Nauruans Want Fraser Island

The Nauruan people will suggest Fraser Island, off Queensland, be made available to them as their home when the phosphate deposits on Nauru are exhausted in 30 to 40 years. They will ask the Australian Government to investi gate Fraser Island fully.

THIS was decided at a public meeting in Nauru on October 1 following the return of the Head Chief Mr. Hammer Deßoburt, from the UN and Australia. While in Australia, Mr. Deßoburt and two companions, Raymond Gadabu and James Bop, inspected a number of islands off the Queensland coast which they

thought might be suitable for the Nauruans.

Earlier in the year the men had seen Fraser Island and several others. The Nauruans had felt that Fraser Island was not suit able, but they agreed it was prob ably the most likely of those in spected.

Some Nauruan leaders hold the

view that it is best to press for a specific island, and then let the Australian Government find argu ments against it, rather than allow the situation to drag on.

Fraser Island, just off the Queensland coast from Mary borough, is 77 miles long, and from three to 14 miles wide. It has a lot of sandy hills but also a huge forest, some fresh water lakes and some excellent swim ming beaches. There is one large bay. The seas around Fraser Is land are good fishing grounds.

There are wild horses, kangaroos —and snakes—on the island, and small islands near Fraser abound in goats and rabbits. Fraser Is land is uninhabited, but is used as a camping reserve and is visited by tourist parties.