THE SOLOMONS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 75, 12 March 1930, Page 4

THE SOLOMONS

LIFE ON THE ISLANDS RETURNED TRAVELLER’S .IMPRESSIONS. (Special “Tribune” Interview).

Mr. Arthur Hoggor, a member of tho Anglican Melanesian Mission, who is the guest of the Rev. Mr. Geddes, Puketapu, granted a special interview to the “Tribune” and gave an interesting account of his ex[>eriences in tho Solomon Jshuids and other adjacent islands • such the Reefs and Santa Cruz.

The islands, he explained, are governed by a joint English and French mandate system known ns the Condominium, which had proved most unsatisfactory. The Bishop of the diocese had sent in innumerable complaints to the authorities, which remahied unattended to. A movement is on foot whereby the Foreign Office is to bo approached, and failing that, appeal may be made to the League of Natipne to correct the anomalies that exist due to the double form of Government.

Mr. Hogger has covered 2,000 miles in a ship’s launch cruising amongst the islands, during the eighteen months of his stay, in the early days the mission ship Southern Cross was tho only means of communication between the islands and civilisation but now the Hurns Philp Company run a six-weekly service to the Hebrides and the Solomons, so that the Southern Cross is now used solely for (ho inter-island service of the, Mission. This vessel will bo sold next year, and two inter-island schooners will take its! plane. ■ CHARACTERISTICS. The popular conception of the typical tropical island as a liattish mound surrounded by palm-green ‘shores, “where every prospect pleases and only, man is vile,” must not be applied to the Solomons, said Mr. Hogger, for there are high hills rising to 6,000 feet. Every island is ‘ covered .with dense tropical bush, and the natives are a kindly people. The climate is not so hot as in India, but it is very humid and there is much malaria.

As to language, there are sometimes three or four widely different dialects on tho same island, so that it has been necessary to adopt a ‘lingua franca” based on tho dialect of the island of Mota. This is tho language used by the Mission. The eljildreii are taught it ill the mission schools.

So far as education is concerned the brighter boys in the various mis sion schools are transferred to a cep tral institution at Marabobo' in the Solomons or to Sanlang in tho New Hebrides. There is also a secondary school at Pawa on Ugi Islniid. Dr Fox, who is at present in New Zea land .is principal there. There arc two schools for girls, one at Punana in the Solomons tind o'ne at Torgil in tho. I) T ew Hebrides. Many of the boys fropi Pawa, if. they are willing are afterwards trained by Bishop Stewart as native teachers. This training is most valuable, and wonderful work has been done by those who have volunteered. These tench ers mid evangelists take vows for one year, and are ahlo to do good service, not only because they understand tho native mind, but because they are able to go to places that might otherwise bo inaccessible. Others go hack to their own villages as teachers. They train the children mid read the morning and evening services. After two or three years si;ch teachers have the opportunity to go to Selwyn College in Siota where they may undergo ,a' refresher course. In the New Hebrides group, candidates may bo trained for ordination at Luluwai. . In North Mala, ono of the most backward of the islands, a new hospital has been started. The medical work in general has made a really miraculous difference to the health and well-being of the people, for all kinds of dire diseases are rampant amongst them, such as tropical ulcers, elephantiasis and tuberculosis.

Mr. Hogger has had many thrilling adventures and narrow escapes from shipwreck and worse, as lie has cruised among the islands carrying tlio Bishop from place to place. On one occasion when tho launch backed on to tho reef, he dived to examine tho state of tho propeller and only just missed tho not too friendly attention of a largo crocodile. An eruption on ono of the islands had the result, that visibility was extremely bud fur miles around it. so thut navigation was very difficult. On another occasion tho launch was driven ashore by a squall and left high and dry by the receding tide. It was got off into rough water with the assistance of some seventy natives, but the anchor had been lost, so that a substitute consisting of bags of concrete and shingle had to be adopted. Tho engine was damaged by water and sand and had to be completely overhauled. Tho natives, said Mr. Hogger. are not very liandsome, but aro a cheery, gpod-niitlired crowd. They live a communal life, sharing everything, so that the distinction between “111011111” and “tUuni” is apt to be rather vague. The principle’ ol ‘‘what’s yours is mine” will sometimes apply even to the visitor’s cigarettes, tobacco, etc. The people mo vegetarians for Iho most port, Thoro aro no miinuils Io speak of on tho islands. Dogs mid rats arp regarded as great delicacies. Tho men buy their wives with native money, i.e., fish teeth or dog teeth. The potato palm is used for roofing the houses, which are quite well built. Sports such as cricket are popular, not only in the schools but in the villages, Where the natives use a cocoanut tree for stumps and the fronds of the tree for bats.

Mr. Hogger returns to the islands in a few months 011 the expiration of his furlough.