Castaway,

Sione, TokeSau Castaway, Is Going Home

Written in a Qantas Plane by R. W. Robson 1 SHARE a compartment, on this Qantas flyingboat between Noumea and Suva, with a 20-years-; old Polynesian, Sione, from the Tokelaus. British Consul Johnston was down to see him off, and tc place him tenderly in the care of our plane commander.

Yet, a few weeks ago, Sione had never been outside his isolated little archipelago of pretty atolls. (The Tokelaus are a few hundred miles from Samoa, from which they are administered by New Zealand).

Sione achieved fame by getting blown away to sea in a canoe, and being cast ashore, emaciated but cheery, 39 days later, on Walli?

Island (part of a small French archipelago, between Fiji and Samoa). He had travelled less than 500 miles in a straight line—he seems to have been blown around in circles.

Then he became an international complication. The French admin istration on Wallis Island took him over, and radioed about him, and finally after six months’ distressing argument, sent him by schooner tcc Noumea, over 1,000 miles away.

Noumea asked New Zealand whatt to do with him.

Frugal NZ fretted over him— how to get him home without rock ing the Bank of NZ. There is noc ship in communication betweenc Noumea and Samoa.

The French at last handed him over to the British Consul in: Noumea, to be sent by plane to the: Fijian Government in Suva. Fiji presumably will put him on a ship to Apia; and Western Samoa will send him off, on his last stage home* on the next schooner for the atolls..

Sione, an intelligent, attractive lad* tells me in broken English that he: was educated at the Mission school! in his village. He lived, during hiss long drift, on some food he had inc the canoe, on fish which he caughtt and on rain-water, received im occasional showers.

He seems to think nothing of his? adventure. I watched him a while: ago as we rose off Noumea harboun on his first plane ride, and he re gistered interest and amazement, butt soon settled down. He ate heartily/

of morning tea and sandwiches and now, wrapped in a red rug against this high-level cold, he is sound asleep.

Across the aisle are two good looking young Fijian officers, a cap tain and a lieutenant, going home after eight months’ service in Malaya—cultured and courteous men, bearing themselves with quiet dignity. Having heard Sione’s halt ing tale, the Fijian captain grinned ruefully. “That’s an idea,” he said.

“Get yourself lost in a boat. He has seen the world a bit more easily and cheaply than we have.”

To get home, Sione will have travelled some thousands of miles, by sea and air, and he looks well dressed and well-fed. Some day per haps we may have the courage to ask Mr. Powles, in charge of New Zealand finance in Samoa, how much young Sione finally cost the NZ taxpayers.

Mr. F. W. R. Godden, managing director of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., in September visited Bulolo, NG, on his annual inspection. He has been associated with Bulolo for over 20 years, and was on the goldfields when the company was testing for values in the early thirties.

Mr. Colin Maclean returned re cently to Sohana, New Guinea, after 10 months absence in Nauru as Acting Magistrate and Director of Police. Formerly ADO Sohano, he is now Acting District Commissioner, He was accompanied by his mother, Mrs. E. Maclean.

Island visitors to NZ photographed in uckland daring September (top to ottom):— Miss P, Johnston, Mr. W. Johnston and [?]iss B. Johnston, all from W. Samoa.

A group of Niue and Samoa people [?]riving on “Tofua”.

Mr B. W. S. Wilson, home after help [?]g to deliver the schooner “New Golden ind" from New Zealand and the Philante II" from England to Tahiti.

Mr. N. W. Palmer, SDA missionary from [?]ne Upper Sigatoka, South on leave after [?] years work in Fiji.