VISIT TO THE EAST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 195, 19 July 1937, Page 9

VISIT TO THE EAST

UNCANNY SIGHT AT RABAUL. SINGAPORE’S GAIETY. WELLINGTON, July 18. “The harbour of Rabaul looked like a desert of sand, in which ships had the uncanny appearance of being embedded—as far as tho eye could reach the sea was covered with pumice, several inches dee]),” said a passenger by the Maetsuycker, of the Dutch K.P.M. Line, which arrived at Wellington from Auckland to-day after her first round trip from 'Wellington to the East Indies and Singapore and back. “We had an intensely interesting time,” said Mr A. E. Mabin, manager of Levin and Company, Ltd., Wellington. They had called at 17 ports, five of them twice on the round trip to the East and back, Slid all had points of interest. MATUPI ACTIVE. They arrived at Rabaul five weeks after the eruption. Matupi, the volcano on the right of the harbour, was still active, throwing out clouds of smoke and steam, but no volcanic dust. On the left of the harbour was Vulcan Island, 600 ft high and 3400 ft long; before the eruption it had been only 30ft high and 900 ft long. The pumice in the harbour was about the size of nutmegs; as the ship cut its way through it closed up again completely. The pumice might remain for weeks, or even months, until a wind came to disperse it. The streets had been cleaned to a certain extent, but the gardens and the root's of tho houses were a mass of lava. Not much material damage had been done to the houses in Rabaul itself, hut the outlying districts and tho plantations had suffered severely, as also had the beautiful botanical gardens. However, the tropical vegetation would soon assert its supremacy over even such a drastic cheek. “THE ENCHANTED ISLE.” Bali “the enchanted isle,” Mr Mab ill found rather disillusioning—at least the northern part, which he visited. Tourists in recent years had done a good deal to spoil it, and ?he women, contrary to reputation, were extremely ugly, their lips stained and protruding with betel nut chewing. The scenery, however, was beautiful and file land was well cultivated; it was amazing that so small an island, only 50 to 00 miles across, could support a population of 1,000,000. Mr Mabin travelled overland through Java, from Sourubaya to Batavia. “Java is a most fertile island, about the size of the North. Island of New Zealand, with a population of 41,000,000, every man and woman of which works —and works on 303 days of the year, as there are only two holidays, the Chinese New Year and Christmas Day,” said Mr Mabin. While there, he saw grow iug tea, rubber, tapioca, rice, coffee, sisal, kapok and sugar. The island was a rich prize for the Dutch nation, but was only a small part of the huge Dutch archipelago. The islands were well served by the K.P.M. Line, which owned and ran very efficiently more than 100 ships, and was out to increase trade wherever possible. The Maetsuycker was excellently conducted; tlie officers were courteous and desirous of helping the passengers to see everything possible at the ports of call.

SINGAPORE LIFE. Mr Mabin and his party did not go with the ship to Saigon, preferring to spend eight days at Singapore. The English community of 8000 was most progressive. Singapore life generally was very bright from 4.30 o’clock in the afternoon onward. The picture shows did not start till 9.30 p.m., and, when they closed, people went to the hotels, entertained their friends and danced. There was practically no restriction on the sale of liquor, hut Mr Mabin saw- not even a suggestion of drunkenness. A centre of life in Singapore was the big swimming club, with a membership of 3000. At 10 o’clock one evening the temperature of the water was 88 degrees. On the return trip the Maetsuycker called at Noumea, the old French convict station. Tho island was badly undeveloped. with a population of only 30.000. where it could . accommodate 300,000. SHIP’S ITINERARY. The master of the Maetsuycker, Captain J. J. Jvooper, said that the weather had been good, except for the last night, from Auckland to Wellington. The ship left Wellington on May 15 and called at the following ports: Sydney, Timor, Bali. Sourahaya, Samarang, Batavia, Singapore, Saigon, Samarai, llabaul, Port Villa, Noumea, Norfolk Island, t Thursday Island, Auckland. The call at Norfolk Island was an extra one for the purpose of picking u]) oranges. Fourteen passengers made the round trip. The Maetsuycker will leave again this evening for tho East, via Sydney.