The Editors' Mailbag

Something We Said

in 1940 An old friend, writing from Noumea, said he had been looking through copies of the PIM, and had noticed our article headed, “This is Not a Merry Christmas”, in the issue of December, 1940. Britain then was fighting alone, after the collapse of France. She had won the Battle of Britain, but the out look was grim, indeed. Our friend quotes back at us this section of the article; “But, at least, there is consolation in the thought that the spirit of our race has been proved, refined and hardened in this cruel fire of war. These people who, with such gallant courage, fought off the apparently irresistible onslaught of the, Hun, will not be content with the muddled, selfish organisation of society which ruled their lives prior to 1939.

They will—and rightly—demand the new world that already they have earned.

There is a bad time coming for pro fessional politicians, ‘guinea-pig’ directors, privileged nincompoops, and all the rest of the parasitical rubbish which has fastened itself upon our national economy in the fat easy days of peace. Sometimes, to this writer, the possibilities of the peace of tomorrow appear more terrifying than the activities of the war of to-day.”

“Your article was very outspoken,” says our friend, “but you miscalcu lated when you thought there would be a bad time coming for the ‘parasitical rubbish’ of society. They are stronger, and they have a terrible grip on this world of 1954.

Practically half the population are doing nothing essential to a civilised state, but the parasites are control ling the roost —more and more.

Where do we go from here?”

It is easy, now, to see what hap pened—difficult to foresee it in 1940.

When the war was over, the masses naturally rebelled against their gov ernments, which they blindly blamed for the gross imperfections of the pre-war politico-economic system.

Thus they admitted to power the Attlee Socialists in Britain; the New Dealers in USA; the semi-Reds in France; the Chifley-ites in Australia —and in the pathetic confusion thus created, the Muscovite Reds crept in and took the world by the throat.

These Socialistic post-war govern ments might have opened the way to something better in 1945-50 if the world had then been free. But the folk who believe in true de mocracy have no chance of cleaning up our system while there is an Iron Curtain across the world, and our fundamental freedoms are in danger.

Two Pools of

Red Prawns

Mrs. E. M. Ducknell, of Sydney (formerly of Korolevu, Fiji) supplies a new variant of the legend of the

“Red Prawns of Vatulele” (PIM, June, 1954).

There are only two places in the world where red prawns are found —in the pool at Vatulele (as de scribed in June PIM) and in a similar pool at Vatulailai, on the mainland opposite Vatulele.

A long time ago (according to legend) a great chief who lived at Vatulailai fell into love with a girl who lived on Vatulele. He told her he would go across to her and bring her a delightful gift; and he started thereupon upon a mighty task— namely, the building of a causeway of stones from his village to Vatulele.

But, although his love persisted, his back grew weary, for the stones he carried from the mainland were big and heavy; and he bethought him of a better way of conveying his gift. He went to the pool and, from the tree which grew there, he cut a forked shaft; and then he placed a couple of the red prawns from the pool in the fork and, with a mighty effort, he cast the spear from his causeway. It fell beside the girl, who was standing beside the pool in Vatulele; and the piece of wood took root and grew into a fine tree, while the chief’s gift (the prawns) fell into the pool and there established themselves. And thus we have the sacred prawns in their pools, and the fine overhanging trees, of Vatulele and Vatulailai.

Our correspondent does not say what happened to the man and the maid. But she does note that she personally has seen these red prawns, and they are different from all other prawns in that they have the habit of swimming on their backs, with their whiskers waving in the air. We don’t believe her!

Deductions from Sale of

P-NG Coastal Fleet

What did Commander Evans (lately manager of the P-NG Gov ernment Shipping Service, and now en route to England) really feel about the sale and break-up of the fleet? A friend sends this extract from an article written by him not long ago: “Though I am sorry that we did not remain in the Shipping business, as we were rapidly getting on our feet, I think it was a wise move of the present Government to dispose of the wooden vessels.

“From my experience of coastal ships in tropical waters, particularly in waters abounding with reefs, I am not in favour of this type of wooden ship at all and would stipu late, if I had any say in the matter, steel ships with slow-revving direct reversing diesel engines and not, as these ships are, fitted with gear boxes. The type of engine in these

ships is far more satisfactory and actually designed for use in a static role in shore commerce work and not primarily for marine duties.

