Tab A
(Marshalls District)
KILI
(Cont'd)
doubtedly will be the chief product of the island as soon as
village construction is completed, There is an ample growth
of bearing coconut trees on Kili, with five-year old trees
also plentiful, Kili is self-sufficient in food, with coconuts,
taro, bananas, breadfruit, pandanus, and newly-imported chickens and pigs.
Fishing off the reefs has augmented the food
supply. U.S. naval surface craft and aircraft (drops) are
available to bring supplies in case of emergency during the re~
settlement period. A workable set of signals has been given
the people of Kili, so that naval support’ planes may know of
any shortage of supplies or of emergencies, and can remedy
by subsequent air drops, or passing naval craft can stop for
inquiry.
(f)
abirat
Rehabilitation,
Construction of the village on Kili commenced 25 Septem
ber 1948 under supervision of a Civil Administration naval
officer, 8 naval enlisted men, and 24 Marshallese villagers~
to=be. The village site was cleared of jungle by machete, On
2 November, when the remainder of the Bikini people arrived by
two naval surface craft, 33 tents with wooden decks and frames,
two 5,000-gallon catchment cisterns, latrines, covered garbage
pits, council house, schoolhouse, copra warehouse, dispensary
and trade store had been constructed. On 11 November, all
naval personnel, except the one chief petty officer noted above,
left Kili.
At the time of this insvection, the village streets (coral
and sand) were laid out, the village area was clean and well
kept, 18 frame houses of the prospective 36 were completed and
rein] the
(WsUHI Yo
6 others were in process of fabrication, and a third water
catchment cistern had been constructed, Pathways had been clear-=
ed through the jungle, following the stone side-markers for
former paths,
The frame houses average 16' x 16', are mounted on local~
ly-poured concrete blocks approximately 2-1/2! above the ground,
have a screened (plastic) area 2~1/2' wide around the top of
the wooden sides, screened doors, wooden roofs covered with
roofing paper, and heavy plywood floors.
There is no I.T.C. wholesale store, Money has been ad—
vanced the island population to be used in furnishing a basic
stock of general merchandise and provisions until the produc-
tion of copra and further cultivation of foodstuffs can begin.
The trade store was well-stocked, and the storehouse appeared
to have an adequate stock of provisions on hand.°
The inspection party slept in twe village houses the night
of the 9th and were provided by the villagers with Navy cots,
mattresses, pillows, sheets and pillow cases.
Tooth brushes
(sealed), tooth paste, soap and towels were supplied by the
-20-
SOM ran
a
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