BACK FROM REMOTE PACIFIC ATOLL

Chronicle (Levin), 2 September 1947, Page 7

BACK FROM REMOTE PACIFIC ATOLL

Press Association )

(Per

AUCKLAND, Bept. I. A foi'mer British Commissioner on Christmas Island, a remote Pacilie atolJ over 1300 miles south of Hawaii, Major A.. D. Sinelair, is visiting New Zea land on leave. Major Sinelair, who was assistant area offieer in Auckland for some time during the Second World War, had his wife and two daughters living with him at Christmas Island where they were the only women. The island, ihe ownership of which has been in dispute, has a small Amencan garrison as well as a resident British Commissioner who lives in a village called London. In addition to being Commissioner Major Sinelair was manager of the Christmas Island Plantation Company which has 15,001. acres of eoconut trees. The plantation was- stafl'ed by 00 young Gilbert Islanders who went to Cliristmas Isl,-and witli Major Sinelair in January of last year and in their first nine months on the island they harvested and shipped some •300 tons of eopra. It was sent to Britain for Ihe Ministry of Food. The annual production is normally ajiout 600 tons although the figure for the 11 months ended August this j^ear, was a record of 700 tons. Major Sinelair said that in 1943 when the world demand for fats was at its height, a group of 40 Ellice Island ers was taken to Christmas Island to harvest the copra which wa^ shipped to San i'rancisco. They were replaced by Major Sinelair 's party of Gilbert Islanders earlj' in 1946. Tlie average Gilbertese ueeepted work in a twovear contract to earn enough to buv prized goods to take back to his native island. They were highly religious people and held, two services on the islaiul every Suiulay, one of their number acting as minister. With copra bringing ihe record price of over £37 a tou, the proseut 3-eav's crop should be worth something like £25,000. He said that if 200 natives were available with proper equipment, production would be doubled. Tlie two inajoi probleins were supiflies and t'resli watei, supplies coming in by ship only onee yearly and water being drawn from a single weli. The water- had to be carried 17 miles to the Britisji settle ment and consumption was 1000 gallous wcekly. Major Sinelair, whose family returned to New Zealand some months ago, will spend two ' months in the Dominion before taking a new part in the colonial service.