LIFE AT SUVA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 270, 12 February 1941, Page 5

LIFE AT SUVA

THE ARMY IN THE SOUTH SEAS

NEWS OF LOCAL MEN

The latest overseas mail has

brought to us a very interesting description of Army life in the South Seas from Gunner K. S. Morpeth, of Whakatane, who with some twentyfive local men is stationed at Suva. His letter reads as follows:—

We read with interest a letter in the Beacon recently: from Lieut. Horton Stewart, telling of his battalion and. company's activities at both work and play in England.

Previously we had noted the description of the camp etc. in Egypt by Lieut. Brabant and AA r ere particularly interested- —as we hope to be there before long.

However, as your readers have heard from England and Egypt I thought they might like to know a little of the activities of the "boys of the South Seas" so it is with this in mind that I am writing hoping that you may be able to spare the necessary space.

Our camp, which is a large one, is entirely new, consists mostly of long huts and is only a short distance from Suva. There is a similar camp about 150 miles from vis but not having been there we know little about it. The food is good, we get leav4 three nights a weelc and plenty of swims, athletic sports, cricket, etc. so really have few complaints excepting of course that we are all very keen to get a move nearer to the scenes of activity.

It is now the rainy season and be-

ieve me it certainly comes down at

times, tending to make the climate very humid and trying during route marches. However, at times the sun shines, the air is clear, the sea blue out on the coral reefs, and—well then it really rivals Ohope! Suva is quite different from and difficult to liken to a New Zealand town as it caters for such a mixed, population. It is to my mind about

he sizeof and situated on the water-

front similar to Tauranga. The palms and other tropical trees and flowers make it very sceiiic. The population of Suva itself is 14,000,

1250 whites and the remainder halfcastes —Fijians, Chinese and Indians.

The town's two cinemas are about

the size of the Regent and, showing quite good pictures are well patronised by the troops.- There are six

hotels one of them the Grand Pacific being a particularly fine building and catering for large numbers of visiting tourists in peace time.

The restaurants, mostly run by Chinese, are quite good and the meals very low priced owing to keen competition. For instance a three course meal at the Kong Cafe" for just one shilling includes: Soup, steak and egg and vegetables, a variety of sweets with tea or coffee and plenty of bread and butter. For

threepence extra steak and tAvo eggs. It is quite a good meal and suits us admirably Avhen Ave are on leave (especially the price).

There are only about a dozen white shops the remainder are mostly run by Hindus and Chinese and seem to be ahvays open. One can buy practically anything and even get a haircut up till eleven at night. Even on Sundays the slogan seems to be "Business as usual" and the Indian proprietors of souvenir, tailoring and drapery shops often stand at the endeavouring to interest would-be buyers.

The Fijians themselves are of a particularly fine stature and being a likeable and happy people are very popular .Avith the troops. Few of them wear shoes and quite a number of the men have the long fuzzy hair and Avear the Sulu (native shirt) . They haA r e an ever-ready smile and "Bula" (good day or good luck), for the soldiers. Their "Isa Lei" song Avhieh is characteristic of their is knoAA'n to us all and j will be long remembered.

The Whaka chaps here number about twenty-five and being all fit and Well are keeping up the sporting reputation of the HaUrakis. "Shorty 7 ' Hurran and Jack Chadwick are always prominent in the camp boxing, the former having a sixround special contest in the outdoor ring on Thursday night (23rd.). Not forgetting "Bill" Crawford our fancy.

dress boxer (in pyjamas versus opponent in Sulu).

Alan Thompson and shorty McEwan are our riders at the Suva race meetings. Their last racs was a bareback one and I'm told their marching was not quite up its usual standard next day. However

they are recognised as two cf the camp's best men on the noddies.and

(Continued foot next column).

"do their stuff" in the other sport also. Morris Beckett is well up to hi! old form in the local tennis club. Jack Best and Ivan Jenkin are firstclass organisers of smoke concerts et< and we all appreciate theic efforts. The rest of us are "starters'' in th« inter-company relay races, cricket swimming, etc. Last week we were very pleased to greet Mr Goidon Usher who has been transferred here from Whakalane to the Bank of- New Zealand and Avhen we get together it is as ii we were back in good old Whaks again. Sergeant Harold Hill (ex-Austral-asian Bank) and "Bun" (M)r Usher) are particularly good kava mixer: and although not wearing Sulns yei I belieye ''it won't be long now." 1 must not take up too much of youi valuable space so for. now Sa mow (good-bye) and "Bula-ban-afca* (good luck) to all. .. , i ". j-