North Gilberts wont self-government

People of the Northern Gilberts want some form of se if-g o vernment th]S was discovered by member of the Qjjbert and Ellice Islands Select Committee on a new Constitution, the Hon - Naboua Rateita, who went there j n j u jy to eX plain the present constitution and to collect peoples’ views for a new constitution. ]yj r Ratieta held public meetings at t he most populated villages and found the people keen to discuss constitutional matters. At all the meet- ngs? some attended by over 200, the dominant view was that the colony should be self-governing.

There have as yet been no detailed suggestions from the Northern Gilberts on how to frame a new constitution for the colony—but there have been plenty of ingenious ideas for a new name for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, including using the name of a local hard-working nurse.

A number of patriots don’t want the name Kiribati, a traditional name for the area, to disappear. On the other hand a fair proportion of electors saw the idea as a means of easing existing tensions in the islands.

Villagers at Tuarabu, Abaiang, came forward with the name Mweroa for the colony when Mr. Ratieta was there. He could not recall anything significant or historical about the name, it certainly was familiar. He learned later that the name belongs to the colony nurse currently work ing on the island. She works so hard, the villagers claimed, that she de served to be accorded the honour, Koinawa Village in Abaiang and villages east of Marakei came up with the more realistic and historical name of Tungavalu, which combines the two indigenous names known to the colony before the advent of Captain Gilbert and Mr. Ellice.