’Mr. Codrington has given these fellows a great taste for gardening.  Much of their spare hours (which are not many) are spent in digging up, fencing in and preparing little pieces of land close about the station, two or three lads generally making up a party, and frequently the party consists of lads and young men from different islands.  Then they have presents of seeds, cuttings, bulbs, &c., from Mr. Codrington chiefly, and Mrs. Palmer and others contribute.  Some of these little gardens are really very nicely laid out in good taste and well looked after.  They have an eye to the practically useful here too, as every garden has its stock of bananas, and here and there we see the sugar-cane too.

’From 3.30 P.M. to 6 P.M. is the play time, although they do not all have this time to themselves.  For three lads must milk from 5 to 6, one or two must drive in the cows, seven or eight are in the kitchen, three or four must wash the horses, one must drive the sheep into the fold, all but the milkers have only their one week of these diverse occupations.  There are about twelve head cooks, who choose their helpers (the whole school, minus the milkers and two or three overlookers, being included), and so the cooking work comes only once in twelve weeks.  The cooks of the one week drive up the cows and water the horses the next week, and then there is no extra work, that is, nothing but the regular daily work from 9.30 A.M. after school to 1 P.M.  Wednesday is a half-holiday, Saturday a whole holiday.  There are six milkers, one of whom is responsible for the whole.  One receives 2s. 0d. per week, his chief mate 1s. 6d., and the other four 1s. each.  They take it in turns, three each week.  This is the hardest work in one sense; it brings them in from their play and fishing, or gardening, &c., and so they are paid for it.  We do not approve of the white man being paid for everything, and the Melanesian being expected to work habitually extra hours for nothing.  There are many other little extra occupations for which we take care that those engaged in them shall have some reward, and as a matter of fact a good deal of money finds its way into the hands of the storekeeper, and a very fair amount of 3d., 4d. and 6d. pieces may be seen every Sunday in the offertory bason.

’Perhaps I should say that we have seldom seen here any indications of these Melanesians expecting money or presents; but we want to destroy the idea in their minds of their being fags by nature, and to help them to have some proper self-respect and independence of character.  We see very little in them to make us apprehensive of their being covetous or stingy, and indisposed to give service freely.

’School hours 8-9.20, 2-3.30, singing 7-8 P.M., chapel 6.45 A.M., 6.30 P.M.

’Of the 134 Melanesians, besides the baby, ten are teachers, and with their help we get on very fairly.  There are sixteen of us teachers in all, so that the classes are not too large.