FROM PITCAIRN ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3127, 4 July 1917, Page 9

FROM PITCAIRN ISLAND

The following reply, has been received by a lady to-a letter which sho sent to the "chief inhabitant" of Pitoairn Island:—

January 18, 1917. Pitoairn Island, S.P.O. Dear Madame,—l received your kind letter 26 November, 1916.

Many thanks for the kind interests that you take in us as a community. And very many thaiis for the parcel that you sent us—good to have news and mail from good old England again. We haven't had any mail since' 1913—t00 long altogether. But wo have had news quite frequently from those steamers that pass through tho Panama Canal, telling us about the progress of the war and its terrible slaughter of human lives. Sad to think of how many widows and fatherless children suffering, all on account of Germany's wanting to rule the world.

Now a few items about our little island. Pleasant life and no one to trouble us. Plenty to eat—fruits and vegetables of various kinds, oranges going to waste, bananas just the samo, potatoes, pumpkins, yams, pineapples, beans, maize, etc., etc., etc.; all that wo need along that line. But wo only get our supplies from passing ships, such as flour, clothing, soap, oil, and other articles for domestic use. Yours with interest, — Gerard Robert Bromley Christian, Chief Magistrate.

Sergeant >T. V. M. Catitey, who was announced yesterday as having been awarded, amongst many others, the Military Medal for his conduct at the Bnttlo of Messines, is an old boy of Kilbirnie School, where lie excelled in shooting and cricket. Afterwards at "Wellington College he becamo tho crack shot of tho school. Ho twice represented New Zealand in the Earl Roberta's Trophy Competition, and on one of these occasions topped the score for tho Dominion. Ono remarkable performance by him was tho registering of five shots insido a one-inch bull's-eye at 100 yawls. Sergeant Cautey joined tho Samoan Expedition at the outbreak of tho war, subsequently going; to the, main theatro with the New Zealand •Rifle Brigade. >