THE PACIFIC ROAMER

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1928, Page 8

THE PACIFIC ROAMER

MYSTERY MAX LUKK. • APIA (Samoa), Nov. .1(1. To Lhc history of Anthony Luke, the mystery man of the Western Pacific, must bo added yet another episode—that concerning another I rust rated attempt to get to Australia. Anthony Luke has now been dwelling in Samoa for several months, and present indications are that lie is extremely likely to spend Christmas there, whether he likes it or not, and also independent of Samoa's views on the matter. The story of Luke’s coming to Apia, is almost as involved as the wiiii ale rings of (lid liver; and is a distressing example of the difficulties that face a. man who has acquired a notoriety which precedes him like an advance agent. Luke is indeed unfortunate. Mirny a dishonest individual travels hack and forth unhindered between countries which have firmly refused admission to Luke, to whom no -one can impute, as far as is known, a single criminal action. Luke’s wanderings have been written many times by now. and his name i.s as .well known in the Pacific as the Man. Ac,cording to his statement to cone newspaper representative. his travels originated in Chicago. and it has been generally sun-

-osed that lie is either an American or a Canadian, hut it now appears that at one time he lived in London, and may possibly he Fnglish. fYom his conversation, which is quite well educated and bears no accent, •he latier deduction is mere accentnhle. His appearance is that of the stage Australian bushranger type, and ‘'hi.; is accentuated bv his heavy beard and easv stvle ol dress. Tie has singularly clear and sharp eyes, which (lisrincflv negative the current belief that he is below the ordinary standard. of mentality. LI is nomination in Chicago was that of gardener, ‘but liis goodly pile of luggage includes a large amount of photographic anna ratus, which points either to hi* having an expensive Imbbv. or at one time having earned his living as a. photographer. Altogether. Luke is a mystery, llis storv is vague, lib travels until he came to the Pacific do not appear to be recorded. his origin is uncertain, liis maimer ol living is decidedly eccentric, and the object of liis jounieyings i.s unknown. One thing only is certain, and that is the fact tint it will ho very difficult for him to leave Samoa.

Anthony Luke commenced his tour •it C hicago, from which place, according to liis story, he was hounded by onemies to Ontario, and thence to the West Indies. At this point in liis i-areer there is a gap which would be vorv interesting to fill, but at that, time be bad not acquired the notoriety which now keens him in Hie nubia- eye. He came to Suva, Fiji, from Hongkong, via. Honolulu, and since then liis life has been well tabulated, and bis travels make a queer story, which is familiar throughout- tin' Islands.

V.’ITTJOIT A COT.'NTUY. Me stayed at Suva a law weeks, and tlien went to Pagopago, American Samoa, and from there tried inism'■•ec.sfnllv to get to Apia. Pagopago sltipped him back to I'iii. bat Suva refused to take him, and lie was carried on to Sydney, only to be rejected there a« being below the standard of mentality required for intending Australian immigrants. The shinning company then took" him lark t< Pagopago and secured his passage' to \pin by paying the landing bond of P’id. Apia tried to dispose of Luke in New Zealand, but lie was refused admission there, and returned to Samoa. Later on lie attempted to stowaway on the Tofua.

Since that time Luke has been living peacefully enough in Apia, ami a-1 though lie wants to got away seems to lead a contented enough life. Th' is a well-known character round the heaeh front, and neither troubles n”r is troubled hv anyone. Lv day lie strolls around the town or lolls contentedly under the palms by the sea. eeading or slecning, or just doing nothing; at night he takes shelter in the police barracks. At one period lie was arrested on a vagrancy charge and sent to the T'uvao prison canin. hut in prison or out of prison lie was happiest doing nothing, and it \va< almost impossible to persuade him to work. not FONT) OF WORK. The Samoans know him well, and seem to have a slirewuc-r estimate 01 his character than most Europeans, to whom Luke is rather a mystery. The Samoan word "valca has the same meaning as what is suggested when a white man significantly tanIds cranium, hut it is useless to tell a Samoan that Anthony Luke is "va.lea.” They are more inclined to think that ho simply dislikes work, and point to instances of him being sane enough to refuse small jobs. When it was asked why Luke frequently rolls his eves to the heavens, n ,Samoan ingenuously explained tb-o he was merely studying the position oi the .sun to see it it was time tm k.’.iVti" ( food). Similarly, the Samoans explain Luke’s habit of sometimes clapping his hands and singing an being purely for the punm-c W frightening away the Samoan children, who occasionally take too great an interest in him. A good deal of sympathy j bus been given over Luke, but the I Samoan estimate of him may not he | far wrong, and perhams the pity of ;t i s not what he is, but that he | chooses to he what he is. With all b.s presumed eccentricities the main

one seems to be a rooted objection to worn. .MAY GET TO CANADA. Luke still declares that be wants to no tu Canada, and will raise the necessary funds 'when 'lie finds a shin to take him tlfere. The latter part of bis statement lias been borne out, for month it was ccncr.il knowledge that he was the recipient of a sun of money. L’u fortunately it arrived too bite for him to secure a passage on a boat which lately called at Apia on its way to Vancouver. This was the reason for his attempting to get to Australia.