Pacific Islands Monthly - 1 February 1953

Islands

Monthly

February, 1953

Vol. Will. No. 7

hĵgfjgj

Jor transmission by post as a newspaper ]

Dancers Of

Mekeo, Papua, in purely pagan costume for a strictly Christian occasion. They were saying “wel come” to Sub- Deacon Julian Efi, a native of Mekeo who recently was ordained at Yule Island by Bishop Sorin. Vicar Apostolic of Papua.

There now are comparatively few ship ping lines running on regular time-tables in the Pacific Islands. The following time taoies are only approximately correct— they are subject to much alteration at short notice:—

Sydney-Suva-N. America

Canadian-Australasian liner Aomngl (17,500 tons) maintains regular two monthly sailings—Sydney-Auckland-Suva- Honolulu-Victoxla-Vancouver, and return

On arrival at Sydney June 8, 1953, jhorangi will withdraw from service.

Sydney-Papua-N. Guinea

; MV Bulolo. modern liner, sails about every six weeks: Sydney-Brisbane-Moresby- Samarai - Lae - Madang - Manus - Rabaul -

Bamarai-Moresby-Brisbane-Sydney.

Next departure from Sydney early March. \ MV Malekula Will leave Sydney on Ibout March 17 for Samarai, Rabaul, Manus, Wewak, Madang, Lae, Samarai ind return to Sydney.

Details from Burns Philp & Co. Ltd., 7 Bridge Street, Sydney.

MV Shansi and MV Sinkiang, modern 3,000 tons vessels, will leave every six weeks approximately (making a three weekly service): Sydney-Brisbane-Port Moresby-Madang-Rabaul, Port Moresby, Sydney. Shansi departs next trip Feb. 18; Sinkiang on March 9.

Details from New Guinea Australia Line (G. S. Yuill & Co., Ltd., agents), 6 Bridge St., Sydney.

N. Zealand-Fiji-Samoa-Tonga

Motor vessels Tofua and Matua, from New Zealand, serve Suva (Fiji), Nukua lofa and Vavau (Tonga), Niue Is.. Pago Pago (American Samoa), Apia (-Western Samoa). Tofua leaves Auckland tor any or all of above ports at approx, five weeks intervals. Matua calls at Wellington and Lyttelton (NZ), Lautoka (Fiji) and sup plements Tofua’s schedule in Islands, calling at ports as directed by owners.

6yd. . .

Rms Aorangi

Feb. 12 Apr. 16 Auck. .

Feb. 16-17 Apr. 20-21 Suva . .

Feb. 20 Apr. 24 H’nTu .

Feb. 27 May 1 fVic. . .

Mch. 5 May 7

[•Vane. .

Mch. 6-12 May 8-14 me. . .

Mch. 12 May 14 H’nTu .

Mch. 19 May 21 Suva . .

Mch. 28 May 30 Auck. .

Mch. 31-Apr. 2 June 2-4 Wyd. . .

Apr. 6 June 8

Tofua leaves Auckland on next voyage about February 17.

Matua scheduled to leave Auckland on February 9, March 9.

Details from Union SS Co.

N. Zealand-Cook Is.

The NZ Government’s old motor vessel Maui Pomare is scheduled to leave Auck land in November, December, 1952, and in January, 1953, for Rarotonga and other Islands in the lower Cooks, subject to requirements of trade. This vessel carries

30 passengers.

Full details on application to NZ Government Department of Island Terri tories in Wellington, or to any office of the Union SS Co. of NZ, Ltd., which Company acts as Agent for this vessel at some ports.

Sydney-New Hebrides-BSI-

Rabaul, Etc.

MV Malaita will make a round trip at about 8-weeks intervals from Sydney to

Lord Howe-Norfolk Is.-New Hebrides Ports - ESI ports - Bougainville - Rabaul - Samarai-Sydney.

Next sailing from Sydney about March 7.

Details from Burns Philp & Co., 7 Bridge Street, Sydney.

Sydney-N. Caledonia-Tahiti

Vessels of Messageries Maritimes Line, coming from Marseilles, via West Indies and Panama, call about every six weeks at Papeete, Vila (New Hebrides), Noumea and Sydney, and return by same route. Details from Messageries Mari times.

Small motor-ships Polynesien (Messa geries Maritimes) and Neo Hebridais (H.

C. Sleigh, Ltd.) maintain fairly regular service between Noumea and Sydney,

N. America-Fiji-Hebrides, etc.

Norwegian motor vessel Thorsisle, carry ing cargo and passengers maintains a regu lar service between North American ports and French Oceania, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia and New Hebrides.

