Was A Long Way

Solomons' Find Stevenson Relic Was A Long Way From Home

Back of the wireless station on Vavaya Ridge in Honiara, some Solomon Islanders started digging a garden for themselves and up came an oblong brass plaque.

A S it appeared to have an inscription on it they handed it over to the police. The piece of brass measured 11 inches by six inches and appeared to have been a long time in the ground.

It was cleaned and photographed by the police, who found the in scription read: “This seat is the gift of the Robert Louis Stevenson Club, Edinburgh, to the official cus todians of the grave”. A quotation read: To love is the great amulet which makes the world a garden, and ‘hope which comes to all’ out wears the accidents of life and reaches with tremulous hand be yond the grave to death.”

The Government decided to make inquiries in Edinburgh, and in Apia, Western Samoa, where Stevenson lies buried—and the Apia inquiries soon brought results.

The plaque was last seen about 22 years ago on a seat which had been placed alongside the track to Mt. Vaea to give visitors a place to rest during their hour-long climb.

The seat is not there now. Both the seat and the plaque had been donated by the Stevenson Club of Edinburgh.

How did the plaque wander from Apia to the Solomons?

Nobody can be certain, but both

the Honiara police and Samoan Police Superintendent A. Phillip have a pretty shrewd suspicion that it was a case of wartime souveniring.

Samoa 22 years ago was filled with servicemen, many of whom moved to northern battlefields including the Solomons. And no doubt the Steven son plaque went with them.

Samoa will now ask for the return ° f / , plaque, and a new seat will probably be built to go with it.

Vila Church

This new Presby terian Church which in July was nearing completion in Vila, New Hebrides, fol lows the attractive modern trend in design. The church replaces one de stroyed by the big hurricane of two years ago.

Photo: Reece Dis combe.