LOTUS ISLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 164, 10 January 1914, Page 5

LOTUS ISLES.

IN THE SOUTH SEAS. A PLACE OF FORGETFULNESS. I»y Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, January 9. Dr. Iloare, a resident of the Union group of islands, is visiting Sydney. Tie | gives :• rather lugubrious account of his kingdom, lie and a trader arc the on I v white men in the group. He describes the life as deadly monotonous, dumped amongst lazy, good-for-nothing natives, whose language is foreign to •him. and with whom he has nothing in common. There are about a thousand natives in the group, who closely resemble the Samoans. Nominally they are Clinsti:nis. but according to Dr. Iloare, their religion is only skin deep. Thcv are peaceable folk, but morally frail and incura.blv lazy. They have developed a passion for card-playing and euchre parties are held all day and night. A little ce.pra is manufactured and sold, ami the proceeds expended in luxuries, but (heir ollor crops yield sufficient to supply the group. It is a haven for those content to pass the rest of their days "the world forgetting, by the world forgot."