Centre
p. 93 · Read in the full issue
Pacific Islands Records
History Exchange
Is Now Suggested
Formation of a society of people interested in the preser vation and writing of Pacific aiistory is urged by an Islands reader [who points out that “much of the [history of the Pacific has yet to be written, and much of it can Ibest be written by people who live within the area.”
I The reader’s letter continues: f “Many people and organisations are already interested in this field, but. as far as I know, there is no body of any kind co-ordinating their activities. [ “Individuals are exchanging ideas and forwarding material to libraries and other institutions, but we have no common meeting-ground.”
THE correspondent proposes that a society be established with i headquarters at, say, the Mitchell Library, Sydney, or the South Pacific Commission’s offices, and that it issue a small quarterly circular setting out developments in the Pacific historical field. [ “This medium would serve to keep Informed the widely scattered group pf people who are keenly interested in the subject, and would give them a. medium through which they can learn of one another’s activities and pf new sources of material,” he con tinues. r “The headquarters would be a meeting-ground for members and research workers in other parts of the world, particularly those who jannot visit the South Pacific.
“Such a society might also be mle to arrange for a wider public or books about the Pacific and so nake possible the publication of Forks that otherwise would not be jrinted. i“The first step is, of course, to md out what interest there would ye in the formation of such a ociety. There would have to be a inscription of some kind.” 117HETHER the correspondent’s rT proposal is feasible or not, there is no doubt that the idea ml appeal to many of those in vested in the saving of historical material that is in grave danger of emg permanently lost.
It may be noted that the South acific Commission is already doing aluable work in the field (August , Page 67), and has invited slands authors to submit manu cnpts, covering, among other sub- Jcts, Island legends, folklore and
actual-historical material.
If the correspondent’s suggestion i deemed practicable, the support , Commission and its Literature •ureau w r ould be a sure foundation n which to build.