THE PROSPEROUS SOLOMONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 165, 6 April 1908, Page 9

THE PROSPEROUS SOLOMONS.

\Mr. F. J. Barnett, a Deputy (Commissioner in ' the British Solomons, who rei' turned to Sydney last week.'' sdys that .the islands are in a flourishing condition. "Everything in tho garden is blooming," was his metaphorical wayi of expressing prosperity of trade, increaso' of settlement, and general development. Copra, ivory, nuts, pearlsheil, and beche-do-mer arc giving handsome yields. Cotton is also neing grown. Tho first shipment is expected by tho'nest boat. It consists of a lai-genum-ber-of bales, and is of excellent quality. This is going to bo a big industry. Then rubber is being cultivated, and in tho Western Solomons, sisal hemp is grown. Postal services have been established, throughout the group, and the Customs Department lias been well organised. New South AVales, however, which does all tho trade in tho islands, , docs not 'help them much. Its capitalists are not represented there. English capital is developing tho island, whilst somo Queensland investors aro also interested in them. Tho natives aro being kept in check. They aro still cannibals, constantly engaged in'intertribal'- war, < but they have an'increasing rcspcct for tho British cruisers. - The. Solomons aro never likely to suffer from'a shortago of tho currency, becauso tobacco is tho sole medium of excharigo there. Labour is paid for and goods aro bought solely with sticks of tobacco—an excellent currency for tho Go.'-, ernment which imposes an import duty of Is. per lb. on tho' manufactured articlo. -