WALPOLE ISLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 June 1921, Page 7

WALPOLE ISLAND

EXPORT OF GUANO. Out in the Pacific, with no land within a hundred miles, is a small island three miles long' and half a milo wide . It rises abruptly 300 feet out of the sea like a plateau, and upon this height the inhabitants of Walpole Island live. This speck on the blue' waters, of the Pacific has only one connection with the outer world—the s.s. Malaita. Bringing, a cargo of guano, the Malaita arrived in Grey mouth to-day. In an interview with Captain M. C. Campbell, a Star reporter was told the . interesting story of the island, which until taken over by the AustralGuano Company, three years ago, was totally uninhabited. To-day there are 140 persons on the island, including four whites. The majority are Japanese, and Loyalty and Solomon Islanders, indentured labourers working under a two years’ agreement. Every six months the 'Malaita visits the island bringing provisions and mails and returning with guano. Visits are not made during the first three months of tho year, the hurricane season. Each visit is a. signal for rejoicing on the island ami the continued blowing of a steam whistle by tho natives. Tn fine weather the Malaita steams within a hundred feet of the cliffs. For loading, the guano is shot down in bags on to punts, to lr> transferred to tho vessel. The Austral-Guano Company are installing drving machines and when in working order they will greatly increase the output from the island. At present the guano is sun-dried. Guano is a great fertiliser ami GrcymoutTfs quota' of tho present shipment is 21)0 tons. Quantities have also been nn-. loaded at Wellington, Tieton ami Nelson. . Captain Campbell hopes to be back nt Walpole Island to bad again fir New Zealand on July 25th.