It's The Real Thing

In The Gilbert

And Ellice Group

From a Tarawa Correspondent So the “real Pacific” is no more? So life in the South Seas has become urbane? So you can’t tell Sigatoka from Sydney or Auckland from Abemama?

WELL, it may be true of some of the South Seas but it certainly isn’t true of the far flung Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. Here is a last minute round-up of local news, quoted directly from the official Colony Information Notes, and selected for no other reason than that the items really do picture life as it is in this part of the world: A USAF transport aircraft with doctor and nurse aboard came to the Line Islands on December 23 to take Nei Bineba Kabuta and overseer Tekonau to hospital in Honolulu for a variety of severe illnesses after a week of frantic telegrams which kept the senior wireless operator, Toti Ataia, of Maiana, up all night with the power on at least twice.

The airplane stayed only a quarter of an hour while the patients were transferred from the truck by a hoist.

Many thanks are due to the Medical Department for their ready and swift aid. ☆ ☆ ☆ Christmas came to Christmas Island with a heavy westerly swell beating on the exposed side of the island, which gave fear for the plantation jetty, so that copra stacked on the end awaiting South bank was brought back. A tree fell on the same day in the motor pool between two Land-Rovers parked two feet apart. Not only was no one hurt but neither car was so much as scratched!

Many parties were held over Christmas, arrangements being made at the last minute since it was re ported that Southbank was due on Christmas Eve. Two men were arrested for drunkenness; one is Berenato, of Nukunau, who had put a fist through a soft board wall in the new single quarters; the other was Boborau, also of Nukunau. ☆ ☆ ☆

Southbank had been unable to load at Washington Island since December 21, owing to exceptionally heavy swell. She was reported to have been driven ashore at 7 a.m. on December 26 and in the ensuing attempts to get her off, and later to evacuate 63 crew and passengers including two ladies, the Second Officer, William Mackintosh, was drowned and several of the boatmen were injured when a surf boat was smashed against her side. Among them were Aroika Uereti, of Arorae, loane Kabeia, of Nonouti, and Borauea Tereano, of Arorae.

By 1500 hours, the same day, she had been abandoned as a total loss and by this time had been driven to only 50 yards from the shore.

All others were taken off safely and the vessel began to break up.

All Christmas Island cargo with the possible exception of the new surf boat is feared lost and the fate of the mail was uncertain though hopeful as the vessel was reported high on the reef. Mail was later got ashore as seas moderated, although in very wet and damaged condition.

The funeral service was conducted by Pastor Kireata Pine, of the London Missionary Society.

On December 28 a US coast guard aircraft from Honolulu arrived over Washington and offered to parachute a doctor, but this was refused, being considered un necessary. A coast guard cutter is expected to arrive at Washington Island today.

Salvage of Southbank is reported impracticable but it is thought some of the cargo may yet be saved and

Nurse From Nauru

Attractive Sister Lucy Keke shown here with a young charge in the Nauru Hospital, is the first Nauruan to obtain a general nursing certificate in Australia.

This year she will return to Australia to take her obstetrics certificate. Sister Keke has a sister. Sunshine, who is a trained school teacher, and her brother Ludwig is doing his final year dentistry in Bris bane this year.

experts are said to be on their way from Australia. Moderating weather has much improved situation and hopes.

All preparations made for South bank at Christmas Island are now being unmade and stacks of copra are being once more hidden in the sheds. The plagues of copra bugs of all sorts continue. ☆ ☆ ☆ Mechanic Sireli had an unusual Christmas present when he officially christened his new septic tank on Christmas morning. Previously he had had to “make do”. Foreman Tebae is pushing on the completion of his model. ☆ ☆ ☆ Jan De Cockaigne reports how one night recently the Colony vessel Moana Raoi was 20 miles south of Butaritari on passage to Marakei.

Dusk was falling gently over a calm sea, reddening in the afterglow of the setting run. Suddenly the horrifying shout of “pig overboard” was heard.

The crew reacted with seaman like alacrity to the news that Lulu the sow, and prospective Christmas dinner, was swiftly vanishing astern into the darkening sea. The crimson shot waves became suddenly sinister.

The helm was put over, the ship slowed. Men stood on the rail poised to leap over the side. Ropes were coiled handy.

For a moment Lulu was lost to view in the dark blue swell, but was then seen swimming bravely—but away from the ship. With helm hard over and bare way upon her Moana Raoi slowly closed. With a splash, Tirerei, OS, plunged over board from the port side. The sow changed direction and swam round the bow with Tirerei in pursuit.

The rudder was put hard over the other way.

Tirerei closed and grasped Lulu who now struggled in panic, but he seized her and drew her towards the ship. Over the side went Tekeu, ship’s cook, as the telegraph clanged slow astern. Then many willing hands helped rescued and rescuers back on board.

Lulu clearly was in a bad way.

Mouth to mouth resuscitation was mooted. However, two stalwarts, one on each side, grasped her hind legs and Lulu swung like a pendulum with water pouring out of ears, nose and mouth. An ear splitting squeal announced the treat ment efficacious, and that Lulu felt the indignity not to say the

immodesty of the position for a young lady of breeding. Meanwhile the vessel regained her course, engines were rung away and dark ness fell, closing another episode of gallantry on the high seas. ☆ ☆ ☆ This week the Magistrate of Nukulaelae put two men into prison for an offence of which he thought they were guilty. The assessors had actually found the accused not guilty. Both men were released after one of them had sent a tele gram to the District Commissioner complaining of the treatment they had suffered. ☆ ☆ ☆ The Medical Department reports: “The thin layer of personal medical service was spread fairly widely in 1964. For the first time in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony nine large islands (and Tarawa) have resident doctors, so that over 60 per cent, of the Colony’s popula tion can now get medical care with out swimming for it. Even the amount of walking required has been cut down in a number of atolls by new systems of village clinics visited regularly by doctors and nurses who have acquired motor cycles or boat engines. One would still rather have appendicitis in Bairiki than in Beru, but the situation has improved this year”.

Ng Was There

Married in Hong Kong on Christmas Day were Mr. Leong Kwong-Hon, of Rabaul, and Miss Yee Yuk-King. Of the 200 guests at the reception 25 were New Guinea people, including Mr. Chin H. Meen, of Rabaul, who took the photograph.