Details from General Steamships Cor poration Ltd., 432 California St., San Francisco.

Trans-Pacific Services

1. Australia (or NZ)-Fiji-

Hawaii-N. America

By Pan-American Airways

With Strato Clippers, using Sleeperettes and Berths Thur. and Mon.—Sydney-Nadi (Piji)- Canton Is.-Honolulu-S. Francisco-Seattle- Portland.

Sun. and Thur. —Return via same route.

Fri. - Auckland - Nadi - Canton - Honolulu - 6. Fran.-Seattle-Los Angeles.

Mon.—Return by same route.

By British Commonwealth Pacific

Airlines (Bcpa)

Wed. and Sat. —Sydney-Nadi (Fiji)-Canton Is.-Honolulu-S. Francisco-Vancouver.

Mon. and first Thur.—Dep. southwards, same route. On second or alternate Thursday, flight commences at S.

Francisco.

Tues. —Dep. Auckland-Nadi-Canton-Hono lulu-S. Francisco-Vancouver.

Fri. —Dep. Vancouver and S. Francisco alternatively; thence same route to Auckland.

By Canadian Pacific Airlines

(Cpal)

Alternate Friday (January 16, 30, etc.) —Sydney-Auckland-Nadi (Fiji) -Canton Is. Honolulu-Vancouver.

Alternate Friday (Jan. 23, Feb. 6, etc.) —Return by same route.

Sectional Services In

Pacific

2. Sydney-New Guinea

Service by Qantas Empire Airways

Northwards

Tuesdays, Saturdays (Skymaster) Depart: Arrive: lydney, 7.45 pm Bris., 10.30 pm Iris., 11.40 pm Moresby, 6.30 am (Wed., Sun.) loresby, 7.30 am Lae 8.50 am Connects at Lae with DC3’s for Wau, Wed.); and (Sun.) for Rabaul.

Mon., Fri. (DCS’s) ydney, 7.30 pm Brisbane, 10.30 pm risbane, 11.30 pm Rockhampton * Tue., Sat. ockhampton * Townsville, 4.00 am ownsville, 5.00 am Cairns, 6.15 am aims, 7.00 am Cooktown, 7.55 am ooktown, 8.15 am Pt. Moresby, 11.10 am t. Moresby, 11.50 am Lae, 1.15 pm ae (Tue. only), 2.30 pm Madang, 3.45 pm * Optional stop.

Southwards

Wednesdays (DCS) iadang, 7 am Lae, 8.15 am Wednesdays (DCS) au, 11.30 am Lae, 12.35 pm Thursday (DCS) ie, 9.00 am Moresby, 10.20 am Monday, Thursday (DCS) ibaul, 7 am Moresby, 10.20 am Dresby, 10.50 am Cairns, 2.10 pm lirns, 3.10 pm Towns, 4.30 pm (night stop) »wns. (Tues., Fri) 3.15 am Brisbane, 1 pm isbane, 1.45 pm Sydney, 5 pm Wednesday, Sunday (Skymaster) e, 10.30 am Moresbv. n. 40 am aresby, 12.40 pm Bris., 7.10 pm is.. 8.25 pm Sydney, 1?. o*"

Northward?

Alt. Saturdays (Sandringham) (Feb. 14, 28, etc.) dney, 6.00 am Brisbane. 9.20 am isbane, 10.20 am Caims, 4.35 pm (Night stop) irns, 9.30 am Pt. Moresby, 1.20 pm Alt. Sunday)

Southwards

Alt. Fridays (Sandringham). (Feb. 13, 27, etc.) Moresby, 6.00 am Brisbane, 3.00 pm sbane, 3.45 pm Sydney, 7.05 pm

3. N. Guinea Internal

Services

Operated by Qantas

Lae-Manus (Dcs)

Every Wednesday.

Dep. Lae, 8 am; Finschhaven, Rabaul, Kavleng, Manus (3 pm).

Returns Saturdays (dep. 8 am), via Kavleng and Rabaul; optional call at Finschhafen; arr. Lae, 2.45 pm.

MORESBY-DARU (Sandringham) Via Yule Is., Kerema, Wana (optional), Kikorl, L. Kutubu.—Every alternate Wednesday; returning same day (Feb. 18, Mar. 4, 18, etc.).

MORESBY-EAST PAPUA (Sandringham) Alternate Monday Dep. Moresby 9 a.m. arr. Samarai 11.00 am Feb. 16, Mar. 2, 16. 30, etc.

Alternate Tuesday (following day) dep.

Samara! 9.00 a.m. arr. Moresby 11.00 a.m.

