Looking For An Island Of Your Own?

Although all the largest and most desirable islands in the South Pacific have long been claimed or annexed by one Power or another, there are still a few small and not particularly desirable ones available for anyone who would like to govern them.

The most substantial of these are uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, Conway Reefs nearest neighbours. These islands are shown on some maps as forming part of either New Caledonia or the New Hebrides. But they have, in fact, never been annexed or claimed by any Power.

Both islands are actively volcanic, with sulphureous steam rising from various points. Matthew Island is about 465 ft high, is formed mainly of basalt, and has an area of about 30 acres. (A sketch of Matthew Island, from a photograph, is seen above).

Hunter Island, which rises steeply from the sea on all sides and is 974 ft high, has an area of about 100 acres.

The Marotiri Islands, four small uninhabited rocks 725 miles west south-westward of Pitcairn Island, are also believed to be unannexed, although they are only 45 miles from the French Polynesian island of Rapa.

The other islands still eligible for annexation are either incipient or disappearing coral atolls, usually awash at high tide. The most notable of these are North and South Minerva Reefs, some 260 miles south westward of Tongatapu.

South Minerva achieved notoriety a couple of years ago when the Tongan yacht " Tuaikaepau” was wrecked there and her crew lived in a wrecked Japanese fishing boat until rescued three months later.