Islanders Abroad
pp. 41-42 · Read in the full issue
" Come Home" Call To Pitcairn Islanders Abroad
An appeal has been made to Pitcairn Islanders living abroad to return home and help the island out of a crisis.
YOU are needed,” they have been told. “Do you wish to see your island abandoned because there are too few left to man the boats and do the work around the place?”
The appeal to the Islanders to re turn has been made by the Pitcairn Education Officer and Adviser, Mr.
S. A. Kinder. He published it in the April issue of the Pitcairn Miscellany, a monthly roneod news-sheet which is circulated abroad as well as locally.
The April issue reached Sydney in June.
In his appeal Mr. Kinder said: “In 1934 there were 251 people living on Pitcairn Island. Today there are only 115 islanders here. This fact in itself is startling enough, but when this number is analysed, it is revealed that there are 24 people over 60 years of age, and 44 under 16.
From the remaining group there is a male working force of only 22. ‘“What a predicament Pitcairn Island is in, for on this small body of men rests the maintenance of the roads and tracks, the boats and the other dozen-and-one jobs which are required to be done. It is little won der that slowly but surely wild vege tation is taking over most of the land.
“How can this present grave situa tion be overcome? ‘“The first and foremost solution is that back to their homeland must come many of those who have left it.”
Mr. Kinder said that in appealing to this group who had left their homeland he wanted to point out that their departure had left “great areas of land” lying untouched and insects and weeds were thriving in these areas and threatening to over run the island.
“Do you wish to see your island abandoned because there are too few left to man the boats and do the work round the place? It is pos sible,” said Mr. Kinder.
“Give serious thought to these matters, for you are needed urgently, “There is plenty of work to be
done and a good living is availabl despite the loss of one or two ship from the present Panama-Pitcain Island-New Zealand route. At pres ent investigations are being made fo more overseas markets for Pitcain Island handicrafts and these we hop will provide a ready sale for all tha are produced.
“‘Come back. You are needed The more who return, the easier i will be for all and the future jo your island is assured.”
Statistics for 1961 showed tha at December, 1961, Pitcairn had hai 127 people, including 10 temporal; residents. During 1961 31 Islander had left Pitcairn and only 11 hai returned.
Mr. Kinder, in the March issue] c the Pitcairn Miscellany, urged Island ers to remember that “future genera tions would still want to live loi Pitcairn and therefore action shouli be taken against the pests such,a “that little green-backed beetle tha gets on your tomatoes and other prc duce; the wasps which are nestin everywhere and becoming a menac to us all; the rats and the mice; th coconut palms which are far fron being healthy; and the trouble in th oranges which makes them go brow in the centre and fall off before the; are ripe.”
Some of these pests were threaten ing the future food supplies of P island.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Clark, of Pitcairn, a[?] important citizens. Mr. Clark is the pos[?] master. They are photographed here wi[?] their family. Mr. Clark is brother of th[?] previous postmaster, Mr. Roy Clark.