The Editor's Mailbag

Out Of The Past

Sir, —On behalf of a gentleman of Essex, England, who is compiling a family record, we are trying to trace the history of a yacht built for a member of the family in 1881, and believed to have ended up in the Pacific Islands trade.

Perhaps one of your readers may be able to let us know something of this yacht’s fate. The information in our hands reads as follows: Built in 1881 in England and named White Squall, she was 60 ft overall, schooner - rigged, equipped with an auxiliary engine, and ton nage, 97. She was sold and came to Port Adelaide in 1885, then went to Port Lincoln.

The last record of her as a yacht was her appearance in Lloyds Yacht Register, 1897. Following her owner’s death she was sold and, it was believed, went to Sydney. From the fact that she is not mentioned in the Centenary History of the Royal Sydney Yacht Club published in 1962, I am inclined to believe that —as was the case with a number of yachts—she went to Fiji, New Guinea, or some other island area as a trading vessel.

Can anybody help please?

R. Melrose

Public relations officer, W. R. Carpenter and Co., Sydney.

Sir, —In a recent conversation with Omer Darr I was told that if you want to find something in the South Pacific contact the Pacific Islands Monthly, because it is the voice of the South Pacific.

For nearly a year I have been trying to trace Jack London’s boat the Snark. As near as I can discover it is somewhere in the Solomons. A letter dated September 1, 1913, states that a Captain Briault of the New Hebrides was the owner of the Snark at that time. The letter was from a man in the office of Justus Scharff Ltd., in Sydney, who had handled the sale of the vessel for London a few years before. He told Mrs.

London that the boat had sunk at her moorings and probably her motors had never been repaired since she was raised. He said that the boat had been used as a tow barge but

probably would sink again at her moorings and be forgotten.

According to the writer the Snark at this time was tied up at a small island called Aori off Santo in the Canal du Segond, New Hebrides.

In 1927 two Oakland girls claimed that they saw the Snark in the New Hebrides. I also have reports that the Snark was blown on the beaches after a severe storm, and another report that she burned to the water line just off the New Hebrides. I would appreciate any information that you or your readers might be able to give me about the Snark, or about Jack London.

Russ Kingman

Jack London Square Association, 380 First St., Oakland, California, 94607

In Support Of New Hebrides

Sir, —I would like you to know how much I enjoy this PIM. Until last year I didn’t know this interest ing magazine existed. The articles and letters recall to me scenes and experiences in my all-too-brief con tacts with Fiji, New Caledonia and the New Hebrides.

The latter I particularly enjoyed for its beauty, its primitive charm and the hospitality of Hotel Rossi, where one had an opportunity to meet interesting local people, includ ing Mr. Reece Discombe.

It’s to be hoped, concentrated tourism never spoils the New Hebrides as it has so many other lovely peaceful spots. Travellers differ from tourists and see places and people in their true perspective and with a different sense of appreciation.

Vila is to be congratulated on its wonderfully comprehensive cultural centre. What a thrill it was to be able to see there an anchor from one of La Perouse’s ill-fated ships!

Vive Les Nouvelles Hebrides and its present way of life, Vive also Le

Pim.

PS. Hope to go to Norfolk Island in July as the result of reading an article in the PIM.

Christine Brown

Tumut,

Nsw

"Missile Base" That Isn't

Sir, —May I quibble, please, with PlM’s frequent use of the term “missile base” to describe the testing facilities on Kwajalein?

The difference between a “missile base” and a “missile testing site” may seem small, but if we think for a moment of just what makes the difference—warheads—it may lead us to believe that it is important to make the distinction.

A base, equipped with armed mis siles, or at least with the mechanisms which can arm the weapons within seconds, is quite different from a place which shoots off weather rockets one day and test-fires an un armed ABM the next.

I am not an apologist for the US military presence on Kwajalein. Far from it. Nor would I claim that the absence of nuclear warheads on test fired missiles renders them harmless.

In fact, it would be most interesting to know just which lucky pieces of Pacific real estate have had twisted chunks of hardware fall on them from the sky.

Still, I think that “missile base” is misleading, and that the distinction should be made. Kwajalein just doesn’t qualify.

(Mrs.) Mary Browning

Jamestown, NC,

Usa.

• It's still a quibble. We've said often enough that Kwajalein is an anti-missile missile base but that's too much of a mouthful for our sub editors, who occasionally revolt.

Life At Panguna

Sir, —Your article on Panguna, Bougainville ( PIM , Apr., p. 33, 34) concerning facilities available to the employees working in the copper mine site area could be misleading to many readers unfamiliar with the condi tions here.

The open-air movies now held three times a week in the European Camp No. 3 in the beer canteen which has a big white screen out side, are predominated by indigenes.

If a European does not arrive at the canteen 45 minutes before the start of the film he cannot obtain a seat.

Recently, I managed to obtain a seat with difficulty only a few minutes after the bar had closed on a Sunday night at 6.30. One indigene was sitting on top of six chairs he was reserving for his friends, and the film does not start until 7.30 p.m.

Unfortunately there is no control over the situation, consequently many

Europeans have stopped trying to watch films in their own camp.

The supermarket leaves much to be desired. You cannot obtain a pocket handkerchief, or a pair of shorts to fit, but you can, of course, obtain a motor-bike or an expensive Akai tape recorder.

The milk-bar has now been re moved from the supermarket, but I’m informed that in about a year’s time there will be many improve ments; the road to the coast will then be completed and people will have an opportunity to see the sea again on their day off.

F. Hornby

Panguna, Bougainville.

Missing Tongan Parcels

Sir, —Only about two in five parcels I post to my brother in Nukualofa, Tonga Islands, ever reaches him.

Naturally this is most disappointing and annoying to me. Smaller packets [ am forced to register but it is the bigger parcels containing clothing which disappear at the PO and are never delivered to him.

Complaints to the Post Office, Nukualofa, are ignored completely and I am writing this letter to PIM n the hope that at least the matter will be aired, and I hope, there will ne an improvement in the future.

Other Tongans have complained ;o me that this is a common oc mrrence, and many parcels are itolen/mislaid/vanish at the Post Office at Nukualofa, and this dis graceful and unsatisfactory state of iffairs should be seen to.

(Miss) Sela Latu.

Woollahra, Sydney.

Being An African

Sir, —What a frightening impres ;ion of South Africa readers must lave after reading the letter of Mr.

Gnza Clodumar of Nauru (PIM, Mar.).

As a South African I would only ike to say to Mr. Clodumar; Go to Jouth Africa and see for yourself if he African is really living “in tor nent and terror” in “a universe of lightmare and horror”; go and see or yourself what the South African jovernment is doing FOR the Mrican. After having visited Europe . can tell you that the black man in South Africa lives in better con litions than the white man in the lums of Europe.

M. Van Tonder.

rila, Hebrides.