LIFE IN TAHITI

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 26, 31 July 1939, Page 3

LIFE IN TAHITI

an Ar.i> t_l__AMt_i_,§ COMFORT ON £150 A YEAR HOW IT IS GAINED Life in glamorous Tahiti has many disadvantages: lack of communication with the world, poor radio reception, no newspapers, few books, tropical " diseases, says a writer in the "New York Times." On the other hand, it has its advantages. • Chief of these lis that, anyone with an income of £ 150 ! a yes.r would find this sum more than | adequate for the comfortable, informal 'mode of living that Tahiti offers. The Messageries M_a_tiin.es sends a boat to Tahiti ence every six weeks. - These boats start from Marseilles, France. They m.y be joined at . Panama. Reservations are usually sold out a full six weeks before the 'boats sail, but travel agents can secure second-class reservations from Panama to Tahiti by cabling to Fran.e before - the boat leaves Marseilles. ' The French Government has ruled' that all passengers landing at Papeete, • ' ,the only "city" (population 4600) in .French Oceania, must have tickets back to Panama or deposit a cash "re- '' patriation fund" of £40. Since a second-class round-trip passage from Panama is only £35, there is a saving in having the return ticket. There are any number of freighters that will take you from New York to Panama, first stage of the trip to Tahiti, for £15. TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES. A .passenger with £75 in additionto his £150 living expenses has now spent £140 for transportation. Tips will take another £6, and if he is careful he can escape' from Panama with an expenditure of only £3, arid land in Tahiti with £16 to, spend outfitting himself. For £2 10s the newcomer can buy two tailor-made white linen suits for "formal" affairs: The "Governor's Ball (he will be invited),' the American - Consul's, party, an occasional dance at the .Yacht Club (to. which he will belong), and various wedding festivals. Another 15s will buy a pair of handmade white shoes, and his" regular shirts will last for several years. Everyday clothing will consist of several "pareus," at 2s each; a couple of pairs of shorts at os, and Chinese sandals at' 5s a pair.Another 5s will buy a ."body board," on which to pass glorious, hours riding the surf at Arue Beach. Because there is' a shortage of big trees,' a dugout outrigger canoe will be expensive, pos- • sibly £2 10s; a sail for it will-cost another :15s, but. the, pleasure in -a sailing canoe will be well worth the expense. -The standard method of transportation in Tahiti is-by bicycle. Price, £3. The newcomer-, .having spent £11 of his £16, is now. completely outfitted. His fellow-expatriates would „ appreciate it if he would surrender his remaining £4 for "five quarts of Scotch, five quarts of brandy, and ten quarts of Tahitian rum.' ' Then he might pass the word around that he has a well- . stocked cellar. The response will amaze him. His liquor will vanish, but his popularity will be tremendous.. < ON THE WESTERN COAST'/ . The-best place to live is on.the'western coast of .the'island..-"The day the „newcomer lands he should inquireabout renting agents, explain his financial position to the agent,-and thentrust him. The agent's services will -cost nothing; he-takes his commission from the landlord. The agenj will find a cottage on the - seashore, complete with modem plumbing, renting at £2 -10s a month. A native girl must be hired' to do the cooking, cleaning, and laundering. A shopper in town will, for £4 ' a month, supply the newcomer with, enough meat, vegetables," salt, sugar, ice, and bread to feed a • family of four. The newcomer must only tell the shopper how often he wants beef. The "shopper will use his own initia-- . tive in all other respects: The expatriate is expected to catch his own fish; his cabin" will have a full supply,of poles, lines, and hooks, and he "will find that in a morning he can catch enough fish to last, a week. Coconuts, mangoes, breadfruit, and ~ papaya grow in the back yard, and if the expatriate doesn't, want to 'climb up after' them himself his house- . keeper will smilingly save him the trouble. The house will cost £2 10s. a month, as will the servant; the' food bill will" be £4. Therefore, the expatriate will have about £4 to spend for amusement. That doesn't sound like"" a lot of money, but in Tahiti it will stretch to incredible proportions. . Cigarettes will set • him back jiist 2s a carton, excellent champagne can be had for - 3s a quart, good champagne for 2s "-- 3d. An evening in one of Papeete's night clubs will rarely cost more than 4s—the price of five bottles of native beer. ENTERTAINMENT EASY. If he joins the American colony lie will' go to at least one informal party a week-, probably more. He will be expected to entertain in turn, but the task will not be a difficult one; hii will ask his? housekeeper to bring around a few natives, and she will gladly comply. In return for drinks the natives will sing, dance, and make music. If they like the expatriate they will not ask for money; if they don't like him they won't show up. Which brings up a very important point. Tahitians are French citizens; they are equal before the law with all Europeans and Americans, both theoretically and practically. Newcomers : soon realise that there is no social distinction between native and "white, but often they, do not realise, it uritii. after they . have, made some unfdrgiv-. able mistake. - ■ , If a Tahitian fisherman gives "thenewcomer a string of fish the newcomer should thank him ceremoniously and make him a present the next day. The fisherman will accept money, but he will consider the giver an ill-mannered foreigner, and the expatriate will never live down a repu-< tation .for ungraciousness. If the expatriate can make friends of the first few Tahitians with whom, he comes in contact,' he will'be known.: ail over the island as "tane maetae," 1 a good man. He will find that, thei.; natives are glad to do him favours and his life iri Tahiti will be happier than it otherwise would have- been. - As to the island itself, Tahiti is in the heart of the "South Seas-:" 'It has an area of .00 square miles, and is the capital of French Oceania.- The climate \is excellent, the temperature averaging 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Duty - ing the so-called rainy season there' are three days of rain to three weeks' of sunshine. During the dry season there are thirty days of blue skies to one cloudy day. The trade winds blow 365 days a year, making for wonderful sailing. Fish are. plentiful in the lagoons.