Papua-New Britain

(Sandringham) Alt. Mon. (Feb. 23, Mar. 9, 23, etc.) —Pt. Moresby - Samara! - Esa’ala* Rabaul.

Alt. Thu. (Feb. 12, 26, Mar. 12. 26. etc.) Rabaul-Esa’ala-Samarai-Pt. Moresby. * Calls Esa’ala monthly only.

Rabaul-Moewe Harbour

Alt. Tue. (Feb. 24, Mar. 10. 24. etc.) —Rabaul-Jacquinot Bay-*Lindenhafen- Moewe Harbour-Talasea-Rabaul.

N.B.—The direction of operation changes with each service, i.e., each alternate service operates Rabaul-Talasea-Moewe Harbour - *Lindenhafen - Jacquinot Bay - Rabaul. * Optional Stop.

New Britain-Bougainville

Alt. Wed. (Feb. 25, Mar. 11, 25, etc.) —Rabaul-Queen Carola Hbr.-Buka- Inus-Kieta-Buin.

Alt. Wed. (same day) Buin-Kieta-Inus- Buka-’Queen Carola Hbr.-Rabaul. ♦ Optional Stop.

Lae-Madang-Wewak-Manus

Kavteng-Rabadl General

Service

Every Monday and Thursday by DC3.

Native traffic, not recommended for Europeans.

Central Highlands

(Drover) Mondays.—Madang (8 am) to Goroka, with optional stops at Kainantu, Aiyura, Arona, then returns to Madang arriving 10 am.

Fridays.—Madang (8 am) to Wabag with optional stops at Baiyer R., Mt.

Hagen. Kerowagi. Returns to Madang arriving 10.10 am.

Thursday.—Madang (8 am) to Mt. Hagen.

Returns direct to Madang arriving 10.50 am.

Fridays.—Lae (6.30 am) lo Wabag, calling at any of: Nadzab, Kiaipit, Arena, Aiyura, Kainantu, Bena Bena, Goroka, Kerowagi, Kup, Nondugl, Banz, Minj, Mt. Hagen, Ogelbeng, Baiyer R., Wabamunda, Wabag. Return to Lae arriving 6 pm.

Lae-Bulolo-Wau (Drover)

Dep. Lae.—Tues., Fri., Sat. —3 pm.

Dep. Wau.—Tues., Fri., Sat.—Direct to Lae. Arriving 5.05 pm.

Services By Mandated Airlines

With headquarters at Lae, this company runs regular services for passengers, freight and mails to all New Guinea settlements.

4. Dutch N. Guinea-Darwin

By Netherlands Government, with DCS Veekly service, between Darwin and Biak.

Also, new KLM weekly service, calling it Biak, on flight between Manila and Lustralia.

5. N. Guinea-Solomons

By Qantas with DCS 3 Flights Every Four Weeks, Monday (Mar. 2,9, 16, 30, etc.), Lae (dep. 6 am)—Finschhafen Rabaul Torokina (Bougain.) Vellalavella Yandina Honiara, BSI (arriving 4.25 pm).

'uesday (Mar. 3, 10, 17, 31, etc.), Honiara (dep. 7 am) Yandina Vellalavella Torokina Rabaul Finschhafen Lae (arriving 3.15 pm).

6. Indo-China-Brisbane-

N. Caledonia

By Air France, Monthly. onstellation aircraft dep. Saigon, Feb. 8, and every 28 days thereafter for Darwin-Brisbane-Noumea, and return, ustralian agents: Messageries Maritimes.

7. Sydney-Lord Howe Is.

7 Trans Oceanic Airways, with Flying boats Eight services per month—every Tuesday id Saturday.

8. Sydney-Norfolk Is.

By Qantas, with Skymasters. ternate Thursdays (Feb. 26, Mar. 12, 26, etc.), returning same day.

9. Sydney-New Hebrides

By Qantas, with Sandringham Flying Boats: Feb. 17, Mar. 3, 17, etc.).

Depart: Arrive: Sydney, Alt. Tue., 6.30 am Noumea, 3.05 pm (nightstop) Noumea, Alt. Wed., 8.00 am Vila, 10.35 am Vila, 12.45 pm Santo. 2.00 pm Santo, Alt. Thu., (fol. day), 6.00 am Vila, 7.15 am Vila, 8.15 am Noumea, 10.55 am Noumea. 12.30 pm Sydney, 7.30 pm

(Additional flights operate subject to approval of Government concerned.)

10. Sydney-Noumea-Suva

By Qantas with Sandringham Flying Boats—Weekly.

