Deterioration

Dr. Jacomb Does Not Like To-day’s Islands Conditions

AFTER a lengthy stay in the South Pacific, visiting Tonga, Fiji, Norfolk Island and re-visiting New Hebrides, Dr. E. E. Jacomb, a well known English scholar and traveller, departed for Europe at the end of [August, with the candidly expressed belief that, in manners and medical the people of the Central rPacific Islands have deteriorated.

Dr. Jacomb is a barrister and a medical man—he holds two degrees.

He was a member of the public serv ice in New Hebrides before World War 1, and his book is still a work of reference on the Condominium.

His greatest disappointment was the lack of any organised attempt to deal generally with the menace of TB in the Islands, He believes that the scourge can be controlled by community inoculation, but he found that that procedure had been fol lowed only in Norfolk Island. No thing was being done in Tonga, New Hebrides and Solomons. “In New Hebrides they seem quite indifferent, and leave the tubercular people to die.”

Half a century ago, it was easy to travel around the Islands in ships.

Now, it is very difficult. The planes carry the passengers and the ships are much fewer—not enough for goods requirements. Because there were no ships, the Norfolk Island community (of which Dr. Jacomb vas one) was on very short rations nr five weeks—they tried to make >read out of things like manioc.

DUT it was the lack of friendliness that most impressed the visitor. ‘ln the old days, the new arrival vas given a warm welcome and reated like a human being” he said.

To-day, their one idea seems to be o get rid of you.”

Dr. Jacomb got no official greet ng worthy of the name in Port Vila, /here he once lived. So he went eeking his former native servant, who was still alive. He let him, without warning, in Beach toad. Kaltanak, now very old, re

cognised Dr. Jacomb immediately,

nd burst into tears. Kaltanak in ited him to his village, on Fila dand, and there the whole popula on turned out, to greet him with 3ngs and dances. Dr. Jacomb re eved also a warm greeting from the

Presbyterian missionaries (including many natives) who were holding a conference.

Dr. Jacomb remarked on the very high cost of living in the Condo minium—eggs in the Burns Philp store in Vila were 18/- per dozen—• and native labour was not available.

“The French sweated the natives in the old days” he remarked. “Now, the boot’s on the other foot. The native gets £lO and £l2 per month —and even then is difficult to engage.”

The only thing the visitor found to praise was the Suva Central Medi cal School. He said that this had grown into a splendid institution, with a fine record and almost in calculable possibilities of usefulness.

Its success was significant—it pointed a way for all Islands Administrations.