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Pacific islands monthly : PIM

Call Number
N 919 PAC
Created/Published
[Sydney : Pacific Publications, 1931-2000
Issue
Vol. 2 No. 4 (Nov. 23, 1931)
Images
18
View Catalogue

Contents

THE Pacific Islands Monthly 1
SOLOMONS’ OLDEST INHABITANTS 1
Advertising 1
ALTERNATIVE ISLANDS CROPS Some Further Information WORLD MARKETS FOR VARIOUS OIL-SEEDS 1 , 4
" MASSACRE!” Newspaper Shrieks Over Papuan Raid THE SUKIS AGAIN 1
PRINCE THAKOMBAU Sydney Student is the Direct Descendant of Famous Fijian King 1
Advertising 2
LESS UNREST In Western Samoa LEAGUE OF NATIONS’ REPORT 2
Advertising 2
INCORRECT CHART NIUA-FOOU ISLAND 2
Cook Islands Trade 2
Tongan Bananas Big Contract With New Zealand ANOTHER LOSS TO AUSTRALIA 2
Planting in Cook Islands Big Domestic Crops 2
FIVE MONTHS’ DROUGHT Rabaul Suffers NEED FOR PERMANENT WATER SUPPLY 2
Advertising 2
TAHITI’S CHINESE Manchurian Trouble Upsets Plan for Exodus 3
Advertising 3
NEW GUINEA NEWS More Confident Feeling Club’s Enterprise 3
UNIQUE AERIAL TRANSPORT SERVICE 3
ERADICATING PESTS Solomons Problem NUTFALL REDUCES COPRA OUTPUT 3
Advertising 3 , 4
HIGHER TAXES Planters' and Traders' Sacrifices 4
ECONOMY DEMANDED Is There Over-staffing in N.G.? 4
PACIFIC ISLANDS ASSN. Support From Cook Islands 4
Constitution Adopted 4
Advertising 4
GOLDFIELDS LABOUR Generally Satisfactory PROBLEM OF DISCIPLINE 5
Advertising 5
THE BELL APPLE Luscious Fiji Fruit SHOULD COMMAND WIDE SALE 5
BANZAI! Plan to Penetrate South Seas ON JAPAN’S BEHALF 5
Advertising 5 , 6
The Word of a White Man Importance In Pacific Traveller Urges Value of "Good Faith” 6
SOLOMONS’ LABOUR SUPPLY Problem That Will Become Acute 6
Advertising 6
A Woman’s Experiences in the Solomon Islands Earthquakes 7
COOK ISLANDS Conditions in Group 7
Advertising 7
Pacific Islands Monthly 8
HOW AUSTRALIA " ADVANCES ”! 8
TROPICALITIES 8
N. Caledonia’s Population Census Shows 5,000 Increase Many Europeans in Noumea 8
MRS. E. A. WISDOM Death in Sydney POPULAR N. GUINEA FIGURE 8
PAPUAN SORCERY Sir Hubert Murray at a Demonstration 8
Drought Breaks in Tahiti 9
New Caledonian Sport Enormous Herds of Deer Chance for Riflemen 9
Robbery at Mauke Cook Is. Trading Co.’s Loss 9
A TERRIFYING EARTHQUAKE Solomon Islands Visitation 9
Rabaul’s Electric Light Ready Early in 1932 9
WHERE PEARLS ARE CHEAP 9
NEW GOLD COMPANY N.Z. Capital Interested Sluicing in Upper Waria, N.G. 9
WHALE OIL May Be Controlled by New Convention 9
PACIFIC SHIPPING WAR Governments Take a Hand Political Considerations 9
Killing Koster’s Curse Thrips Aid Fiji Settlers 9
Advertising 10
NORFOLK ISLAND TRADE 10
THE SOLOMONS Plea for Reduced Administrative Costs 10
New Broadcast At Townsville With Pacific Radius 10
News From Norfolk Island Glut of Strange Eggs—H.M.A.S. Canberra Strikes Bad Weather —Big Fruit Shipment for Auckland 10
Advertising 10
THURSDAY ISLAND PRAYS TO FASHION GODS 11
Advertising 11
FIJI PLANTERS The Problem of Carrying On PLEA FOR MORATORIUM 11
DICK ROCHE IS LOST Famous N.G. Pioneer HERO OF MANY EXPLOITS 11
Advertising 11
NEWS FROM NEW CALEDONIA 12
Advertising 12
NEW CALEDONIAN RICE France’s Retaliation MINISTERS’ FATUOUS STATEMENTS 12
WAGES IN FIJI How They Vary THREE CLASSES OF LABOUR 12
Advertising 12
[?]USTRALIAN NAVY MEN Praise From Fiji 13
NEWS FROM MAUKE 13
Advertising 13
NEWINGTON COLLEGE New Headmaster 13
Fancy Dress Ball On Thursday Island 13
Advertising 13
NATIVE DEBTORS In New Guinea FURTHER ASPECTS OF GROWING DIFFICULTY 13
Advertising 13 , 14
Electric Light For T.I. 14
A COUNCIL FOR NEW GUINEA Why Is Nothing Done? PROVISION NEEDED FOR FUTURE 14
'Flu in Solomons Deaths Among Natives 14
Tourists for Torres Straits Fascinating Islands Practically Unknown Queensland Minister Is Enthusiastic 14
TAHITI YACHT CLUB Determined Effort to Keep Afloat 14
Advertising 14
Plantation Discipline How to Treat Natives Experienced Official’s Observations 15
Advertising 15
Planter Convicted of Theft Sabine’s Sentence Remarkable Case in New Guinea 15
DISTURBANCES IN THE FAR WEST 15
HINDU TEACHER IN FIJI 15
Advertising 15 , 16
Asiatics in Fiji Interesting Experiment INDIANS’ ECONOMIC VALUE 16
THE HIGH HAND IN NORFOLK ISLAND That Dictation Test To the Editor. 16
Attracting Tourists Tahiti’s Bold Bid Abolition of Tax on Foreigners 16
Advertising 16
COPRA RECOVERS 17
BULOLO’S PROGRESS 17
EXCHANGE RATES Currency Gambles in Tahiti Trade With Four Countries 17
Exchange Quotations 17
Market Quotations Range of Prices 17
New Guinea Goldfields Tributes Produce £36,000 in 8 Months 17
Advertising 17
Shipping Services in The Pacific 18
Advertising 18

