Disruptive Influences In Solomon Islands

Chronicle (Levin), 2 June 1948, Page 5

Disruptive Influences In Solomon Islands

WELLINGTON, June 1. Conditions in the British Solomon. Islands had deteriorated to sueh an extent as the result of disruptive labour influences and eneroaehment by the bush and white ants, that living' there was inore primitive than in the early (lays of the white man when eannibaiism was the aceepted praetiee. This opinion was expressed in an interview with Mr, J. Stuart Mill, of the South Sea Evangelieal Mission, a New Zealander who has been engagecl in missionary work in the Solomons for many years. With the refusal of the natives to work exeept at exorbitant wages, the islands were eccmomieaHy at a standstill, he said. There was no produc- | tion of copra, large trading lirms were freluetant to return to re-establish their business, and there was almost no sea or air transport. Food supplies were so short that it was a problem for Europeans to maintain themselves. A strong influential movement eailed "Marehing Rule," had spread like wildflre and stern measures had to oe taken to eombat it. Young fanaties or the movement had set up a spy system and many individuals had been intimated with threats of imprisonment, fines and even death. It had been planned to establish illegal eourts and , when this was known, the leader haa been arrested, tried and imprisoned. An aireraft carrier and four destroyers had visited the islands to show the flag. Eventually, he thought, the movement would rebound on its leaders and there would be a return to more normal eonditions but at present there was only devastation.