LIFE ON PITCAIRN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 17

LIFE ON PITCAIRN

ISLAND VISITOR

MR. PARKINS GHRISTI/VN

• Direct; descendant in* the fifth gen* etation frorii Fletcher Christian, leader 1 of the famous mutiny of the Bounty* arid "founder of. the Pitcaurh. Island settlement, Mr. Parkins Christian weis a passenger on the Remuera this morn* :\. ing from Pitcairn Island. 'Mr. Chri^-; tian- is vising New Zealarid to; see. hia son, who is* a student at the Longbum Mission School near Palirierstbri North,

where he is being trained as a; teacher with the object, of returning to- Pit*

csurn and taking up the instruction pS .'X the ehildreriv of -the: islaiid^ ,-&..~v:;.' AAX'-

Mr; Pairkins;£hristian:is bne^bf;tli« ; senior rrieiribers; but riot the oldest bf ; the Christian- family on th^ islSfed. He ■ ;" has twice previously visited New Zea» '.-.■ land, his last S/isit being paid" eighth years ago. ■ '"-A:>XXX /'Despite the ,fact th^t he h^;.cbirio

from one of the ■ most remote.^drne3»'' of the World and one' whose? only"'- connection with outside events is by a soli* , tary radio trtosmittingbfset and occasional visiting steamers, Mr. Ohristiaa ..;.■;' was as keenly interested in the critidal • events in the world today as the most traveUed globe-trotter. Almost his first question was as. to the . possibility ypff wari and the^ hope: that if 'jwould ppa..; avoided. He mentioned,. In.;passing, ; . that-some of; the men from~Pitcairn b volunteered for service in the last "war, buti although they went Home, did ;npt» : go."dn, active service.- , f. J: XA '•:■'■"•/" .Asked whelftie^ rumours of a,fobfl shortage on Pitcairn were correct, Mr. Christian smil*d broadly, and, drawing himSelf up to Kis full 6ft'3in of .height. ; invited the interviewers -'i6'X decide;'; whether he looked starved. -The verdict was unhesitatingly in the negative. He said that there was no lack of food op of: the btljef'necessaries "of ;difp: Pl* the island, : Soririe; months-^ ago, aSr a'result of a message pick^;iipV fiOm,th«B island's- radio set and ; misimaerstddd the: rumour 'circulated '■ that, there had tieen an outbreak of typhoid-On, Pitcairn, arid, as la result,.passing>shipai gave it a wide Tierth. Th& rumour . v w£s'. . quite incorrect^ and, arosieftorn the %cfc that-the wirelesswas: reporting>tl& ill. ness ol a woman Visufferingylfcom;^ species of influenza. Sickness w^;yery rare ori the island, -and, although-there iwas noqualified!,doctor'.ori Pite^irri/tha . !services of a doctor had riot/ftem r^ / quired for a long time.; yX~A'A-:Xy'-yi-"What do yo^i do in casesj;ofvap->/\ pendicitis?and cither troubled ;bf^ that nature ;-- where '} an * operation f £is« tc-v . quired? &■ asked ■ the interview.er>K Xy •fWe'don't havie apperidicitls" was the-replyv ; ;*We; iio anythirigj^at; ;!■ necessary ourselves:" .-■ • '-^:-:M^^.^i ■>•'■ •.'■-. Money, .was hot, greatly used Oh tn©. island, said Mr. Christian, the 4 islahders carrying but the majority oltheirrtrans^ actions by .a system, of barter/ butj-wlmt i\ money was required was obtained.- by selling produce to; passing vessels;, The.. yadib set was .very useful-iri "bkeepiiije them in touch with the. butside;;world, while, as a suppleirieritary new|system, they had their large ■] noti^bpard oa Which important/ items ; of-" news ; . were ■ jWritten up. In: such ba.-.-small^commun-ity, however, there -was very, little need for. any news system;at all, matters-bi! interest being quickly ;j^ss^: ■ mund by--word- of iriouth. ,;;,'".,:. TjA-'i'A'A-"'^' 'There were ,at present about,;: .4111 > people on the island, Mr..oliristiari said, arid.abdut^^chiiiireri abiding -the is* land schobte^e;^|ier^;an^Aug.'tralian; but it Advisable Mohave brie of: the of the islanaicpriimuhity; as i&. t^ache? also, jt was :fdr*tjiis reason; tpabyhi* son was being/trained in; New Zealand. Witi the- exception of the period wheia the' rumours Of typhoid were:; current, ,, ships h£td called very regularly at;theisland and he had.had; no/difficulty. >a making & connection to reach , Zealand. ";--.- :; 'A-A':A-^~±X-Mr Christian does \,not know:?;hp^r long hewiU remain in ?New Zealand* but expects to be here two or ™*f*y 'months..■''.': ■'''■•".■" ■'."'■■'' ..v"---:- '■■ A-iAA'A.A'