Text

THE  

Pacific Islands  

Monthly  

THE ONLY JOURNAL CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND TERRITORES AND GROUPS  

OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH PACIFIC.  

Vol. 2—No. 4.  

Registered ai G.P.O., Sydney, for  

transmission by Post as Newspaper  

SYDNEY: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1931.  

Subscription: Per Annum, posted, 6/-.  

SOLOMONS’ OLDEST  

INHABITANTS  

Japanese Entomologist to Visit Fiji  

MR. KUMITO, an entomologist of  

the Japanese Department of  

Agriculture, is due to arrive in  

Suva from Honolulu.  

He will spend one or two weeks in  

Fiji, his special mission being to study  

insect life which is hostile to the  

growth of forest trees.  

From Our Own Correspondent.  

TULAGI, Oct. 26.  

The oldest white residents of the  

Solomons, in the persons of Mr. and  

Mrs. Sam Atkinson, of Faisi, go  

south by this boat on much-to  

be-regretted mission of health. Mr.  

Atkinson requires expert attention  

and it is hoped the tender care of  

Mrs. Atkinson will be rewarded.  

Born in the Solomons in the days  

when white residents could be coun  

ted on the fingers of one hand, Mrs.  

Atkinson can relate tales of the most  

stirring adventure and early pioneer  

ing hardship. It is one of the heart  

breaking phases of the depression  

that just when they required the best  

of health to help them over the  

economic stile, these staunch old pio  

neers have been singled out for Fate’s  

unkindest kick —ill health.  

ALTERNATIVE ISLANDS CROPS  

Some Further Information  

WORLD MARKETS FOR VARIOUS OIL-SEEDS  

There is keen interest among planters throughout the South  

Seas in the subject of planting new, quickly-maturing crops  

which will give them an alternative income when the demand  

for their staple products falls away. Many inquiries for reli  

able information about these crops have been received, and the  

following article has been prepared.  