“However, even the present ships, which have now been sold to pri vate enterprise, have played an active part post-war in putting the Territory on its feet and have given sterling service in spite of their teething troubles. The addition of steel masts and derricks, which have recently replaced the wooden ones originally fitted, will definitely lengthen the life of the ships.

“Shipping must play an even more important part in future develop ment and it is for the benefit of all concerned that ships are run by small individual companies and private owners, rather than that the big firms should hold a monopoly."

Calling Heinrich

Rudolph Wahlen

When Mr. K. H. McColl decided to leave the more strenuous business of the New Guinea mainland for the peace of plantation life on one of the Islands, he chose as his pre sent home Maty Island (Wuvulu), which is among the archipelagoes north-west of Manus.

Mr. McColl found on Maty Island, where incidentally he was a Coast watcher during the war, the graves of two Germans; but he was not able to learn anything of their history. So he has sent, through us, with a request for information, a letter addressed to Heinrich Rudolph Wahlen. Mr. Wahlen was the man who established a famous planta tion home on Maty in the days be fore World War I and he now is a resident of Hamburg—from which, incidentally, he is backing the claim of the Waria Syndicate against the Commonwealth Government of Aus tralia.

We have sent the letter on to Mr.

Wahlen. Mr. McColl has had the graves cleaned up and, if he can get the names he asks for, he will have them inscribed on slabs of coral rock, to be used as headstones.

And here is another enquiry for the address of Heinrich Rudolph Wahlen. This one is from young Bernd Lohse. Mr. Lohse was through Australia and the South Pacific Islands a couple of years ago and he has written an outstanding book on what he saw and photographed.

He is a close and clever observer of present-day conditions, and old Mr.

Wahlen doubtless will be deeply in terested in having a chat about New Guinea with his young compatriot.

Another Von Luckner Story

“Your readers perhaps are tired of hearing about the capture of Count von Luckner in Fiji in World War I; but this little episode, which occurred while I was in Suva, has never been told,” writes “Birk.”

“One afternoon I was walking home with Mr. D. R. Stewart, As

sistant Colonial Secretary, and he told me he was worried because Billy Caldwell, who was then Post master and Collector of Customs at Levuka, had telephoned that a lad had arrived from the island of Wakaya, 9 miles away, and reported the presence there of 4 or 5 Ger mans, in naval uniform. Stewart said that the Governor and the C.

S. rather ridiculed the idea. How ever, Caldwell rang repeatedly and assured them it was true, and asked the C.S. for permission to take a party over in the Customs lifeboat.

“While Caldwell was waiting for a reply, the AUSN Co’s vessel, S.S.

Amra arrived. Caldwell asked the Captain if he would arrange with his agent in Suva to take the ship to Wakaya. The Captain said he would not have sufficient coal to go there, and on to Suva. Caldwell then suggested to Stewart that he make arrangements for the Amra’s agents to take some coal from the hulk at Levuka—the coal to be re placed later, if necessary.

And that is how the Amra got away to Wakaya, with about six native policemen and a European Officer, just in time to prevent Von Luckner from escaping.

“All credit should go to Mr. D. R.

Stewart and Mr. William Caldwell, both of whom have since gone hence.”

How Deer Got To

Wakaya Island

Reference to Mrs. Langdale’s death (Jan. PIM) and to Captain Langdale and Wakaya (Fiji) recalls other days of early Fiji, and my father’s connection with the island (writes Mrs. Lilian Hazard, of Magnetic Is., Q.) My father, H. H. Steinmetz, first met Captain Langdale when the latter was serving in HMS Sapphire, in Sydney. Father was then in the course of what we call a Grand Tour. This was in 1877; and in 1879 he came out from England to join Langdale and a Captain H.

Olive, as a partner on Wakaya Island.

Their original intention was to make the island a sportman’s paradise. I am afraid they were 60 years too soon in this venture, which was not a success. The deer they introduced became a pest to later owners of the island, although the deer provided sport for many in later years.

Captain Langdale became a Dis trict administrator. Captain Olive (RM), before his coconut planting days, was Commandant of Native Constabulary in Fiji, and arrived with the first Governor (Sir Arthur Gordon) in June, ’75. I do not know what happened to him.

By patrimony, my father was a Freeman of the City of London.

His German surname had been on

the register of the Grocers’ Com pany, in London, since Adam Stein metz was admitted in 1780. Father was an old Harrovian.

After the Wakaya venture, and a few years’ trading, he bought Munia, one of the loveliest islands in the Lau Group. He died nearly 20 years ago.