NAURU ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 229, 21 June 1919, Page 7

NAURU ISLAND

GEM OF THE PACIFIC

Of all the German possessions in the Pncific none (says nit article in the Sydney "Sun") has attracted more interest than Nauru, the enormous wealth of which brought about a great, light between Mr. Hughes (Prime 'Minister of Australia) and Mr. .Massey (Primo Minister of New Zealaud) at the Peaco Conference. Both these delegates recognised ihat the possession of Nauru, with its' almost unljinited supply of phosphate, meant bringing into the country many millions of pounds. Nauru, 'which is about two thousand miles from Sydney, and only 350 miles siftith of tho Marshall Group, is .also, quite close to tho Gilbert Islands, which are regularly served from Sydney by steamer. It was with keen NI Sydney by steamer. It 'was with keen disappointment that. Sydney Teamed that Australia was not io have . a- mandate over Nauru, The light which Mr, Hughes, had put up justified tho belief that Australia would probably get control of this gem of thoPacific. Mr. Hughes had a tremendous tosk ahead, for the whole of tho German interests in the island are now held T)y a British company. A Distinct Language. . i The language of the natives of Nauru is absolutely distinct from any other iu the Pacific Occan. This is attributed to the fact that tho inhabitants are descended from mitivesof tho Marshall, Caroline, Gilbert, and Solomon Islands, who have accidentally drifted to Nauru and intermarried, thereby creating a perfectly new language. There io a slightly dilfer(,n.t type of native on parts of the island, hi the south they hnvo curly hair, but not woolly; on the western side their hair is very straight, showing their Gilbert descent. Then there are part swherc the natives seem to be of more mixed blood, , The island itself is only about It miles in } circumference, ami at its highest point tho altitude is about 380 ft. Right, round there is a coconut belt of an averago depth of l'.)0 yards, the rest being composed 'of small hills and valleys almost wholly phosphate, alluvial," and rock, interspersed with coral pinnacles, excepting for a small lake of brackish water inland, towards tho •'western side of the island. This, lake is also surrounded by a thick bait, of coconut trees.' Tho inland Rheot «f water is only a few inches above sca-lovel. and rises "and falls with the tide. It looks very much like an extinct ■ orater, but scientists are of the opinion, that m bygone .ages it formed a small atoU, Fossilised sliolls' of many kinds, Which are lion now found on tho surface, are unearthed' a few feet below the ground, • Wonderful Native Race, " The natives are a very-fine face. There is practically no disen.se amongst them.. Both the men and women are of flue* physique, many of. the latter being- very pretty, mostly, with luxuriant hair, and beautiful white teeth, of winch they takogreat care. The island is supposed. to ha ve been discovered'in I'ffit by alt. American whaler, but it,is believed that either the Portuguese or Spaniards were there many years before., because thu .Americans founil the island already oviin'rim with fo*ss aild pigs. It was not until October, ISS3, that, the island was under any. Government. About that date the- German gunboat Ebur, with' Commissioner Soiuienucheju,. representing tho Imperial German Government, landed,' and h'oistwl lljo G/ftysri Hag. He ( reinaiiwd there three days, and ordered the natives to. bring all their guns, ammunition, etc., under penalty of having their principal men de-., ■ ported for life. Nauru' was■ under-German-Tiile for a little over 25 years. .During tho greater portion of that time Mr. E. M.. It. .Stephen acted aa • Government interpreter. The Phosphate Company staled its works on May '20, J'JOO. One event in'the history of the island, and which the natives treasure, was tlm visit of King George, who with his brother, the Duke of Clarence,- -passed there in the year 1581. They had a. squadron of eight ships, bound from Australia to China, on a trip round the world. A. partv of tho natives and two whito traders wont aboard the admiral's flagship, and tho hospitable mauner in which they were treated has never been forgotten. Where the Workers Live. The Pacific Phosphate Company ha# the finest plant at Nauru in tho Pacific Ocean. There is a large settlement on tho.island, with barracks to accommodate fifty each of the Chinese and kanaka labourers, nice, well-furnished cottages for the single whito staff, and three to four-roomed cottages for tho married whites- Every dwelling, has olectrie light installed, and there is a wonderful sewerage system throughout the settlement, water being supplied from a. 65,<H>0 gallon tank from a. hill, to which salt water is pumped lroni the sea by electricity. Then there is a fine recrc-ation room, with billiard tables and library, and two up-to-date dryers. There is a tramway line running to both jetties from the storage bins. Fresh water is provided by two condensers of large capacities. This is noccssnry because the climate cannot lie depended- upon for steady ram, and it is on record that for a stretch of eighteen months only a few light showers have Vis estimated that there are stilt 10 million lons ul" nJiosphatus on tho lskiuu, sufficient to keep the happy native population busily employed for many years. Nauru is truly a jjeui of the lacilic.