THE three most promising crops  

are castor seeds, sesame plants  

and tung oil plants. Bach of these  

produces an oil much in demand on  

the world’s markets.  

CASTOR OIL.  

Particulars of castor oil, which pro  

vides valuable lubricant, were given  

in our issue of September, 1931. Since  

then, inquiries have been received as  

to what market exists for this oil in  

Australia.  

The Statistical Register of the Com  

monwealth Government shows that in  

1929-30, over £23,000 worth of the oil  

was imported. Details were as fol  

lows  

Besides this oil, castor seeds were  

imported from India and Java and  

crushed at mill, which has been  

established in Melbourne. The aver  

age price of the oil in Australia at  

present is 5/9 per gallon.  

Not only does Australia provide  

big market, but, by reason of the fact  

that it would be produced by cheap  

native labour in the Islands, it could  

doubtless favourably compete with  

the products of other countries on the  

world’s markets.  

Castor seeds, c.i.f. London, were  

lately quoted by London merchants  

at about £10/15/- per ton. This price  

probably has improved since the  

alteration of the exchanges.  

Messrs. Abel Lemon Co. Pty. Ltd.,  

of Sydney, are prepared to handle  

shipments of seeds from the Islands.  

SESAME OR GINGERLY OIL.  

Sesame, which was dealt with in  

our July, 19 31, issue, is hardy an  

nual plant. The oil crushed from the  

seeds comes under the liquid oil class  

and thus competes with peanut and  

cottonseed oil.  

Inquiries made in Sydney show that  

there is very poor chance of mar  

ket being obtained in the Common  

wealth for this oil. Prior to the war,  

it was used very extensively here for  

margarine manufacture. In fact, the  

Pure Foods Act here, as elsewhere,  

stipulated that per cent, of sesame  

had to be used in margarine as  

“chemical indicator” —that is, in order  

to give margarine distinct colour,  

so that it could be easily distinguished  

from butter. During the war sesame  

oil was unobtainable in Australia and  

substitute became necessary.  

Queensland arrowroot was allowed,  

and now this has completely dis  

placed sesame in Australia as an  

essential constituent of margarine.  

For liquid oil supplies, Australia is  

catered for mainly by cottonseed oil  

and to lesser degree by peanut oil.  

Cottonseed is marketed by the  

Queensland Cotton Board. In fair  

average season, there is just about  

sufficient for the market, and in  

bumper season the market is flooded.  

In the last two or three years, only  

very small quantity of sesame has  

been imported—it is not actually  

enumerated among the imports into  

Australia.  

An Australian authority on oils  

states that he would not recommend  

the growing of sesame in the Is  

lands, if it was only with the idea  

of supplying the Australian market.  

However, leading technical oil  

man, in touch with the markets of  

the world, considers sesame in alto  

gether different light. He is of the  

opinion that world market awaits  

it. There is big demand for it in  

Europe, and the price of the oil at  

present is about £38 per ton. It is in  

much demand by the margarine man  

ufacturers, as in most European fac  

tories it is still used as an essential  

constituent for the colouring purposes  

previously mentioned  

Comparing castor seeds and sesame  

as potential crops, it therefore ap  

pears as if castor is preferable, be  

cause market nearer at hand is  

assured, whereas sesame would have  

to find market overseas. India is  

practically the main source of sup  

ply of both seeds at present.  

RESULTS OF TUNG OIL  

EXPERIMENTS  

As anticipated by this journal the  

Fordii variety of the tung oil plant  

is not proving successful in the Paci  

fic Islands. Experiments are now pro  

ceeding with the Montana variety,  

which does not produce the same  

quantity of this valuable oil; but it  

is thought that this plant will be bet  

ter suited to Pacific conditions. Even  

tually, it is hoped that by grafting the  

two varieties, plant suitable for Is  

lands cultivation will be obtained and  

that this will be better producer  

than Montana, and nearly equal to  

the Fordii.  

