A good history, but it could

have been better

When that famous historian and indefatigable writer of Pacific Islands drama, Dr. A. Grove Day (Professor of English, University of Hawaii) planned Adventurers of the Pacific, the idea was com pletely praiseworthy.

Adventurers were in the North and South Pacific Islands in swarms during the 19th century, and count less stories have been written about them. Most of the stories were exag gerated and distorted, and are forgot ten now, anyway.

Since truth is stranger than fiction —and more acceptable by a new generation of readers—the time was ripe for the re-telling of the stories, by a writer with a real sense of drama, and a respect for the actual record. None is better qualified than Dr. Grove Day.

That is why the book is a disap pointment. The author has cast his net too widely. The title suggests colourful Pacific Islands history. But out of the eight sections which are assembled under the intriguing title, three describe the adventures of men whose exploits were confined mostly to Australia (the Kelly Gang, John Macarthur, and Mosquito, Brady and Howe), and two more (Dampier and Scheffer) are concerned with men who gained notoriety as navigator explorers rather than as Pacific Islands characters.

There are three sections (Emma Coe Kolbe, Peter Dillon, and the Brothers Rorique) which carry the full flavour of Islands adventurers.

Because they are written by a skilled author, and are based on the meticulous care of a famous his torian in assembling the facts, they are a real contribution to Islands literature.

Meticulous

I was intrigued, naturally, to find that the story of Emma Kolbe is actually a skilful summary (with conscientious acknowledgements) of my book Queen Emma of New Guinea published in 1965, and now completely sold out. Dr. Grove Day has added no new facts about Emma.

During my half-century association with the Pacific Islands, I have noted the records of many men who could be classed as adventurers with a lively or romantic history, about whom books could be written—

Father Rougier, for instance; or the Grieg family of the Line Islands; or George Murdoch of the Gilberts; or Marsters of Palmerston Island; or Steinberger of Western Samoa; or those outstanding characters who founded the Nelson firm in Samoa and the Hedstrom firm in Fiji.

Never been told

And there was Bully Hayes—a dozen cock-eyed narratives have been written about him, but the real, factual story never has been told.

The records on which the true stories could be based are either gone, now, or are rapidly fading away.

However, Dr. Day has brought into record a great deal of fascinating new material, written in a most at tractive style, and his book must join

his score or more of other books in the libraries of those who collect authenic Pacific Islands history. —

R.W.R.

(Adventurers Of The Pacific, By

A. Grove Day. Published 1 by Meredith Press, New York.) • The islands of the South Pacific aren’t the only places in the world to have real Islands scenery. Aus tralia has it too, as Horwitz Publica tions’ Australia's Great Barrier Reef shows. With colour pictures—of fishes, people, islands and balmy beaches—by Douglass Baglin and text by Barbara Mullins, this slender, soft-cover book, which sells for $1, is good value. The book takes a look at many aspects of the Great Barrier Reef, the mightiest coral structure in the world, which covers an area of 80,000 square miles and extends for more than 1,200 miles along the east coast of Queensland from just south of the Tropic of Capricorn to a point near the mouth of P-NG’s Fly River.

Mrs. Emma Kolbe ("Queen Emma") with Captain Paul Kolbe, soon after their mar riage in 1894.

4iss Mainer Lipai prepares to spin a disc on Radio WSZD, Ponape Island, IS Trust Territory. Each district in the territory has its own radio station.

Newly elected member of P-NG's House of Assembly, representing Jimi (Open), is 25-year-old Thomas Kavali of the Western Highlands District. Mr. Kavali, a gaol warder, was elected after the death of Kaura Duba.

The new Regional Representative of the United Nations Development Programme for the Western Pacific Region, Mr. William Hussey, arrived in Apia, Western Samoa, recently to take up his duties.

Cook Islands-born Air New Zealand receptionist Dorice Reid holds a trophy presented by Air New Zealand for the Cook Islands Constitution Day cele brations (July 25-August 10).

Marceline Badlwick, born in Mauritius, is taking part in the South Pacific Beauty Contest due to take place at the South Pacific Games in Port Moresby. Marceline, 20, is the wife of P-NG Electricity Com mission officer Denis Badlwick.

All set to combine music with football are these three cheerful representatives of Fiji Rugby Union at Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport. Jope Naucabalavu, Asaeli Batibasaga and Semesa Sikivou are among the Fiji team taking part in a six week tour of Australia, ending in Port Moresby for the Games. By late July, the Fijians had won four out of five games in Australia.

Changes at Trans-Australia Airlines, New Guinea. Captain Lionel Thrift (left above) —the man who has headed P-NG operations since they began in 1960—takes up a senior post at TAA's head office, in Melbourne, on October 1. He will be replaced by Ralph Conley (right above), previously assistant manager of TAA, P-NG.

Bishops who attended the Roman Catholic episcopal conference—CEPA[?] in Suva in June (see p. 44) were (left to right); Bishop de Corq, of Cook Islands; Monsignor F. Flores, of Guam; Bishop J. H. Rodgers, of Ton Archbishop P. Martin, of New Caledonia; Father N. Fox, of the Solon[?] Islands; Archbishop G. H. Pearce, of Fiji; Father L. Ross, secretary CEPAC and representative of Samoa; Bishop V. Kennally, of the Carol[?] Islands; Archbishop M. Coppenrath, of Tahiti; Bishop P. Guichet, of Gilbert Islands; Bishop M. Darmancier, of Wallis and Futuna; and Bishop Julliard, of the New Hebride.

Heavyweight Pita Fanene Maivia will be starring against New Zealand's Steve Rickard in all-star wrestling matches in Samoa and other South Pacific islands later this year. Mr. Maivia became famous among movie-goers recently when he played James Bond's "meanest, toughest and biggest" opponent yet in "You Only Live Twice". Mr. Maivia will be accompanied by his beautiful 18-year old daughter Ata (seen with him in this picture). From Samoa the tour will go to Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia and New Hebrides.

In a colourful and historic ceremony in Fiji, the Chief Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, was installed as Tui Nayau (King of the Island of Nayau) on July 8. Before the ceremony Ratu Sir Kamisese declined to be carried up the half-mile of winding path leading to the site where his ancestors had been installed. He preferred to walk along the path, which .was covered with masi and mats and lined by women from the three villages of Nayau (see above). At the start of the ceremony (in progress below right), lliesa Raloulou, whose ancestors had installed previous Tui Nayaus, wrapped a turban of masi around Ratu Sir Kamisese's head. Another piece was tied round his arm as the symbol of his authority. With the traditional bodyguard, Ratu Sir Kamisese was then carried back to Nayau village (below left). Two days later the Chief Minister was the centre of another ancient ceremony, this time at the village of Tupou on Lakeba Island, where he was installed as Sau ni Vanua (Overlord of Lau). Earlier, he and Adi Lady Lala attended an installation service in Tubou Church. After the service, they were led to a dias on the green for the installation [?]ceremony which involved the tying of masi around the Chief Minister's arms. In accordance with custom, Ratu Sir Kamisese [?]stayed awake all night, accompanied by three heralds whose task it was to see that no-one removed the masi. Later in the month, on July 16, Ratu Sir Kamisese and Adi Lady Lala attended ceremonies at Somosomo to lift the mourning of the late Tui Cakau, Ratu Josefa Lalabalavu.