From The Archives

November, 1930

The breaking of

the drought

The prolonged

drought, which has been causing the gravest concern, has broken at last; sever al showers have fall en during the past week, and there are promises of more to come.

At one time, residents were faced with the possibility of no ice - a dire catastrophe as Messrs Carpenter and Co’s own supply was exhausted, and the Administration was obliged to conserve the little left at the old Government Ice Works. Fortunately, Carpenter and Co arranged that an incoming cargo steamer m.v. Talleyrand should bring 300 tons of water for their ice works and inter-island steamers.

Kava and the Major When we met the Chief Justice of Tonga,

in Nukualofa, he intro duced us to the Minister for Lands and then the five of us went to a lit tle cafe to drink kava.

Nixon and I had had a taste of the stuff over in the Cook Islands.

Nick said it was like washing water of the week before last, kept in a soap-vat and flavoured with pepper. I agreed.

But kava was new to Major O’Sullivan. The sound of the name tick led his palate. He had tasted many liq uids in many lands and in jovial compa

ny - he was eager to add to his experiences...

We drank. I watched the

Major’s face delightedly.

It changed from anticipa

tion to incredulity, then to \ horror and disgust. I checked C his hurried attempt to empty his mouthful back in the wooden mug

by whispering that such a procedure would give serious offence.

The Chief Justice was proudly show ing Nick the skin of his hands, when he rubbed it gave off a crumbly powder.

That, he explained, happened to all white kava drinkers.

Hindu Propaganda

The Pacific Press - a Suva weekly printed in English, Hindi and Fijian published an article in Hindi which was headed “May the British Empire be

destroyed”.

Then [translated] an article taken from an Indian anti-British paper where in were offensive passages regarding the attitude of India to the Empire.

In the legislative council, the Hon A

Barker was informed, in reply to his question, that the ; Government had seen the arti f cle and was considering the introduction, at an early date, P of a Bill, to provide punish- D ment for seditious acts and sedi ? tious libel to facilitate the sup pression of seditious publications,

and to provide for the suspension of newspapers containing seditious mat ters.

The incident caused some excited comment “on the beach”.

Pacific Islands Monthly

Established 1930