Pacific islands monthly : PIM

Call Number
N 919 PAC
Created/Published
[Sydney : Pacific Publications, 1931-2000
Issue
Vol. 2 No. 1 (Aug. 22, 1931)
Images
18
View Catalogue

Contents

THE Pacific Islands Monthly 1
CHINESE LABOUR Complaints In Samoa INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS 1
Advertising 1
LEVUKA May no Longer be Port of Entry Protests Against Economy Suggestion 1
T.I.’S ELECTRIC LIGHT Crowning 20 Years’ Effort 1
PAPUA’S SUBSIDY Cut By £lO,OOO 1
RABAUL RESIDENTS GO NORTH 1
TAHITI AND THE “BOOTLEGGERS” A Sensational Story LIQUOR TRANSHIPMENT BUSINESS 1
Influenza Epidemic at Rabaul 1
N. G. Goldfield Is Strangled By Transport Costs Why Has No Road Been Built? Administration’s Laissez Faire Policy May Seriously Affect Future of Territory 1 , 2
Advertising 2
MELANESIA CO. Progress of Transfer to B.P. Interests 2
Papuan Council Meets 2
Papuan Labour Supply Exceeds the Demand Indenture System Discussed 3
SOME RELIEF For Solomon Islands High Commissioner’s Decisions 3
PROTECTION SOUGHT For Cook Is. Fruit N. ZEALAND CONSIDERING 3
Tongan Vegetables Plea For New Markets 3
Advertising 3 , 4
COOK ISLANDS Visit of N.Z. Flagship From Our Own Correspondent 4
MR. LEO GORS Death in Papua 4
NOTES FROM TONGA Parliament Opens Further Taxation Mooted Big Fish at Vavau 4
Advertising 4
The “Maui Pomare” Government Will Not Sell Claims On Behalf of Service 5
PACIFIC AERIAL CO. Standardising On Fokkers 5
NEW GUINEA GOLD Industry’s Prospects Geologist Says It Is Good for 20 Years 5
Advertising 5
Patrols Increased On Morobe Goldfields PEACEFUL PENETRATION METHODS 5
SET OF CURRENTS In Torres Straits INTERESTING DISCOVERIES 5
Advertising 5 , 6
COOK ISLAND ORANGES 6
PACIFIC IS. ASSOCIATION MOVEMENT LAUNCHED IN SYDNEY 6
N. GUINE A’S LIQUOR DILI Good Customers of Australia 6
Advertising 6
EASTERN POLYNESIA Mecca of Big-game Fishermen – Trading Conditions – July Fetes Were Dull This Year 7
Advertising 7
SPECIAL FLYTRAP Successful Experiments 7
Advertising 7
Pacific Islands Monthly 8
CHINESE IN SAMOA 8
TROPICA LUTES 8
In and About the Islands 8
Notable People of the Pacific 8
Samoa’s Shipping Service 8
SHIPPING REARRANGEMENT B.P. MAY INVADE N. CALEDONIA NORFOLK ISLAND IN LUCK’S WAY 9
NEW GUINEA ’PLANES Refusal to Insure Single-Engined Type 9
QUEEN SALOTE OF TONGA 9
PHOSPHATE TRADE Nauru and Ocean Island Feel Depression 9
PILOT TRIST Body and Plane Found Near Wampit 9
N.I. AFFAIRS Federal Aid to End? SOME ISLANDERS FAVOUR INDEPENDENCE 9
Administration Economy N.G. Planters’ Requests Civil Servants’ Discussion 9
Japanese Shell Poacher Captured in New Guinea After a Long Chase 9
TROPHY FOR RABAUL 9
MR. D’ALPUGET Death of Islands Identity HEROISM DURING ’FLU EPIDEMIC 9 , 12
Advertising 10
NORFOLK ISLAND TRADE 10
INTER-ISLAND WIRELESS Small, Portable Sets for Short Transmission A PLAN FOR TORRES STRAITS 10
Conquering Leprosy What Nauru is Doing Steady Decline In Cases 10
Water Shortage Feared Port Moresby’s Low Rainfall 10
Advertising 10
PLEA FOR PEACE IN SAMOA Study of 40 Years History May Assist Administrator in Solving Problem 11 , 12
Advertising 11 , 12
N. Guinea News Earth Tremors Continue—Landslides at Aitape 12
LABOUR CONDITIONS New Regulations in Papua EMPLOYERS’ OBJECTIONS 12
BREMERHAVEN PLANTERS RADIO TO PRIME MINISTER ISSUES SOMEWHAT MIXED 12
RADIO POPULAR IN COOK ISLANDS 12
WESTERN SAMOA The Need for Peace – Causes of Political Unrest – Copra and Bananas 13
WHALE OIL Market in Chaotic Condition Future Effect on Copra 13
Advertising 13
Advertising 14
THE LOST £500 Detective Fails to Find Mysterious Thief 14
Advertising 14
THURSDAY IS. NOTES Motor Car Boom Marine Products Fluctuate 14
NATIVE DEBTORS Papuan Law Criticised COMPARISON WITH TONGA 14
PAPUAN CUSTOMS REVENUE 14
Advertising 14
NEW GUINEA BANK FIGURES 15
Advertising 15
PAPUAN NEWS 15
EVENTS IN NEW CALEDONIA 15
Advertising 15 , 16
Rabaul Social Notes 16
Advertising 16
NEWSLETTER FROM FIJI INDIAN COMMUNITY NOW MORE CONTENTED FIJI'S COST OF LIVING—THE THREAT TO LEVUKA—BOY SCOUT ENTHUSIASM— UNION CO. VERSUS MATSON. 16
PARASITES SAVE ORANGE TREES 16
TUNG OIL Where Trees Are Being Cultivated Scientist’s Interesting Lecture 16
MIXED RACES Chinese in Tahiti 16
Advertising 16
PRODUCTS OF THE SOUTH SEAS Copra Affected by Unsettled European Finance 17
CARPENTER & CO. Annual Report 17
Advertising 17
Exchange Quotations 17
N. GUINEA GOLD SHARE MARKET 17
Market Quotations Range of Prices 17
N. G. Goldfields Development Proceeding Power Plant and Mill Due Shortly 17
Advertising 17
Shipping Services in The Pacific 18
PACIFIC ISLANDS YEAR-BOOK 18
S.S. LAPEROUSE Smaller Steamer for the New Hebrides? 18
Advertising 18