Disappointment will be no doubt  

felt at the failure of Fordii in the  

groups where it has been tried, but  

it must be remembered that the  

home of the Fordii is in the great  

Yangtze Valley of China, over 35 de  

grees north of the equator, where, to  

quote The Pacific Islands Monthly of  

April, 1931, “the summers are warm  

enough for such crops as rice and  

giant millet, while wheat is grown in  

the cold weather when slight frost and  

snow may occur on high ground.”  

The Montana grows in the region  

from the province of Chekiang, in the  

south-east, to Tonkin, and it is also  

grown in the Shan States of Burma.  

This is an area which, in its distance  

from the equator, approximates that  

of the Pacific Islands, being about 10  

degrees north of the line.  

To reach an equal distance south  

of the equator to the Yangtze Valley  

for the successful cultivation of the  

Fordii, one must go as far south as,  

say, Sydney. This argument is sub  

stantiated by the report that the large  

plantation of Fordii plants, on the  

Johnstone River, Queensland, is not  

making the progress that was antici  

pated. Again, the efforts of tung oil  

companies in New Zealand, Auckland  

province, to be precise, give every  

promise of being successful ventures.  

Here is case of Fordii thriving well  

south of 35 degrees. Florida, U.S.A.,  

where there are big Fordii planta  

tions, is about 30 degrees north.  

It is now matter of waiting on  

results of Montana experiments and  

seeing what the scientists can then  

suggest in order to secure better oil.  

Meanwhile, world market is  

available for tung oil, which is in  

growing demand as paint ingredi  

ent. Imports into Australia alone for  

1929-30 show that 139,967 gallons  

were imported, valued at £40,205. Of  

this China supplied £39,132 worth and  

Japan £751.  

The price of tung oil in London  

in 19 30 was £69/10/- per ton. It  

maintained this price for 12 months.  

DESICCATED COCONUT.  

The Australian market for desic  

cated coconut is now supplied exclus  

ively by New Guinea and Papua. This  

(Conti lined on Page 4)  

"MASSACRE!”  

Newspaper Shrieks Over  

Papuan Raid  

THE SUKIS AGAIN  

IT was announced from Canberra,  

early in the month, that radio  

gram had been received from Sir  

Hubert Murray, Administrator of  

Papua, to the effect that raiding  

parties of Sukis had come down from  

the upper regions of the Fly River  

and attacked villages on the lower  

part of the river, had killed some 17  

natives and had thereafter returned up  

the river with their loot.  

It was stated, also, that Mr. Wood  

ward, the Resident Magistrate at  

Daru, had gone out with party to  

investigate the position; and it is as  

sumed that he will send punitive  

expedition up the river after the Sukis  

with view to administering some  

sort of punishment.  

This is common occurrence in  

Papua. It must be remembered that  

only the eastern portion of the Ter  

ritory and the coastal districts of the  

remainder are definitely under Gov  

ernment control. The whole of the  

huge area represented by the north  

western portion of the Western  

Division is not under control and is  

absolutely untamed and primitive.  

Within this region are scores of  

savage and treacherous natives who  

have supplemented their means of  

livelihood, when occasion demanded,  

since time immemorial, by raiding  

their more peaceful and better-sup  

plied neighbours. The Sukis, on the  

Upper Fly River, are notorious raiders.  

White influence has succeeded in  

discouraging these raids; but that  

there has been so few of them in  

recent years is matter for wonder.  

It is probably due to the fact that,  

whenever possible, the Administration  

sends an expedition  

against the marau  

ders and prompt  

punishment is ap  

plied. Sometimes,  

however, this takes  

months to accom  

plish.  

Islands people,  

therefore, viewed  

with considerable  

amusement the  

shrieking headlines  

with which the  

latest Suki raid was announced in  

Australia’s sensational papers. It was  

called “massacre,” and an “upris  

ing,” and “rebellion”; and generally  

presented in an atmosphere of typo  

graphical excitement which suggested  

that the whole of the natives of New  

Guinea were up in arms and that half  

of the Administration officials had  

been scalped.  

