THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.

Dozerdust, Volume 1, Issue 21, 6 November 1943, Page 5

THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.

oUMA 1‘ /iC'i o(i DISCOVERED by. Don Alvaro de Mendana in 1567 while on a voyage of discovery of South Seas la the interests of Spain* BRITISH Droteoorate proclaimed over South Solomons, including Guadaloanna, Florida, Save, ®alaite, San fhristoval and the New Georgia Group in 1893 In 1897 a Resident Commisioner appointed - O.M, Wood - ford^- known as ” Father of the Solomons V \ ADMINISTERED by High Commissioner for Western Pacific at Suva, carried by Resident Commissioner, THE Group comprises of ten large islands and several small ones. The total land area is 14,600 square miles, THE islands are mountaMous, the highest/peak being on Guadaloannal Island ( or Guadeloanna, as one time called) which rises over 8,000 feet, THE mountains are heavily wooded. On the northern side of Gunda loanna there is a long strip of flat made up of ” Lnlf.ng* ” grass which grows to a height of eight feet, Subject to fires* WHEN i Q <3 t census taken native population was 94.700 and white population about 500 c TEE Chinese who number slightly less than the whites were firwt in- ■ troduced by Burns Philips & Co, This alleged to have been end of white traders, IN 1905 Lever Bros, established in islands 3; Sir, William Lever announced that there was no better spec - ulation than in coconuts* ” Consuls of the East ” was his sales tip which resulted In terrific scramble for shapes,) INDENTURED labour was for three years at .£'6 per year ulus clothing, medicines, tobaccos H etc 6 The cost of " keo-oW " the native was somewhere round 70/- a month, At the end. of indentured period native had to bo returned home which cost anythin# from one pound to three, 62.3C0 acres of coconuts planted throughout Bolemons o RUBBER grown in several places, no more than 300 acres under oul - tlvation '

IVORY nuts, a specie of the Sago Palm, grown and used for manufacidiil of buttons-. Considered best in wor.lt realised £2 6 per ton. Also Trochus | shell industry, 450 tons shipped 1929-30. TIMBER... a specie of kauri, a slightly poorer quality than N. Z a variety Also specie of Queensland Maple, Sawmilling carried out on a small scale. Regulation's prohibit milling; all timber had to be imported, GOLD - geological opinion on presence of gold varied. In 1931 a Queensland botanist discovered mountain stream carrying gold. On publication of information a, rush ensued, Australian Speculator Theodore obtained 750 square mile track to prospect, ■■.. .. CLIMATE - taken over a year at Tulagi meteorological station the mean of the maximum temperature wa.-' 86 de green, while mean of minimum was 75 degrees. Average rainfall taken over twenty years at same station was 164 inches* MOSQUITOES and sandflies -at ' times and places can be very bad. Sandflics »so small ordinary mosquitos net affords no protection. Both insects at their worst at new and full moon, CENTIPEDES * sometime nonOy a foot long; bite poisonous. Crocodiles plentiful and dangerous. 1 Rarely attack a man with a gun, NATIVE currency - Porpoise teeth - 10 to a I/- ; dog’s teeth. 6d each. Shell money « strung on twine; from 5/- per., fathom to 20/- per fathom. Whales teeth - sound once from $/- to £$ according to dimension and perfection* There were other for.;: but Australian forms replacing the