ISLES OF CONTENT

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 17 June 1935, Page 6

ISLES OF CONTENT

Where There Is No Taxation and No Unemployment LIFE ON THE CHATHAMS A LEISURELY EXISTENCE What is the average man's idea of a happy land? ‘‘One where there is no taxation and no unemployment,” would probably be the general reply. This ideal apparently exists on the Chatham Islands and life there flows along at a leisurely pace broken but seldom by such a tragedy as that which occurred recently when several fishermen were drowned. “We have no unemployment, no taxation, and no bitumen roads there,” said Mr J. Wyeth, of Woodlands, Southland, who has resided on the island for the past eight years and is at present spending a holiday in New Zealand. The main island has a population of (100 and of these 150 are whites, while the rest arc Maoris. Waitangi is the capital and Mr Wyeth has a business at Tione, three miles from Waitangi. Fishing is the chief industry of the island, and at one time there were two shore freezers, but these were closed down.

When the unemployment levy was instituted the islanders, in common with the rest of New Zealand, had to pay; but as they received no benefit in return a petition was sent to Wellington and advice was received that the islanders would have to deal with their own unemployment problem. Their payments were refunded and Government interest ceased.

Some of the residents formed a company, launches and a trawler were purchased and fishing was again put on a sound basis. The trawler freezes the catches and transports them to Wellington for export to Australia. The problem was solved and the unemployed re-absorbed into stlie industry.

THE DAILY “NEWSPAPER” The Maoris own most of the land and carry on dairying. They supply a pri-vately-owned factory and though the pay-out in recent times has not been large, the cost of living is not great and whole families are kept busy looking after the herds. r There is no traffic problem on CliatI ham Island, for roads are non-existent. I The usual modes of conveyance are

! orse-back, sledge or buggy, Furtlierj more, there are no talking pictures, and no daily newspaper. Radios are common, but the battery sets are not always successful for when something special is awaited fading or static is sure to occur.

The lack of a daily paper is, however, somewhat overcome by the post office, which issues a daily bulletin of important events obtained over the wireless. This usually consists of two typewritten folio sheets posted up at the office, which is the general centre of daily social life. In this happy community entertainment takes forms that are scoffed at by the more sophisticated residents of the mainland. Tennis is a popular game 'and there are football competitions. In the evening, concerts, card parties and dances while away the winter, but the highlight of the year is the annual race meeting, on the day following Boxing Dav.

lIORSE CARRIES 15 STONE. This is claimed to be the oldest established meeting in the Dominion and is run to a proper programme, which is submitted to and approved by headquarters. Everyone on the island attends—that is, all except one man and lie has to attend to his work in the cheese factory. All places of business are closed while the races are in progress :and re-open for trade when the day’s sport is completed.. The islanders had a good opinion of their own horses, but they received a setback at the last meeting. All the horses enfered for the events are thoroughbred or partly so and are trained for the occasion. As jockeys are not common on the island the •average weight is about 9st. 101 b., and the riders are mostly Maori boys, who enter into the spirit of the sport -with great gusto.

Last year a horse' called The Bailiff was taken across from Christchurch and entered for all events. The islanders were taking no charfces and gave him a solid weight, but he ran away with event after event until he had the heavy impost of 15 stone. A hefty Maori, stock saddle, sacks and lead were needed to draw the weight, but the horse lived up to its name and won all events. Of course, there is no totalisator, but it will not be the islanders’ fault if another New Zealand horse competes. Their pride has received a sad blow.

ENTERPRISING RESIDENT. Though innovations may be looked at askance there is one enterprising resident, a Maori, who tried to 'introduce- modern wonders of science to his less-favoured brethren. In days of opulence he took back an old Ford truck when he visited Christchurch.

• There were no roads, but ho ran it up and down a mile and a-hnlf stretch of beach. Passengers wer» carried at the rate of 2s a head and lie was usually overloaded. Alas! the truck wore out before the novelty wore off the excursions and it still remains a rusting monument to misguided enterprise. His second attempt to keep abreast of modern times also ended in failure. A cinematograph plant was installed and such was the demand for seats that a charge of 3s a head was paid without a murmur. The- first programme was never completed for the films had been too sorely tried .before they reached Waitangi and break after break at length exasperated both operator and audience.