Text

THE  

Pacific Islands  

Monthly  

THE ONLY JOURNAL CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND TERRITORIES AND GROUPS  

OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH PACIFIC.  

Vol. — No.  

Registered at G.P.O., Sydney, for  

transmission by Post as Newspaper  

SYDNEY: SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1931  

Single Copy, 6d.  

Per Annum, posted, 0/-.  

CHINESE LABOUR  

Complaints In Samoa  

INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL  

PROBLEMS  

From Our Own Correspondent  

APIA, July 15.  

GREAT problem for the European  

planters of Samoa has always  

been that of labour.  

The present rate of wages for the  

Chinese coolie is 3/- day, and over  

head expenses of about 15/- month.  

The planters consider that these wages  

are far too high in comparison with  

other cocoa-producing countries, and  

that the Chinese coolies:have of late  

years grown less and less efficient.  

The newly founded Planters’ Associ  

ation of Samoa is trying to get  

cheaper and more efficient labour im  

ported; but, so far, there are no  

prospects of success.  

Many planters have had to reduce  

their labour staffs and as result  

few hundred coolies are unemployed  

at present. They are loafing about in  

the Chinese quarters of Apia and only  

recently coolie was knifed by an  

other in one of the gambling and  

opium-smoking dens and fatally in  

jured. The police seem to benevolently  

overlook the existence of the Chinese  

slums and there are no raids nor any  

effort made to clean the vice out.  

complaint of long standing is that  

nearly 100 of the Chinese coolies who  

were brought to Samoa for the sole  

purpose of providing plantation lab  

our, have been granted the rights of  

settlers by the administration, and are  

free of the obligation to return to  

China. These so-called “free restricted  

settlers” have taken up all kinds of  

trades and professions — taxi-owners,  

lorry drivers, salesmen, peddlers, bak  

ers, mechanics, refreshment room  

owners, etc./ and they constitute  

serious competition to Europeans and  

half-castes, which is keenly resented.  

Strenuous efforts are being made to  

induce the Government to repatriate  

these Chinese at time when so many  

settlers are out of employment, but  

the administration has refused to ac  

cede to these requests.  

Chinese transport is expected in  

September next, to bring 200 new  

coolies and take about 400 old and  

time-expired coolies back to China.  

Many of the latter have been living  

with Samoan women and have num  

erous offspring. These women and  

children will have to return to their  

Samoan relations, and it is extremely  

doubtful whether they will find  

hearty welcome there in these hard  

times.  

