 miles south of the volcano, has had light It is certain that’ the natives of as «ho^es When Permitt6d bV

The Secretary to the Western Samoan Government, Mr. J. B.

Wright, left Apia on February 23 for New York where he will re present the New Zealand Govern

presented

S’oKSSd’SSS " PreSe " ted