The Editors' Mailbag

Edinburgh Echo of

Mangaia Debate

When Mr. Ronald Syme initiated a blasting operation to improve a reef passage at Mangaia, Cook Islands, a good deal of controversy ensued, in PIM and elsewhere.

A useless waste of money, said the critics. A useful development, said the Cl daily press-sheet.

Now a reader in London sends a cutting of a large advertisement in the Scotsman, Edinburgh, which, it is hoped, will not add to the warmth ol debate under the Mangaian palms.

The advertisement shows an Island beach scene—“grass” hut, coconut palms, flock of children— and “Mr. Aloysius Smith, Magician,” stepping dryshod from a canoe on to Mangaia’s coral strand.

The advertisement is for Imperial Chemical Industries, no less, and the legend attached is as follows: “At the South Sea Island of Mangaia the natives can now bring their boats right up to the land through a deep channel. That channel pierces a coral reef which has, since time immemorial, set a barrier between the open sea and the silver beach. Cunningly placed explosive charges made the channel —and ICI made the explosives and advised the amateur engineer who did the work. Now the natives, vastly impressed, point out other jobs that could be done in like manner—rocks to be split—palms to be removed. . .”

Rightly or wrongly, it appears that Mr. Syme’s Public Relations Section is doing quite well.

Pidgin's Champion Speaks

Although back at Cornell Uni versity, Professor Robert Hall, who wrote Hands Off Pidgin English, is still flying to the defence of that Cinderella language, across about 10,000 miles.

Someone signed “IM” reviewed the book in the Melbourne Age, and although we have not seen the re view, judging by Professor Hall’s re marks on same, the reviewer main tains that Pidgin is still a “slave language” nor did he like the literary quality of the poem and other Pidgin texts quoted by Hall in the latter’s book.

All of which, says Hall, is pure prejudice.

In the meantime, of course, Pidgin goes merrily on in New Guinea and whether it lasts or ultimately is re placed by straight English is un likely to be a matter of solemn academic judgment or Government decree from far away Australia: While it is needed, it will live.

The point about Pidgin that is hard to drive home to the un

initiated is the fact that, spoken well and in its native habitat, it sounds sane, sensible and adequate; while taken away from its place and held up as a horrible example by long-haired theorists, it can seem merely ridiculous.

Dr. Hall’s championing of it, from a place so far removed from the scene of operations in distance and culture, and at first basing his ideas purely upon theory, is surely the most surprising angle of the whole Pidgin controversy.

Brass Portholes in

Island Tomb

The many wrecks that occurred at Malden Island, Central Pacific, during its heyday as a source of guano were mentioned recently in PlM’s shipping section.

Mr. G. O. Gatehouse, now chief officer in the New Guinea trader Viria, has something to say about one of these wrecks—the Salamis— of which we had no detailed infor mation.

Mr. Gatehouse recalls that 30 years ago, when he was serving in Union Steam Ship Co. Island vessels, there was the tomb of a chief in one of the Southern Cook Islands. Set in the coral cement were brass portholes or scuttles from Salamis.

He remembers that on looking down through them the mummified body of the chief was visible on a table or platform.

There is no mystery, of course, as to how the relics of the wreck came to be at the island —Mangaia or Mauke, Mr. Gatehouse believes it was—as for years labour for the Malden guano workings was re cruited mainly in the Cooks, with some from Samoa.

It would be interesting to know whether the tomb and its relics, nautical and human, have withstood 30 years of the tropics.

Parliamentarians'

Tour

“Goroka enjoyed the visit of the Canberra Parliamentarians and would like to see them again,” writes “Highlands” from New Guinea.

“It rained the day after they left,” the correspondent continues.

“Goroka can use rain, and it also needs all the intelligent help which visits like this can give.

“Judging by comments made dur ing and after the visit, this team of politicians was both intelligent and observant. It was a welcome change from the bow-and-arrow collectors of the United Nations party, who seemed to be alarmed at the prospect of travelling by

plane and reluctant to leave th hotel. Worse still, some of the T people were not anxious to mt the native people in case they (i UN missioners) caught some u specified kind of disease!”

Hotels and Tourists

“I read the other day that a s'< room hotel being built at Honoli will also provide 50 ‘honeymo cottages’ in the grounds, each w, its own swimming-pool,” writes Suva correspondent.

He adds: “In contrast there; the diverting fact that Viti Le, registered saturation point in ho accommodation in July, when. d'J ing a week-end, available hotel bn in the entire island totalled exao two. . . In view of all the no about a tourist trade, someth] doesn’t seem to make sense son where.”