Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
(Trease 1993). The U.S. retained the right of joint utilization of facilities it had constructed
on Abariringa (Canton) (Skaggs 1994). In addition, there were special provisions within the
Treaty for the mutual development of the marine resources in the Line and Phoenix Islands
(Teiwaki 1988).
ABARIRINGA (CANTON, KANTON)
From 1945 to 1946, Abariringa (Canton) was de-militarized (Oates 2003). In 1946, the
aviation facilities on Abariringa (Canton) were transferred from the U.S. War Department to
the Department of Commerce (McIntire 1960). In 1946, the last seaplane landed on
Abiriringa (Kanton) (Oates 2003).
Between 1945 and 1958, the Abariringa (Kanton) was used for trans-Pacific flights by Qantas
and Pan Am (Douglas and Douglas 1994). About 50 commercial flights were serviced there
(Stack 1982). A detailed account of this transformation seasoned with personal stories was
provided in Oates (2003).
In 1946, the Federal Aviation Agency’s island manager represented the Department of
Interior with the designation “United States Resident Administrator, Canton and Enderbury
Islands” (Office of Territories 1963, McIntire 1960; this was done in 1948 according to
Wright 1951). The FAA island manager also served the Justice Department as U.S. Deputy
Marshall, the Treasury Department as disbursing agent, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey
as tide water observer.
In 1947, the last U.S. military personnel left Abariringa (Canton) (Wright 1951).
In 1947, there were 230 people living on Abariringa (Canton) (Bryan 1951; Freeman 1951).
Maude (1953a) reported 81 people on Abariringa (Canton) (see also Robson 1956). Pusinelli
(1948) reported that there were about 150 Americans and 81 British subjects on Abariringa
(Canton). Of the British subjects, 74 were male and 7 were female.
In 1948, the President Taylor that wrecked on Abariringa (Canton) in 1942 was gutted by fire
(McIntire 1960; Degener and Degener 1969; 1949 according to Johnson 1950). There was
speculation that the fire stared with an explosion of an illicit whiskey still (Degener and
Gillaspy 1955).
In 1948, jurisdiction of the district court of Hawaii was extended to Canton and Enderbury
Islands by an act of Congress (Office of Territories 1963).
In 1948, Pan American Airways restarted their commercial services through Abariringa
(Canton) at a cost of USD 2.8 million (Garnett 1983a). The runway was resurfaced, road and
buildings were built.
In 1949, 134 Gilbertese were employed on Abariringa (Canton) (Knudson 1965). The
European population (including Americans) was 180 people.
In 1949, the population on Abariringa (Canton) was 327 (McIntire 1960; for population
nationality breakdown see Degener and Gillaspy 1955). Degener and Gillaspy (1955)
provided a breakdown on the employment of residents of Abariringa (Canton) in 1949.
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