PHOENIX GROUP.

The Phoenix group comprises Phoenix, Birnie, Hull, Canton, Gardner, McKean, Enderbury and Sydney Islands, and is situated to the east of the Gilbert and Ellice groups. The Islands are of coral formation, and several of them are planted with coconuts. All except McKean and Enderbury Islands are leased to Messrs. Burns, Philp (South Sea) Company, Limited, for 87 years, from 1st January, 1914. By an Order in Council dated 18th March, 1937, the boundaries of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony were extended to include the Phoenix Group.

The climate of all the groups is fairly healthy for Europeans, but the natives suffer from lung diseases, especially pulmonary tuberculosis. A considerable amount of medical work is undertaken and a large central hospital is maintained at Tarawa in the Gilbert Group. All the inhabited islands have native hospitals under the charge of native students trained at the Tarawa Hospital.

Communication between the various islands was formerly infrequent, depending on the irregular movements of vessels belonging to or chartered by Messrs. Burns, Philp and Company, Limited, on Chong and Company Limited, and the British Phosphate Commissioners, but the acquisition by the Administration of the auxiliary sailing vessel "Nimanoa" has considerably increased the facilities for regular communication.

The principal sources of revenue are import duties (general ad valorem rate 25 per cent., British preferential ad valorem rate 12 per cent.); export duty on copra; land tax (paid in copra) on native communities; capitation tax 101. a head p.a. on non-natives; ship, trading and other licences; royalty on phosphate shipped from Ocean Island; interest on invested funds and consolidated payment by the British Phosphate Commissioners. By virtue of the latter the Commissioners are exempted from certain taxation and duties.

The Revenue and Expenditure of the Colony have been as follows:

Year ended 30th June. Revenue. Expenditure. £ £ 45,359 53,299

1933-34

Secretariat.

Secretary to Government, E. L. Leembruggen, 400%, to 5001. by 251. and quarters (seconded to District Administration).

Wernham.

Cadets, E. R. Bevington, G. B. Gallagher, D. C. I. Native Clerks and Interpreters, Ocean Island, Bauro and Penitala, 60l. to 1201. by 5l., and ration allowances.

Clerk-in-Training, Tekiera, 241. to 367. and ration allowance. District Administration.

Senior Administrative Officer, C. A. Swinbourne, O.B.E., 600l. to 7001. by 251. and quarters. Administrative Officers, A. C. F. Armstrong, D. G. Kennedy and P. D. Macdonald, (one post vacant), 500l. to 600l. by 251. and quarters.

Native Assistant to Administrative Officers (vacant). Clerk and Storekeeper and Postal Assistant, Taraica,

F. Highland, 751. to 100%. by 51, and ration allowance Three Clerks and Interpreters, Pasefika, Tiriata and Iaokiri, 40l. to 601. and ration allowances. Three Clerks in Training, Kilifi, Ikamawa and Nos, 241. to 361. by 61. and ration allowances,

Treasury, Customs and Postal Departments. Treasurer, Collector of Customs, and Chief Postmaster, S. G. Clarke, F.C.I.(Eng.), 550l. to 6501, by 251, and quarters.

Accountant, H. A. B. Bentley, 400l. to 500l. and quarters; receives also an allowance of 481. as Customs and Boarding Officer.

Clerk and Customs Officer, P. T. English, 300%, to 4001. by 251. and quarters.

Clerk, W. H. Ramsay, 300l. and quarters. Postmaster, Ocean Island (post vacant), 100%. to 150. with rations and quarters. Clerk and Interpreter, Tekaiwa, 40l. to 60%. by 51. and ration allowance.

Police and Prisons Department. Officer in Charge of Constabulary and Superintendent of the Gaol, Ocean Island, J. I. Blaikie, 400%. to 500l. by 251. and quarters. Receives also 187. as boot and uniform allowance. Chinese Interpreter, Yam Sik Cheong, 2001, and quarters.

Medical Department.

Senior Medical Officer, F. E. Montague, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., 650l. to 750l. by 251., and non-pensionable allowance of 100l. and quarters.

Medical Officer, K. R. Steenson, M.B., Ch.B., 7001. to 8001. by 251, and quarters.

Senior Native Medical Practitioner and Dispenser Malakai Veisamasama, 150l. to 2001. by 107., with quarters and ration allowance.

Seven Second Class Native Medical Practitioners,
Tutu, Bakoa, Tatoa, Tekai, Teauoki, Lusi,
and Iete, 651. to 851. and ration allowance.
Third Class Native Medical Practitioners, Seanoa and
Tabonteren, 601. and ration allowance.

Education Department. Superintendent of Education, F. G. L. Holland, M.B.E., 500l. to 600l. by 251. and quarters. Headmaster, Ellice School (post vacant), 450%. to 550. by 251. and quarters.

Headmaster, King George V. School, Bairiki, Tarawa, Head Master, Ocean Island, G. E. Hard, 4001. and (vacant), 400l. to 5001. by 251. and quarters. quarters.

Public Works Department. Superintendent of Works, A. St. C. Compton, 500%, and quarters.

Foreman of Works, D. Robertson, 360l. and quarters.

Transport.