Depart; Arrive: Sydney, Thur., Noumea, 3.05 pm 6.30 am (nightstop) Noumea, Frl., Suva, 3.00 pm 8.30 am Suva, Sat., Noumea, 10.30 am 6.00 am Noumea, 12.30 pm Sydney, 7.30 pm

11. Auckland-Norfolk Is.

By NZ National Airways, with DC3’s Sundays—From Auckland double service returning same day.

12. Sydney-Auckland

Tasman E. Airways, with Solents Mon., Wed., Thu., Sun.—Dept. Sydney 12 midnight, arr. 8.30 am following day.

Wed., Sat, Sun.—Dept. Sydney May 7.30 am, arr., 4 pm.

Daily—Dept. Auckland 8.30 am, arr. 1.30 pm.

13. Sydney-Wellington

Tasman E. Airways, with Solents Dep. Sydney 10.30 pm weekdays, arr. 7.30 am following day.

Dep. Wellington 10.30 am Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat., arriving 3.45 pm.

14. Melbourne-Christchurch

Tasman E. Airways, with DC4 Skymaster Thurs.—Dep. Melb., 10.25 pm; arr. Ch’ch., 8.15 am next day.

Fri.—Dep. Ch’ch., 11 am; arr. Melb., 5.35 pm.

15. New Zealand-Fiji

See Also Table 18.

Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., with Solents.

Dept. Auckland Feb. 10, 14, 24, 28; Mar. 10, 14. 24, 28.

Return to Auckland on following days (except March 2, which leaves an extra 24 hours later).

Depart Arrive Auckland, 7.00 am Suva, 2.15 pm Suva, 8.00 am Auckland, 3.15 pm

16. Fiji-Western Samoa

See Also Table 18.

Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., with Solents.

Dept. Suva March 1, 29. Return to Suva on same day.

Depart Arrive Suva, 6.00 am Sun. Apia, 11.05 am Sat.

Apia, 1.30 pm Sat. Suva, 4.35 pm Sun.

17. New Zealand-Chatham Is.

During the coming summer services between Auckland and Waikato Bay, Chatham Is., via Wellington, will be operated on the following dates:— March 11, April 8, 1953.

Solent flying-boats will leave Auckland on these dates at 3.30 am, arrive Welling ton. 5.30 am, dept. Wellington, 7 am, arrive Chatham Is., 10.30 am. Return by same route, arriving Auckland 7.30 pm same day.

18. New Zealand-Tahiti

Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., with Solents TEAL Service, Auckland-Suva-Apia- Aitutaki-Papeete, is operated with Solent Flying-Boats once every two weeks. Dep.

Auckland, Tuesday, 7.00 am. Arr. Suva 2.00 pm. Dep. Suva (Wednesday) 7.00 jim, cross International Date Line: Arr.

Apia 11.55 am Tuesday. Dep. Apia 2.00 am Wednesday. Arr. Aitutaki 7.20 am.

Dep. Aitutaki 9.20 am. Arr Papeete 1.45 pm. Return by same route every alt.

Friday, leaving Papeete 7.30 am.

The next flights leave Auckland February 17; March 3, 17, 31.

19. Micronesia

Civilian services, based on Guam, using 2-engined amphibious Catalinas, run re

gularly to Koror (Palau), Yap (West jarollnes), Truk (Central Carolines), »onape (E. Carolines), Majuro (Marshalls) md Saipan (Marianas). Details from Prans-Ocean Airlines, Guam, via Honolulu.

20. Fiji Internal Airways

By Fiji Airways, with twin-engine de Haviland Rapides (Effective December 1) Suva-Nadi & Lautoka and return: dornings—Daily except Monday and Thursday. Afternoons —Daily except i'riday. (No return Wednesday).

Suva-Labasa: Daily.

Labasa-Suva: Daily except Tuesday.

Nadi & Lautoka to Labasa: Every lunday.

Labasa to Nadi & Lautoka: Every Wednesday.

Suva-Savusavu: Monday and Thursday, eturn same day.

Approximate Airways Fares

The following figures are not guaranteed ocurate, but they are approximately jrrect. Details should be obtained from le Air Company named in the Table, hless otherwise indicated, figures are in ustralian currency.

A Fijian named Waquasaqa, who entered Australia as a stowaway in 1946, was arrested and charged as a prohibited immigrant in New castle, NSW, in January. He was given six months gaol pending de portation.

From Sydney To—

Table single tieiurn mo. oresby . £46 11 0 £83 10 0 2, 2a. le .. 55 7 0 99 13 0 2. 3 ibaul .. 64 19 0 116 19 0 2, 3 oniara,

Bsi ..

