The Editor's Mailbag

Witty, But Incorrect

Sir, —Your review of Austin Coates’ book Western Pacific Islands (PIM, June, p. 81) is over-generous.

I expect you to warn readers —at least as far as the chapters on the Solomons go—that many of the ap parently objective statements made are dubious, if not plain errors.

Whoever heard of yams and taro growing best in the shade, or would describe the vegetation of the Solo mons as “the stunted angularities of the equatorial brush”? And bird lovers will hoot at Coates’ statement that “the only owl one notices, and then only rarely, are sea-birds or birds adapted to long flight—hawks, frigate birds, an occasional eagle”.

Perhaps he himself did not see any others, but if he was sufficiently ob servant to see the rare eagle, it is amazing that he missed the parrots, sunbirds, kingfishers and of course mynahs that throng the gardens of Honiara.

A more serious error is made when Coates claims that “some of the people of Tikopia sailed even further west to settle on Rennell, where the same culture is found, but in a re duced and much decayed form”.

This is pure speculation and ignores the anthropological work that has been done on Rennell.

Writing rather hysterically about the Queensland labour trade and the termination of labour in 1960, Coates says bluntly, “By 1960 every Pacific Islander in Australia had been re patriated”. The facts are that for a number of reasons some hundreds were given permission to stay in Aus tralia and many others took to the bush rather than return to the islands where life tended to be short, nasty and brutish. E. W. Docker, in his well-researched book The Black birders, gives the total figure at about 1,600.

Apart from these criticisms, the book is certainly wittily and urbanely written, well-illustrated (from un acknowledged sources), and includes a very readable summary of Deryck Scarr’s important but fairly solid book Fragments of Empire', but to anyone who knows the Islands, Coates’ book is ill-balanced, partial and prone to exaggeration. For example, although the Melanesian Mission and the Christian Fellowship Church are handsomely written up, there is scarcely a mention of Goldie

and the Methodist Mission, or of the important work done by the Roman Catholic Church.

It is well worth reading but should not be taken as authoritative.

Finally, the price in UK is not $1.50 as you quoted, but £1.50 which for 349 pages is still cheap.

E. P. W. Marriott.

Honiara, BSIP.

Blue Ribbon For Judy

Sir, —Bully for Judy Tudor. Her article “It’s Not Much Fun as a Loner Any More” (PIM, Jan. p. 53) may well be the most honest travel article I have read in years. And I have read a good many.

Would that other so-called travel writers were as honest and straight forward in their comments. Instead, most of them take their trips “courtesy” of the airlines and hotel tourist establishments. The results are predictable.

She’s dead right, too, about the plight of the “loner”, the person who shuns the group madness, knows a bit more than the normal tourist about the country he is visiting, and isn’t interested in fancy bars, floor shows, and gadgets.

If I were passing out the travel awards, Judy Tudor would get the blue ribbon. More power to her.

Lyle M. Nelson.

Stanford, California.

The New Hebrides

Sir, —Many of the informative articles in PIM and other publica tions on the tourist development in the New Hebrides mention the fierce and complex feelings of local people over the plans of American develop ment.

I am one of those nuts who have bought property on Santo, and we are building our future around a desire to live in the South Pacific.

Many of us here on Okinawa are not trying to escape the US—we love our country.

I’m truly sorry that much of the news-worthy foreign words only

Because of pressure of space the choice this month was between Stuart IndePs “Up Front with the EditoP’ and readers? letters. The readers won.

discuss America’s problems, not her. beauty, spirit or sincerity. We arei not moving to the New Hebrides to get rich or to play in the sun— although neither would be unc welcome. We do hope we can builol and make a meaningful life thate will prove worthy of a pioneer, spirit.

I feel we can bring to the New Hebrides a rate of development imc possible in any other way. Many olc us aren’t rich enough to do it all at once, but we are all dedicated to: protecting the environment anoi keeping our developments “Island”" but with quality education, life stylea and self-government. We want to! teach what we can, build what we\ can and live with everyone the bess: we can!

I and my family have about two\ years to serve before we can comtr to the New Hebrides. We are usinu this time to study building, diesea engine repair, small home crafts anoi business operation. We may not neeoj to know much of basic crafts for ouu own life styles but maybe we can help others with these ideas.

Certainly development brings probd lems but it is coming to the Soutib Pacific (wanted or not). New modern cities, educated and industrious builders, and new ways, can’t b»c all bad.

I want to learn as much as po®< sible about the life and conditionn in the South Pacific and would likoJ very much to exchange corresponn dence with anyone who is kimr enough to write. Thank you.

(Cpt.) Derees Kince

Usastratcom Ll Bn Sup,

APO SF 96331 Okinawa.

Sir, —Just a quick note to say hoy much we appreciate PIM and especiic ally the news about the New Hebrides where many of us iii Hawaii have property, thanks to Mu Gene Peacock. We are looking fom ward eagerly to moving there in tbr not-too-distant future and, in thd meantime, look to PIM to keep us iii touch.

Geo. J. Scrantom

Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Nude

Sir; —I agree with the views o W. J. Hall (PIM, Apr., p. 33) com cerning the use of pictures of midb and semi-nude persons appearing ii certain advertisements in yon< magazine.

I am sure the majority of PIM] readers would think this unnecessam in your otherwise very interesting and informative publication.

B. M. Scott

Panguna, Bougainville.