LEVUKA  

May no Longer be Port  

of Entry  

Protests Against Economy  

Suggestion  

FROM various sources it is reported  

that movement is on foot to close  

the port of Levuka, Fiji, as port  

of entry. This action is proposed on  

the grounds of economy.  

The Auckland Star recently stated:  

“There is strong rumour that the Gover  

nor thinks of closing Levuka as port of  

entry. At present, the shipping has decreased  

to such an extent that it seems luxury to  

keep many public officers in the old capital,  

necessitating considerable annual expendi  

ture, and at time when stringent economy  

is necessary. The closing of the port would  

mean extra expense to all vessels loading and  

discharging at Levuka, as they would have  

to come to Suva to clear.”  

Vigorous protests against the sug  

gestion have appeared in The Polyne  

sian Gazette, Levuka.  

In an editorial, this paper points  

out that Levuka, geographically, is  

eminently suited to command the posi  

tion of being the Colony’s distributing  

centre and the export port for the  

copra industry. Levuka’s facilities af  

ford expeditious handling and econom  

ical working. It is the oldest port of  

the Colony and the centre of an im  

portant productive and agricultural  

Province. It is the port for Ovalau,  

where great areas of pineapples are  

under cultivation. Levuka is the home  

port for the only vessels trading from  

Fiji to the Ellice Group and to the  

Islands of Wallis and Futuna.  

The paper suggests that deputa  

tion should be sent from Levuka to the  

Governor, in an endeavour to convince  

the Government of the folly of even  

considering such an action.  

T.I.’S ELECTRIC LIGHT  

Crowning 20 Years’ Effort  

From Our Own Correspondent.  

THURSDAY ISLAND, July 30.  

electric lighting scheme is go  

ing steadily forward, and the in  

stallation of the engines is  

expected next month.  

The power house is nearly completed  

and most of the wiring has been done.  

The townspeople are beginning to get  

ready for the festivities which will no  

doubt accompany the opening cere  

monies.  

The switching-on of the light will  

crown 20 years of steady work towards  

that end.  

PAPUA’S SUBSIDY  

Cut By £10,000  

From Our Own Correspondent.  

PT. MORESBY, August 4.  

Commonwealth grant towards  

the expenses of administration of  

the Territory of Papua, originally  

£50,000 per annum, has been reduced  

20 per cent, for the year commencing  

July last. This brings the amount  

down to £40,000.  

The reduction is not as drastic as  

would at first appear, as during the  

past two years the subsidy had been  

reduced to £45,000 for last year and to  

£42,000 for the previous year.  

RABAUL RESIDENTS GO  

NORTH  

From Our Own Correspondent  

RABAUL, July 10.  

Quite number of our residents seem  

to be spending their furlough in the  

East and at places other than Australia  

now.  

The round trip to China and Japan,  

by the E. A. Line steamers, is be  

coming popular.  

TAHITI AND THE  

“BOOTLEGGERS”  

Sensational Story  

LIQUOR TRANSHIPMENT  

BUSINESS  

From Our Own Correspondent  

PAPEETE, July 20.  

PEOPLE who are of serious mind are  

asked net to regard seriously  

highly-coloured story which ap  

peared recently in an Australian  

weekly newspaper, about the operations  

of “bootlegging syndicate” in Tahiti,  

an alleged battle on the steamer, Lake  

Galewood, and the holding up of  

Papeete by gangs of armed ruffians,  

primed on whisky filched from the  

vessel’s holds.  

All this was cure sensationalism,  

fabricated probably by disgruntled  

sailor from the Lake Galewood, and  

published to the discredit of those  

concerned.  

Apparently, there was trouble on  

the Lake Galewood at Tonga, for the  

story reached Tahiti on her return vov  

age. But it had nothing to do with  

the liquor cargo, which had all been  

safely landed here weeks before, with  

out single case being broached.  

No doubt, also, the cargo of  

whisky landed here was destined for  

the United States, though nobody could  

swear to the fact. What of it, anyhow!  

The distillers of Scotland and Ireland  

must have shrewd idea of the ulti  

mate destination of the great whisky  

cargoes going westward across the At  

lantic, to say nothing of the Canadian  

distillers. But have never heard any  

one suggest that Scotland is booze  

depot for Scarface Al Capone. The  

whole story is too ridiculous for words.  

So far as Tahiti’s transhipment  

business is concerned, it is well and  

efficiently conducted, like any other big  

and successful concern—so much so  

that one scarcely hears about it out  

side the Customs sheds.  

Influenza Epidemic at  

Rabaul  

From Our Own Correspondent.  

