THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS.

..-A TALE OF DEGENERATION

jjfFroffli Our Special Correspondent.)

/ - LONDON, February 17

..The Sxost interesting Parliamentary jwP6l" achieve publicity lately is "fiat composed of correspondence reJating to the condition of the Pitcairn islanders which was issued a day or two ago. The picture of the daily life of the, descendants of the Bounty mutineers afforded by a perusal of the paper is not an inviting one, suggesting as does that the Islanders are •yapidly degenerating into a race of toothless imbeciles. Captain Dyke, of the Concus, who visited the island in Jfpveruber, 1897, reported to Rear-Ad-miral Palliser that the population was Ithen 149 i that the people seemed foappy and contented with their lot, though that lot. seems to consist of .merely living from day to (Jay. The islanders had no meat, no tea, or coffee, nor in fact any of those adjuncts to the table usual in civilised communities. For literature they tared nothing, refusing even the books and papers Captain Dyke offered them. So far as he could see, they 'did no"thing all day,' and the morals of the community were extremely lax. In concluding his report the gallant •Bailor said: 'I have no hesitation in saying that soon the question wjll ,have to be faced —Arc they to continue as they are, viz., marrying among themselves and increasing? ;The slender resources they have Avill Sot stand a much greater population, and among the young men a desire is evinced to leave the island.'

In forwarding this report, Rear- ! Admiral Palliser suggested the ap•pointment of a Governor, and attributed the lack of moral fibre to the absence of discipline and incentive to iwork.

These communications were forwarded by Mr.Chamberlain to Sir G. O'Brien, High Commissioner for the 'Western Pacific, who, replying in October last year, enclosed a report ion the Pitcairn people by Mr Hunter, tyho had recently visited the island in the capacity of Judicial Commissioner, who, after indulging in a brief review of the history of the community, remarked that the men appeared strong fend of good physique, though inclined to stoop; the women robust and active, but greatly disfigured by the loss of their front teeth. This was noticeable among .the younger ones, who otherwise might have been termed comely. Staff-Surgeon Beatty, of the Eoyalist, attributed the loss of the teeth to 'degeneration,' or 'physical devolution.' The children were bright, merry little things, 'the only redeeming feature in the place,' whereas the adults, with the exception of one or two of the older ones, had a tired, weary, hungiy look. They began and ended their day Avith pray cl1; they neither drank nor smoked, and appeared to be almost vegetarians. If the questions had to be A put in plain, simple language, or they 'did not understand. The manner in which the men handled their lifeboat

in a heavy sea and forced her through

the surf at the landing-place showed, however, that they were not wanting in physical strength and pluck.

Mr Hunter continued thus: 'Lax in morals, weak in intellect, they are fast" degenerating; and unless something If*';speedily done to alter their conMion they will probably drift into I&peless imbecility!Vf« Hihtvrsdiiy^TOctober Christian, a grandsoj} of the •original Fletcher Christian, said, that ..he thought the island could support a •schooner if it were supplied to them.

■Arrowroot, oranges, Jimejuice, and 'coffee were the articles of export that ie mentioned. But Mr, Hunter, fears |l!the time has passed for any such, venture. Though so closely connected

■Urith each other by inter-marriage, the inlanders seemed to him to be losing i'their old spirit of cohesion, and illfeeling existed between the.two principal families—the Chiustians and the .. jYpungs. McCoy, the President of the 'governing body, complained bitterly >of his wading power over the people. Upon the suggestion made by Captain Doughtey in 1884, to send an ex-naval officer to take charge, Mr Hunter

thinks it might have been of some benefit fourteen years ago; but fears it

would now be a hopeless, heart-break-ing task. In his opinion, the only, way to save them is to remove ; them to some other place, and he suggests that if they weite given a block of land in Fiji, they would ere long become •useful settlers. Mr Hunter thinks

that if this is not feasible, steps'should be taken to place them inconstant and

regular communication ,with. Tahiti, so that the younger members of the comaninity would have an opportunity 'of leaving the island. *J[f', (he concludes) 'allowed to continue drifting as they are,'they will probably end in hopeless imbecility.' ... • . • • Commenting on this report, Sir G. T. O'Brien expresses the opinion that it is not desirable to import. Pitcairn Islanders into Fiji, their habits and intellectual grade not being Kiich as to make it at all likely that they would be able to earn their living there. Moreover, he says the climate °f Fiji is not one in which white me,n Can work for any lengtli of time'sit agricultural pursuits," or permanently. resid e> and the upshot of the importation, if attempted, woujd )je • prejudicial to the Islanders,!and would liltiraately result in their becoming- a burden on the colony. Oh the feasib ility/ of the other alternative suggesteQ by Mr Hunter, that they should oe provided with means of visiting Tahiti, he declines to ' express any ' opinion, but mentions that it has occurred to him in reading the history oi the case, that the best solution of Jne. difficulty might possiblybe found « deporting them to Norfolk Island. v"i acknowledging these despatches, *"r Chamberlain observes that to de-

Sort the inhabitants to, Norfolk. Island would be impossible. Apart won* the fact that the Pitcairn IslandWb have expressed np wish for their removal, the present state of Norfolk Island would not, says the Colonial Secretary, warrant such' a measure, jn these circumstances he desired Mr • " Brien to endeavour to ascertain the Possibilities of opening up communication with Tahiti, i -. ..-.; ' • i