From the Islands Press

WHAT a pity it is that through lack of rain water cisterns all this rain is being allowed to go to waste. Over 120 inches last year and already 32 this year.

It may well be that when Old Sol comes north again he will chase these rain clouds away, then beat down on an again dry and parched land. Letter from “Plu V. L. De Looj”, in a Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony news letter.

MANY years ago our island, Niue, had a lot of customs and traditions such as native songs, blessings, speeches, organ ised feasting, legends. These customary things have disap peared and present day genera tions know very little, if anything, about them.

I am personally very sad be cause we of the present genera tion have not made an effort to ensure survival of our worthy ancestors’ customs and traditions.

A lot of us know that, from time to time* visitors from other places often ask what and which are our real native songs and dances. Dear elders and friends, it is very embarrassing having to answer, “We have none”.— Letter from “Fiailoa Tala” in the “Niue Newsletter”.

PITCAIRN Island is steep and rugged, and, as well, has a high rainfall. Under these con ditions there is a delicate balance between soil-forming processes and erosion. Most of the natural vegetation has been removed for timber, more removed for fire wood and still more by fires, some of which got out of control.

Under normal conditions the forest would regenerate naturally, pro viding a continuous supply of good timber, but another factor operates—GOATS.

The goats are not living on the glorious view, they are living on what could have been millable timber or fruit trees. Not only have they destroyed useful trees as they regenerated, but they have also destroyed the delicate balance between the soil and erosion, resulting in great bare patches of red dirt and rock, which could easilv increase in size.— Editorial in “Pitcairn Miscellany”.

BEFORE World War II it used to be said, with adequate justification, that law-abiding people could travel unarmed and on foot anywhere in the Fiji Group.

It was further claimed that except in unusual cases women of any race could walk freely in streets or along country roads without fear of annoyance or molestation.

Unfortunately, times have changed.

In urban areas, particularly, in creased drunkenness is widely blamed, but there are indications that this is only part of the “youth problem”.

Admittedly it is a worldwide problem. Fiji has so far escaped much more lightly than many other countries, but this neither makes things better nor provides a solution.

Unemployment is a factor, and lack of rational discipline is another. Parents must accept a share of the blame . . And then it can hardly be said that the influence of the neurotic “pop” cult, plus pulp publications, certain “comics” and certain types of films and radio programmes could ever make a firm founda tion for mental and intellectual stability.— Editorial in “The Fiji Times”, Suva.

THE Cook Islands are a small community and our popula tion, taken as a whole, would hardly qualify as “small town” in England or the USA. Our total population, in fact, would not even qualify us to be a city in New Zealand.

But there is one way the various populated places in these islands qualify as “small town” and that is in rumour and in gossip. Small towns traditionally seethe with such talk and with the accumulated hours of public talk and speculation on issues ranging from crop productivity to local government. This is a normal part of community life.

But what is not so normal is the constant nagging criticism one hears on all sides every day. The criticism is voiced by a small group to be sure, but often the small groups are the noisiest.

We refer to the Premier’s

broadcast ... in which Mr. Henry notes that he was approached by various persons with the question, “You have told us the problems facing your Government, when are you going to start doing some thing about them?”

That such a question shows utter ignorance of what has taken place and what is taking place is an understatement. Sure, Rome wasn’t built in a day; nor will the Cook Islands be transformed into something that they struc turally and economically cannot be in the theoretical day of this Government or any other.

It’s so easy to criticise; it takes only a bit of breath to push out the words. But it is a lot harder to do something constructive.— Editorial in the “Cook Islands News”.

PERMANENT officers of the Territory public service had hoped by this time that the pro posed compensation scheme an nounced by the Minister for Ter ritories, Mr. Barnes, last October would have been worked out.

The uncertainty created over a delay in the final decision will result in many officers with long experience continuing to seek a future elsewhere.

During the last 12 months the number of permanent officers has been reduced by 250, mainly due to resignations.— Editorial in the “South Pacific Post”, Port Moresby.

ALTHOUGH the hurricane that struck Samoa [in January] may have been the worst in a hundred years, there is no guarantee that a similar one will not strike next week. With this thought in mind one can draw some valuable lessons from the experience that has just passed . . .

If nothing else the hurricane emphasises the precariousness of the Samoan economy, based as it has been on three main crops, one of which has now been wiped out and the others seriously affected; If the country is to recover quickly and avoid once more falling into this unfortunate situation, the development of other potential money earners, especially tourism, will have to be accelerated. — Editorial in “Samoana”, Apia.