Mangaia Not Interested

In Visitors

(Mangaia Correspondent) MANGAIA, an island where alien settlers are not encouraged and seldom arrive, might be called the Tibet of the Cook Islands. In recent years incredibly primitive liv ing conditions have been aligned more or less with modern European concepts of sanitation and hygiene, but the land laws have not been relaxed, and there is no way to lease or rent a holding. To find accom modation at Mangaia is one of the hardest things in the world, and this information has been sent to an American who wrote from California about the prospects of a travel film in colour of Mangaia.

The wild, craggy scenery of the island would probably be effective in a colour film, but singing and music are at a curiously early stage of development. Genuine Mangaian chants are purely a cacophony, fol lowing no scale or rhythmical pat tern, and apparently evolve as the singers sing. There is no idea of parts and harmony, and there is no voice below tenor (or soprano) in range. t Imported potatoes in New Cale donia are to pay a tax of 50 centimes a kilogram. Revenue will go to wards reducing the price of seed potatoes for local planting. Potatoes may be imported only when local growers cannot meet the demand.

If Mr. M. R. Raymer, OBE, an Ad ministrative Officer in Nigeria, has been appointed Director of Organ iastion and Establishment in Fiji.

This new appointment rises from recommendations by the London consultants who are studying the Fiji Government’s organisation and methods. Principal assistant to Mr.

Ramer will be an Establish!

Officer (Mr. A. L. Baker), anctf J. B. Claydon will be Organiss; Secretary. li Mr. J. W. Ackroyd, princips Nasinu Teachers’ Training Co) Fiji, is going to the UK on LJ Mr. H. F. S. Hammond has t: over as acting principal.