TROPICAL ISLAND NEAR SUVA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25833, 18 June 1949, Page 6

TROPICAL ISLAND NEAR SUVA

OFFER AS GIFT REFUSED

The 140-acre tropical island near Viti Levu, Fiji, which has been sold to. an undisclosed purchaser, has a link with Canterbury, according to Miss Mary Wigley, of Christchurch. The original owner, Mr William Moorhouse, of Moorhouse and Hadfield, a firm of Wellington solicitors, was the only son of Mr William Sefton Moorhouse, an early superintendent of C J’ n ™ rbu (£-. , The was a cousin of Miss Wigley, and William Sefton Moorhouse was a great uncle Mr William Moorhouse had no children so he offered it to Miss Wigley’s brother Mr Tom Wigley, a former pupil of Christ’s College In the 1920's Mr Wigley went to Ari l a W U h tbe late Mrs Je ssie Rangimarie, Silverstream. Wellington, a sister of the owner of the island. He stayed in Suva especially investigate the island. , M r , fou . nd the island to be Soln d ’«“ ei . ng 2 bout 25 mi!cs from Suva. He found it difficult and expensive to hire a launch as the crossing ! he , Island "as very rough He to land and. Miss Wigley thinks, he either swam or tTe IsH„ri rC ' Ml ' WiSlcy found ‘hat tne island was surrounded with mangrove, swamps with an over-supply °L,?° s< ’ UltoCS ’ In spite of mosquito netting he was poisoned and had scarcely recovered when he reached Honolulu. Most of the island was covered in jungle with coconut trees at »n«ri n ® l ri of . about 45 de grees. giving a good indication of the high winds which swept the island. After a rea-! ?°” able stay he declined to accept the island as a gift and advised Miss Wigley to do likewise. ”