Master, H.M.C.S.“ Nimanoa," M. L. Singleton, 4201. and uniform allowance of 201.

Engineer, H.M.C.S. "Nimanoa," P. L. G. Sinclair,

3601. and uniform allowance of 201. Chief Officer, H.M.C.S. “Nimanoa," E. W. Harness, 3001. and uniform allowance of 201.

Wireless Department.

Engineer Operator in Charge, Wireless Station, Ocean Island, T. Moore, 400l. to 4501. by 251. and quarters. Operator, Wireless Station, Ocean Island, A. Cookson, 300l. to 4001. by 20l. and quarters.

Lands Commission.

Lands Commissioner (Gilbert Islands), H. E. Maude, M.B.E. (seconded from District Administration), 5001. to 6001. by 251., plus consolidated travelling allowance of 751. and quarters. Lands Commissioner (Ellice Islands), D. G. Kennedy (751. consolidated travelling allowance), receives salary as Administrative Officer.

THE BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS PROTECTORATE.

The British Solomon Islands Protectorate is situated between the parallels of 5° South and 12° 30' South, and the meridians of 155° and 170° of East longitude.

The Protectorate consists of a double row of mountainous islands, extending at its extremities from Bougainville Straits to Mitre Island, in the Santa Cruz Group, for a distance of 900 miles, and north and south from the Ontong Java Group to Rennell Island for a distance of 430 miles, in an area approximately 249,000 square nautical miles, of which about 11,000 square miles are land.

The native population (mainly Melanesian) is 93,415.

The Solomon Islands were first discovered in the year 1568 by Alvaro de Mendana, while on a voyage of discovery from Peru. The island first sighted they named Ysabel because it was on that Saint's day that they left Callao. In the year 1595 a second expedition under Mendana sailed from Peru, but failed to locate the island of Guadalcanal, whereon it was intended he should form a settlement, and he arrived in the Santa Cruz Group, and landed at Graciosa Bay. The new colony proved a failure, the death of Mendana put an end to any prospect of success, and the remnants of the original party

returned to Peru.

In 1767 Captain Carteret re-discovered the Santa Cruz Group and the north-west coast line of the island of Malaita.

In the same year de Bougainville in the frigate

La Boudeuse, sailed from Monte Video on a deliberate quest of the Terra Australis which he missed, and arrived at New Guinea; in sailing back he passed through the Straits which are the present northeastern boundary of the Protectorate, the island on the right being named Bougainville after him, and the one on the left named after Choiseul, who was at the time Minister of France.

Twenty years later, and 700 miles to the southeast, la Perouse, in command of the French frigates

(c)

Civil Establishment.

Resident Commissioner, F. N. Ashley, C.M.G., 1,2001. to 1,4001. and duty allowance, 1007.

Secretariat.

Secretary to the Government (vacant), 500l. to 600. Clerk, Resident Commissioner's office, P. Coller, 340l. to 4007.

Central Typist, M. J. Bernhardt, 2707. to 340!.

District Administration. Chief Magistrate and Legal Adviser, R. Hyne, 600%, to 7501.

First District Officer (vacant), 600l. to 7001.
District Officers, C. E. J. Wilson, W. H. Miller, L. W. S.

Wright, G. E. D. Sandars, R. J. Keegan, C. N. F.
Bengough, 500l. to 600l.

Assistant District Officer, J. K. Brownlees, 400% to 5001.

Cadets, D. C. Horton, T. P. Kneen, A. N. A. Waddell, D. C. C. Trench, W. F. M. Clemens.

Treasury, Customs and Postal Department. Treasurer and Collector of Customs, F. E. Johnson, I.S.O., 550l. to 6501., receives also a personal allowance of 100%.

Accountant, W. V. J. Blake, 400l. to 5007. First Clerk and Boarding Officer, A. W. Dickes, 400l. to 4501.

Second Clerk and Boarding Officer, J. B. Hicks, 340l. to 400.

Clerk, S. G. Masterman, 340l. to 4001.

Third Clerk and Boarding Officer, G. H. C. Train, 270l. to 3402.

Storekeeper, V. J. Shearwin, 340l. to 400Z.
Postmaster, F. Stock, 340l. to 4007.

Medical Department.

Senior Medical Officer, H. B. Hetherington, M.D., Toronto, C.P. & S., Ontario, 700l. to 9001 and fees. Travelling Medical Officer, N. Crichlow, M.B., Ch. B. (Glasgow), 550l. to 6501.; (2007. consolidated travelling and subsistence allowance). Sister-in-Charge Government Hospital, Tulagi, Miss M. Cleaver, 2007. and victualling allowance, and 127. uniform allowance. Nurse, Tulagi Hospital, Miss L. D. Collins, 160. and victualling allowance and 121. uniform allowance. Yaws and Hookworm Officer (temporary appointment), C. H. G. White, 450l.

Dispenser and Clerk, C. H. G. White,300l. to 350L., F. T. Stackpool (temporary), 300l. to 350. Native Medical Practitioners, G. Bogese, Guso Rato Piko, H. Wheatley, H. Kuper, 100l. by 57. to 150, E. Leauli, 1001. by 51. to 1447.