- 2- are restricted to surface events for reasons of safety; Christmas lies only about 200 nautical miles to the southeast and would be of great concern in executing such events. Consequently, when tendered an invitation by the GEIDA we accepted it. The plan was to leave Honolulu at 0800 9 August on an Air Micronesia charter flight, stopping at Hilo to refuel, arriving at Christmas Island about noon; the charter would return to Christmas on 16 August to bring the party back to Honolulu. We were scheduled for a briefing on 8 August which turned out to be a discussion over coffee at the Ala Moana Hotel. We were to be guests of GEIDA with transportation and all amenities furnished at no charge. The aircraft to Christmas Island carried a large freezer, assorted freight, and 17 passengers. The passengers were: Manager and Deputy Manager of GEIDA, a Scot sea captain who served as head of fisheries for the government, Treasurer of the Gilbert and Ellice Island government, Dr. Cattell from Environmental Consultants, Inc. and 3 assistants, a captain from Capital Airlines, 2 engineers from the UK, a family of 3 Gilbertese, and the 3 of us. We were met by over 100 natives, processed through immigration and customs (they ran out of forms so the latter was nil), and after some delay and confusion taken to the residence of the head of fisheries. Some of the others were quartered with the manager of the plantation and the remainder at a guest house. These houses were 3 bedrooms, bath, kitchen, and living room; we were considered house guests. The houses were on either side of the District Commissioner's house on the west shore of the south end of the peninsula on which is located the village of London. (The Commissioner's house is the best on the island - a two- story structure well designed to take advantage of the winds and very luxuriously furnished by comparison. ) We found many lections of 1962. island with nearly 2-year contracts. changes on the island from our recolThere are now three villages on the 800 people in residence on renewable The District Commissioner and family are Ellice Islanders; there is one Fijian 2 or 3 Europeans, and the rest are Gilbertese. London and Poland have been rebuilt with frame construction replacing the previous picturesque native materials. The new village is Banana Wells, which is between Main Camp and the Cassidy airstrip. The houses, as are all buildings on the island, are prefab construction using 8 x 8 ft. panels which can be solid or have windows or doors; roofs are made with standard wood tresses using sheet aluminum for roofing. Combinations of the panels provide varied house designs including those of the house in which we were staying. Administrative buildings also used this construction material. The concept was laid out by the Royal Engineers.