VISIT TO LONELY ISLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19732, 10 September 1938, Page 7

VISIT TO LONELY ISLE

CRUISE OF WELLINGTON NIGHT LIGHTS “MYSTERY” NATIVES WELCOME SHIP (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. An unexpected call at a lonely island called Tikopia in the Santa Cruz Group, south of the Solomons, in answer to what were taken to be distress signals, was the only incident outside the normal routine of the Imperial escort vessel, Wellington’s winter patrol cruise among South Sea Islands, from which she returned to Auckland early yesterday. Her visit to the island was the first made by a warship since 1920 when the old Australian Adelaide cruiser went there. The Wellington was asked by a radio message to investigate the reason for mysterious lights seen at night from a distance in the sky above Tikopia. The warship was the only vessel near at hand which could possibly have been sent.

The Melanesian mission steamer, Southern Cross, which normally is the island’s sole communication with the outside world, was then on her way to Auckland for survey. Bonfires for Fishing

It was found on arrival, however, that the lights were not distress signals. Instead, they were bonfires apparently lighted to assist the native inhabitants, of whom there are about 1400, to fish off the reef at night.

For the islanders, the fact that the Wellington had been deviated a considerable distance off her course, was of no importance. She was the first warship many of them had seen and her arrival was greeted with intense excitement. This was also the first time that a large proportion of the natives had seen so many white men at one time, and they were all eager to have her stay there more than the few hours she could spare.

No white man lives on the island and, apart from occasional visits of the South Cross, the last time the inhabitants had seen a European was in 1928-29 when Dr. Raymond Firth, a former Aucklander who is now reader in anthropology at London School of Economics, University of London, went there to carry out anthropological research for the Australian National Research Council. Old Forms of Culture The island, which is only about three miles long by two miles wide, is peopled by Polynesians, although all the surrounding islands contain Melanesians. They are of considei - able importance in the study of Polynesian culture, being one of the few unspoiled island communities in the South Pacific, persisting in close adherence to the old forms of cultuie. Although savage in appearance, they are kindly and hospitable and could not do too much for the Wellingtons company.

The warship also acted as a transport during her cruise for the Rt. Rev. Kempthorne, Anglican Bishop in Polynesia, who was embarked at Suva and taken to Ocean Island, from where he was to go on to Sydney by steamer. About 12 islands were visited altogether, and the weather generally was fine and the patrol uneventful. , No cases of sickness were brought back to Auckland.