ON OCEAN ISLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 285, 2 December 1925, Page 6

ON OCEAN ISLAND.

CHINESE-KANAKA CLASH. OLD TROUBLE FLAMES. WARSHIP ORDER COUNTERMANDED. It was stated yesterday that H.M.s. Veronica had received orders from the Admiralty to proceed instantly to Ocean Island, where some kind of revolt or other trouble had occurred. Later, however, it was announced that the order had been countermanded, indicating that the trouble had been efficiently coped with by the local authorities. In any case, the Veronica was at her moorings at Devonport this morning.

When questioned to-day a? to whether lie knew anything of the matter, Mr. A. F. Ellis, New Zealand representative of the British Phosphate Commission, statethat he had only this morning received word that there was something untoward happening at Ocean Island. However, he had received no details, and did not think that the trouble had been very serious, or that, if it had been of any consequence, it had been promptly suppressed. Had there been any loss of life, he thought that he would have been acquainted with the fact. He did not know, but readiiig between tbe lines of his cable, he was of opinion that there must have been a clash between the Chinese and Kanakas on the island. These races always had displayed a certain amount 01 animosity to each other, and this had evidently been fanned into a flame and brought about some disturbance. Mr. Lllis said that, roughly speaking, he thought there were between two and three hundred Chinese and some eight hundred Kanakas on Ocean Island. He pointed out that the island was efficiently policed, however, as it is the administrative headquarters for the Gilbert and Ellice groups, and pnovided with a strong force of armed constabulary. On Nauru Island, 130 miles a,\vay, there was an even stronger force.