SORRY PLIGHT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20782, 17 July 1937, Page 8

SORRY PLIGHT

SETTLERS ON SUNDAY ISLAND DISILLUSIONED MEN By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. July 16. Four of seven settlers on Sunday Island in the Kermadic Group, are to be evacuated at their own request by the Government’s motor ship Maui Pomare now at the island. The ship left Wellington a few days ago taking a small expedition to carry out exploratory w’ork. A radio message from Mr J. E. Anderson, officer-in-charge of the expedition, was received yesterday by the Government, and in response to an urgent request, the Government has agreed to remove four disillusioned men. Reference was made by Mr Anderson to the possibility of an acute shortage of food on the island, necessitating the dispatch of a relief ship to rescue the expedition in the event of the settlers remaining.

Reference to the recent attempts to promote settlement on Sunday Island were made by the acting Minister of External Affairs (Hon. F. Langstone) in an interview to-night. For some time past,” he said, “there has been a movement to promote settlement on Sunday Island by a group under the leadership of a Mr Venables, known as the Sunday Island Association. It will be of public interest to know that on June 14-HM.S. Achilles called at Sunday Island, and with considerable difficulty landed a party for naval purposes. The officer in charge had hardly set foot on the island when serious complaints by the settlers were the order of the day. An urgent request was made by disgruntled settlers to be shipped back to Auckland. This request was not to be granted, as the Achilles was bound for the Tongan Islands and other ports of call.” The Minister added: “Mr Anderson, engineer-in-charge of the expedition, stated in a message that if the settlers were not removed from the island, there might be such a demand on the party’s small supply of provisions that a relief ship would have to be sent forward as a rescue expedition. In response to an urgent request, the Government agreed to remove four settlers from their sorry and unenviable plight. I consider this development should be known by the public, and I trust that there will be no further attempts by misguided persons to settle on this island.”