RABAUL, July 10.  

AT the present time we have very  

unpleasant form of gastric influ  

enza amongst us which is caus  

ing good deal of inconvenience in  

business, as both Europeans and natives  

are affected.  

So far, about 400 indentured lab  

ourers are down, and the Rapindik  

Native Hospital is taxed to its full  

capacity.  

N. G. Goldfield Is Strangled  

By Transport Costs  

Why Has No Road Been Built?  

Administration’s Laissez Faire Policy May  

Seriously Affect Future of Territory  

By R. W. ROBSON  

The richest known goldfield in the world to-day is in New Guinea,  

awaiting development for the enrichment of New Guinea and the Man  

datory Power (Australia). No country in the world needs gold more  

urgently than Australia.  

Yet this great enterprise—the development of the New Guinea  

goldfields—is being strangled at birth. It is definitely being killed by  

lack of reasonable transport facilities. There is strong suspicion that  

the absence of road, five years after the opening of the field, is the  

result of greed, muddling and chicanery.  

This is the story of the attempts made to build road from the coast  

to the goldfields. It has been compiled from many sources. We believe it  

is the truth—grains of fact winnowed from great mass of chaff. We  

have compiled it carefully, in the hope that the administrative short  

sightedness (to use mild term) it represents will receive the attention of  

the public and the Federal Government.  

BEFORE dealing with the lamentable  

story of the goldfields road (or  

lack of it) it perhaps would be well  

to recite the following pertinent facts:  

1. In her present economic condition, Australia  

urgently needs gold. The whole continent, just  

now, is being combed for gold. New Guinea is  

not part of Australia, but it is trader Australian  

administration and is being developed partly by  

Australian enterprise and capital. The N.G.  

administration receives royalty of per cent,  

of the value of the gold won.  

2. Estimates vary widely—but it is calculated  

that there is at least £30,000,000 worth of gold  

on the discovered goldfields of N.G.—and the  

region is only partly explored. The industry,  

under ordinary conditions, possibly would not  

be worked out for 50 years.  

3. The goldfields are only 40 miles from the  

coast, but the country is extraordinarily broken  

and rugged—so much so that no roads have been  

built and transport is carried out entirely by  

aeroplanes.  

4. These aerial transport services are highly  

efficient, but their cost is enormous. It is cal  

culated that 60 per cent, of the £900,000 of gold  

won from this field since 1925 has been absorbed  

by transport costs.  

5. The huge cost of transport is crippling enter  

prise and actually strangling the industry before  

it has become established. The rates for aero  

plane carriage from Salamoa or Lae to Wau (40  

to 50 miles) are £5 per passenger and 6d. per  

lb. for goods. ton of rice, which costs £13  

on the coast, is over £50 on the goldfield. Sugar  

is more than doubled in price. bottle of beer  

costs about 6/-. The cost of transport of  

machinery and tools is enormous.  

6. Obviously, under such conditions, only the  

highest-grade ore propositions can be profitably  

worked. If the field is to be dependent in the  

future on aerial transport, its value will be com  

paratively small and limited. Gold-bearing areas  

which otherwise would be profitable cannot be  

worked under present conditions.  

7. If there were road available, even if  

suitable only for slow, heavy transport, the pro  

duction of gold from the N.G. fields might easily  

be from £500,000 to £1,000,000 yearly. The  

Administration’s royalty on £500,000 would be  

£25,000 —enough to pay interest on road costing  

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)  

View of Levuka  

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  

rergularly for beauty. It is guaran  

pure and harmless; it makes  

skin clear, charming. Does  

not grow hair. Buy this best of all  

beautifiers in 2/6 or 5/6 packages at  

chemist or store. Use it tonight.  

Splendid for freckles, sunburn and  

skin imperfections.  

505  

Cite

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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627362

APA citation

(1931). Pacific islands monthly : PIM Retrieved January 28, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627362

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Pacific islands monthly : PIM [Sydney: Pacific Publications, 1931. Web. 28 January 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627362>

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1931, Pacific islands monthly : PIM Pacific Publications, [Sydney viewed 28 January 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627362

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  |
  | title=Pacific islands monthly : PIM.
  | year=1931
  | section=v. : illustrations ; 28-42 cm.
  | issn=0030-8722
  | issue=Vol. 2 No. 1 (Aug. 22, 1931)
  | location=[Sydney
  | publisher=Pacific Publications
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333627362
  | id=nla.obj-333627362
  | access-date=28 January 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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