PRINCE THAKOMBAU  

Sydney Student is the Direct  

Descendant of Famous  

Fijian King  

STUDYING at one of Sydney’s most  

exclusive colleges, with view to  

taking the Arts course at Sydney  

University, and thence going on to  

Oxford or Cambridge, is young George  

Thakombau, of the Royal Family of  

Fiji. (He spells it “Cakobau,” but  

the old-style spelling is the better  

known.)  

King Thakombau, great-grandfather  

of this young Islands prince, was  

very famous man in Fiji between 1835  

and 1870. When he first came into  

notice he was the supreme chief of  

the tribe of Bau, but he was rivalled  

in power by Maasu, Tongan chief,  

who had become head of the Fijian  

confederacy of Laua. There was con  

siderable fighting and turbulence in  

the forties, and Thakombau gradually  

became the supreme power, so that  

he became recognised as King of  

Fiji. There was much cannibalism at  

Fiji at this time, and Thakombau in  

his early days was noted as the great  

est cannibal of them all. The litera  

ture of the second half of last cen  

tury is full of references to “Thakom  

bou, the Cannibal King.” Later, he  

was converted to Christianity and was  

good friend of the missionaries.  

About 1858 the United States de-  

manded £9,000 from Thakombau as  

damages for certain outrages com  

mitted on American citizens, and the  

King, being much embarrassed, de  

cided to get out of his trouble by  

offering the whole Fijian Group to  

Britain. This was declined, so Thak  

ombau presently offered the group to  

the United States. America, at that  

time was busy with her Civil War,  

and did not even reply. There was  

another 10 years of turmoil and then,  

in 1873, Thakombau did succeed in  

persuading Britain to take over the  

group. Thakombau thereafter settled  

down and became highly respect  

able old gentleman, one of the trust  

ed native advisers of the British Ad  

ministration, and lived for many  

years.  

Thakombau sent his son, Joseph  

Thakombau, to Newington College,,  

in Sydney, and his son in turn, the  

father of the present George Thakom  

bau, was also well educated.  

The present George Thakombau  

proposes to study law at Oxford and,  

also, Colonial Administration, so that  

when his time; comes to follow his  

father as the paramount chief in Fiji,  

he will be well qualified to undertake  

his duties. He has an attractive per  

sonality and is first-class athlete.  

SUKI LOOK-OUT MAN ON UPPER FLY  

RIVER  

SUKI DRIED HEAD  

SUKIS IN THEIR PECULIAR TYPE OF CANOES  

PRINCE THAKOMBAU  

From  

Gallons.  

Value.  

Britain  

31,644  

£7,424  

India  

23,300  

4,162  

France  

31,915  

7,922  

U.S.A  

15,923  

4,737  

IMPERIAL  

RESIDENTIAL HOTEL  

221 DARLINGHURST RD., KING’S CROSS  

SYDNEY, N.S.W.  

FULL BOARD AND RESIDENCE  

Weekly, from 45/- to 63/-. Daily, 10/-.  

Management Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Edwards  

MISS JESSICA HARCOURT  

The beautiful theatrical and film  

star says: "I find mercolized  

wax invaluable and use it regular  

ly It is certainly very good  

skin cream being ideal under  

powder ”  

Follow the example of this very  

lovely girl. Use mercolized wax  

regularly for beauty. It is guaran  

teed pure and harmless it makes  

andkeeps skin clear, charming. Does  

not grow hair. Buy this best of all  

beautihers in 2/6 or 5/6 packages at  

chemist or store. Use it tonight.  

Splendid for freckles, sunburn and  

skin imperfections.  

Cite

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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627427

APA citation

(1931). Pacific islands monthly : PIM Retrieved March 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627427

MLA citation

Pacific islands monthly : PIM [Sydney: Pacific Publications, 1931. Web. 2 March 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627427>

Harvard/Australian citation

1931, Pacific islands monthly : PIM Pacific Publications, [Sydney viewed 2 March 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627427

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  |
  | title=Pacific islands monthly : PIM.
  | year=1931
  | section=v. : illustrations ; 28-42 cm.
  | issn=0030-8722
  | issue=Vol. 2 No. 4 (Nov. 23, 1931)
  | location=[Sydney
  | publisher=Pacific Publications
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627427
  | id=nla.obj-333627427
  | access-date=2 March 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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