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Queen to meet
a brown
Mr. McTavish
Mail Sydney Office
When the Queen visits tropical Cocos
Islands on Monday, she will meet, among
other brown-skinned natives, Mr. McTav
ish,, Mr. McLeod, and Mr. McDougall.
It is 127 years since
dour Scotsman John
Clunies-Ross settled in
the islands, 1,300 miles
from Perth, but the in
fluence of his early life
among the Highland
crofters' huts lingers on.
The main street of
the village capital of
Cocos Islands is known
as Sauchiehall street,
after Glasgow's famed
thoroughfare.
? Scottish music
When the local or
chestra goes into ac
tion. Malay dirges are
lightened with snatches
from 'Cock o' the
North' or 'A Hundred
Pipers.'
During wild island
dances Malay kron
chongs often give way
to foursome reels which
ro on for hours.
Hogmanay celebra
tions last a week, during
which nobody works.
Manv of the island
ers who did not have
Scottish names were
christened in the first
half of this century by
John Sydney Clunies
Ross. who died following
a Japanese air raid on
Cocos in 1944.
Picking up his four
month-old copy of The
Times. John Sydney
would scan the births,
deaths, and marriage
columns for suitable
names.
? Rum name!
That is why there is
a Churchill and a Kit
chener on the islands.
In John Sydney's ab
sence a literate islander
saw an advertisement
and named his son Old
Gin. It was later
changed to Oswald.
Some islanders named
themselves. One young
lady announced herself
as Miss Catalina, fol
lowing the visit of the
first flying boat.
Miss Awatie Binti
New Year was one of
1,000 natives who re
cently left the islands
because of overcrowd
ing.
The 1,000 natives re
maining at Cocos are
content with their life
behind the coral cur
tain.
There is work for all
males over 14, and for
as many females as
want it. Workers can
retire on half-pay at 65.
Funerals are paid for
by the Clunies-Ross
family.
A three-room fur
nished house is given to
each newly - married
couple.
Crime is unknown.
? Placid lagoon
Every Sunday is a
holiday when the
islanders sail their
highly colored cutters
on the placid lagoon,
often accompanied by
some of the 20 bronzed
Australians who man
the Qantas transit
centre and airstrip on
West Island.
The Queen will be
received at Cocos by
Mr. E. H. C. Lillecrup,
a member of the Malay
civil service for more
than 30 years.
Mr. Lillecrup was
recently appointed ad
ministrator of the Cocos
Islands, a post which
includes the duties of.
Deputy Commissioner
for Labor, Coroner,
Registrar of Births and
Deaths Registrar of
Mohammedan Mar
riages, Migration Offi
cer, and District Judge.
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