AFFAIRS IN THE ISLANDS

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 235, 4 October 1928, Page 22

AFFAIRS IN THE ISLANDS

POPULATION LOSSES.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIJI.

TEACHING THE MOTHERS,

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA, September 27. The decrease in the native population has for years been a matter of concern to the Government, and as far back as 1894 a /Committee was appointed to make recommendations. As a result of these the decrease was stemmed, and to-day the native population is holding its own and showing an increase. The steps taken included the establishment of native hospitals, improvement in the native towns' water supply, appointment of Native Commissioners, whose chief duty was the welfare of the native .population, etc. But one marked sign of decrease remained, namely among children under 10 years of age. The chief cause of this is the ignorance and indifference, amounting almost to a lack of maternal instinct, among the Fijian women. The desire or need to rear strong, healthy children was lost at the Cession, as warriors were of no further importance to the tribes. The women, for the most part, are the slaves of the household, mere hewers of w oo d and drawers of water, and they have no time or incentive to care for their progeny. Fijian families are as a rule very small. Improper feeding has also had much to do with the poor health of the children. So child welfare has proved to be the °n|y hope of salvation for the baby Fijian. The missions and Government are recognising the urgent need for this work, and already much has been accomplished in teaching the native women and showing them how to cook simple nutritious dishes, and use simple hygiene in the homes.

Sensational Diving. There has been much interest shown recently in claims made as to the ability of the Fijian native to dive deeply. Mr. P. A. Witherow, a very old and well informed resident, says that he knew a man at Soso, in the island of Kandavu, name Evete, who dived 23 fathoms (138 feet). He had been ordered to dive by his chief Ratu Kiniviliame, then Rokoto Tui Malake. Mr. Witherow says he personally measured the depth. He also said that Ratu Kalivate Giagia of Bau has dived 21 fathoms many times. The Kiuva women think nothing of diving six to eight fathoms for sici shell. He says' that the Kia natives of Macuata, on the island of Vanua Levu, are the best divers in the group. This may prove interesting in any computation of big diving among the peoples of the world.

A Daylight Meteor. A resident of the island of Koro, who is somewhat of an amateur astronomer, reports a curious phenomenon on the afternoon of August 25 last. He says that between 12 noon and 1 o'clock, when he was standing on a hill top with some labourers, preparing a yam field, he saw suddenly a flash in the sky, and at once watched same. He then noticed a star dropping in an east-west direction, the head looking like an ordinary paraffin lamp light. The tail flattened out like a fan, and was of a bright red colour. Although the sun was shining brightly the meteor, as he called it, was distinctly visible. It would be interesting to know whether any astronomer in the Dominions noticed the phenomenon.

Shark or Pike? It is seldom that anyone in Fiji will allow that local sharks are man-eaters, but a case of drowning is reported which is claimed to be a case where a man was devoured by a shark. Some men from the town of Nakalou, near the mouth of the Dreketi. River, were out sailing, when their boat capsized. The boat sank, and a man dived to fasten a rope so that the craft might be refloated. At once the water became stained with blood, and the man never was seen again. The story is interesting to all who know Fiji waters, and many think that the man was attacked by an oqo, a firece fish like a monster pike, of whom the natives are very scared. They regard a shark as Dakuwanga the god, and that he will never attack a Fijian.

An Uncharted Rock. The Welsh Dragon steamer Emlynian, which ran over an uncharted reef near Momi passage, on the west coast of Viti Levu, and sprung a leak, came on to Suva and had a quantity of her cargo of C.B.R. sugar shifted to allow the damage to be inspected. The fracture was found to be small, and it was cemented and the cargo restored, and the vessel sailed for Australia en route for Liverpool, England. The shoal has been located by H.M.s. Laburnum. The captain wirelessed on Sunday that he had located and surveyed the reef, which is a shoal 160 yds in diameter, and covered by 15ft of water at low tide. The bearing of the shoal is given as Vatu Mbulu Islet bearing 289J degrees, distant 5.4 miles, approximately latitude 17 degrees 48 minutes south, longitude 177 degrees 19 minutes'east, least depth approximately three fathoms. The rock has been buoyed, and further sweeping operations are being carried out. Many steamers have passed the spot drawing a greater draught, but apparently they were lucky in skirting the danger. The Rona has often passed very close to the spot.