From the Isands Press

AS a Solomon Islander I do realise how difficult is the task of restoring even our near lost heritage in the precious time that is left, but it can be done.

It has been done in New Zealand; why not in the Solomon Islands while we have the opportunity?

But do the Europeans who have come to help the Solomon Islanders really want to help us to become better people? Or do they come here to introduce their culture to replace our own heritage?

No culture in this world is perfect, but if we preserve our good customs with the good Euro pean customs and let the bad ones die out, then we will be a better people.

Most Solomon Islanders today think that to be civilised is to copy the European cultures and to forget their own. But it takes more than that.

If our culture disappears, we will be like people who have come to live here recently and we would have nothing to show that our people lived here long ago and we have a history. So we should keep and be proud of our heritage.

Most people who go to school today forget their good customs.

Where and when are the youth of the Solomons going to learn those parts of our culture that are still with us now and get back to the ones which are almost lost?

The answer to this question depends on the answer to the above question: do the Europeans who have come to help the Solomon Islanders really want to help them to become better people?— Letter from John Rofeta in the “BSIP News Sheet”, Honiara.

RECENTLY during the visit of an Australian representative sporting team to our town we learned of two lamentable occurrences: I.—A player was seen to steal from a store; regrettablv he was not accosted and was allowed to get away. 2.—A player shoplifted from another store; was chased bv the voung girl assistant and offered his choice of returning the article

or explaining to the police. He returned it.

Neither case was reported to the police, and this newspaper had not intended to mention either in stance.

Our mind was changed a few days later when the ABC reported that no less than 10 members of this visiting team had been charged in Goroka Court shortly afterwards with various offences, including thefts from homes where they had been billeted by towns people.

One wonders where such “players” were selected —at the gates of Long Bay jail perchance?

Here in Rabaul it is well-known the visitor is king. We love visitors; welcome them with open arms; need more of them. But it’s worth remembering that this is also a forthright town.

Send us visitors, yes —lots— but don’t send us any more of this trash.— Editorial in the “Re porter”, Rabaul.

Along-standing feud be tween two Fagasa families over land boundaries ended honourably and fa’a Samoa last Saturday when a public apology was made and gifts were pre sented at a meeting of the Fagasa Village Council.

Lagalaga Williams formally apologised—orally and in writing —to High Chief Alo for a violent inter-family rock fight that sent five persons to the hospital and three more to jail on October 30.

The apology was followed by the giving of gifts—keg beef and other foods—to High chief Alo by Williams.

Chief Alo responded with a public statement of forgiveness, not only for the rock fight but for a number of lesser conflicts related to the land dispute. Also present at the meeting were Assis tant Attorney General Frank Swett and Assistant Prosecutor Napoleon Tuiteleleapaga. News item in the “News Bulletin”, Pago Pago.

THIS Protectorate receives sub stantial grant-in-aid and Colonial Development and Wel fare funds from Britain and I am sure evervbodv in the Protectorate is most grateful for the thought

fulness and intention behind our mother country’s generosity. The complaint I have is that far too much of the money so generously given is not being applied to the best advantage. We see very little improvement in the way of roads, housing, increased agricultural production, airport facilities, air services, technical training, com munity centres, etc. What we do see is an alarmingly increasing number of expatriate officers com ing into the Protectorate and an enormous wages bill being built up, which, when the day of self government arrives, the Protector ate will not be able to afford. We see an increasing harassment of the small business men, an ever increasing burden of taxation, in creases in all service charges (telephone, rentals, cables, post ages, licences, etc.) and a general demoralisation in the Government service caused by lack of in centive, both to expatriate and local Civil Service employees.

I believe the lack of interest in the recent elections to be due to a great extent to the fact that people are thinking “What’s the use. We have no real say in the Govern ment policy. Our views are often ridiculed in Legco and nearly always shot down”. Government will never admit they can possibly be wrong and no real effort is being made to give Legco mem bers a real sav in the Budget.— Letter from E. V. Lawson, in “Trading Company Talk Talk”, Honiara, BSIP.

IN his report on incomes and prices in Fiji, Professor H.

A. Turner estimated that un employment in the colony in 1966 was five times greater than it had been in 1956.

The principal job-creating in fluences in the economy are now the expanding tourist industry and the investment by local and over seas firms in new buildings and new industries.

The continued growth of both has been threatened in recent weeks by work stoppages and by threats of more. If this process continues, unemployment must be expected to mount, and with it can be expected a high crime rate.

It is not a happv prospect and any elements in the community contributing to it have, and will have, a great deal to answer for. —Editorial in “The Fiji Times”, Suva, commenting on the increase in some crimes.