THE DYING ISLANDERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 85, 30 September 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE DYING ISLANDERS

CAUSES OF THE DECAY. In a recent newspaper article Sir. Louis Becke discusses very fully the cause of the decay of the South Sea Islanders. He says that the theory of ■the survival of the fittest does not quite apply to the Pacific races. Though the Melanesia!! is of a much lower type than the Micronesian and Polynesian he will outlive them both, unless'some devastating disease happens to visit his thickly populated territory. An epidemic of measles might do even greater damage among the Melanesians than it did in Fiji some years ago when a young native prince, who had been to'school in Sydney, carried the infection to his people and 40,000 of them died. Mr. Becke believes that European diseases and alcohol are the primary factors of the destruction of the native races. He mentions the history of Strong's Island, at the eastern end of the great Caroline Archipelago, which was visited in 1825 bv Captain Duperrv. This keen observer estimated the population at 11,000, but when' Mr. Becke was shipwrecked on the island in 157.1 it. contained only 500 inhabitants. He ascertained that an epidemic of disease followed the visit of Captain Duperrys ship, and in seven years there were 0000 deaths on the island. Mr. Bcekr holds the introduction of (he garments of civilisation accountable in some measure for the decline of the island peoples, but he refuses to accept the theory that; firearms have played an important part in the t.raged'v. Before the South Sea Islanders ' ever learnt, to use muskets, he says, their continuous wars were sanguinary in the extreme. They fought, at close quarters. and neither age nor sex was spared by the victors. "Nowadays a native war causes little loss of life, though the expenditure of ammunition mav be prodigious. The natives fight behind cover, and Air. Becke remarks tersely that Ibe noise of the firing pleases litem immensely. During a civil war which Mr." Bee!- c saw on the Marshall "Island a trader made a. fortune by selling old ammnnilion, which was almost useless. It made plenty of noise, however, and as bad shooting prolonged the fighting the natives were satisfied.