80 7 0 144 13 0 5 ila, N.

Hebrides 46 15 0 80 3 0 9 oumea, NC . .. 39 8 0 70 19 0 10, 9, 6

Norfolk Is. 25 0 0 45 0 0 8 L. Howe . 10 16 0 21 12 0 V Nadi (Fiji) . 60 10 0 108 18 0 Suva (Fiji) . 53 3 9 104 14 0 Auckland 47 6 0 84 2 0 12 Welllng- -ton . .. 47 6 0 84 2 0 13 Christch. (Irom Melb.) . 52 18 0 95 5 0 Honolulu . 225 9 0 405 16 0 1 S. Fran’co 279 1 0 502 5 0 Vancouver 279 1 0 502 5 0 1 Papeete (via Suva direct) . 207 13 0 19

Prom Auckland (Nz Currency) To:

Table Single Return No.

Norf. Is. . £15 12 0 £28 2 0 11 Fiji ... 32 10 0 58 10 0 1 16 Samoa . . 42 16 0 77 1 0 16 Aitutaki . 61 8 0 110 11 0 18 Papeete 75 0 0 135 0 0 18

A. & N.Z. Bank 104 Achun, G. . . 53 Akta-Vite . . 81 Alley, Clive . . 62 Aluminium Ltd. 100 Amplion Pty. . 42 A. & R. Ltd. . 24 Arcon Bldgs. . 48 Ardath Co. Ltd. 127 Armstrong & Springhall 108 Wm. Pty. 24 A. Ltd. ... 60 Aspaxadrene . 135 Aspro ... 50 Baker, W. Juno. 59 Bank of NSW . 95 Bank of NZ . . 79 Berry’s B. B’d. 101 Bethell, Gwyn 106 B. 21 Blaxland Rae . 103 Blundell Spence 56 8.0.A.C. ... 1 Borthwicks Pty. 97 Brasso ... 34 Breckwolt, Wm. 114 Bredan W. S. . 102 Bristol Myers . 124 British Paints . 25 troadway Motors 54 Broomfields . . iii Brunton & Co. 5 Bunge Pty. 28, 83 Bunting, A. H. 82 B.P. (Lautoka) ... 137, 138

B.P. ( N.Q.) Co. 73

B.P. In.H.) Co. 75

B.P. (S.S.) Co. 136

B.P. Trust Co. 4 Bush Radio . . 77 laine’s Studios 43 arpenter (Fiji) 123 'arpenter, W. R. & Co.. 88, cov. iv arr Pountney 42 lae Engines . 109 lassified . 137-38 olgate 30, 74, 131 olonial Meat . 84 olyer Watson (NG) . 33, 46, 55 ’wealth Bank 63 ooke Bros. . . 78 rammond Co. . 76 ystex ... 127 angar, G. & M. 7 ettol ... 130 onaghy & Sons 89 onald Ltd. 54. 86 ouglass, W. C. 91 unlop Rubber 31 •skine Stamps 132 :. Donald . . 11l irnham, J. . 90 )rd Shering ton 45 >rsgren, J. . 37 arrett, D. M. 140 arrick Hotel . 3 eorge & Son . 29 illespie Bros. . 90 llespie, Robt. . i, iv, 52, 99, 113 llespie NG 93, 139 illette Ltd. . . 80 Drdon’s Gin . 75 jrdon Vale 20 )spel League . 93 •ahame Books 128 P.H. (Suva) . 3 •ove Ltd. . . 94 & R. . . . 19 tstings Diesels 36 ilvorsen Sons 106 irdman & Hall 5B, 121 (inz & Co. . . 98 llaby. R. &W. 43 tco Pty. 86, 128

Hercules Co. . 39 Hill & Son . 49 Holbrooks Ltd. 81 Hygeia Co. . . 94 Is. Industries . 51 Is. Transport I#s Kasper Refrig. 6, 61 Kennedy . . . 107 Kerr Bros. Ltd. 50 Kerry, M., Pty. 27 Kiwi Polish . . 82 Kopsen & Co. 110 Lillis & Co. . . 120 Macintyre, T. . 115 Mac Robertson’s 85 Manning & Os borne . . . 11l Mcllrath’s Ltd. 34 Mendaco ... 121 Millers Ltd. . . 118 Morris Hedstrom Ltd. ... 18, 119 Mungo Scott . 23 N.H. Shipping & Trdg. Co. 5 N. & R. Ltd. 45, 102 Needham & Co. 58 Nettlefold & Co. 117 NG Aust. Line iii Nile Products . 96 Nirex Pty. . . 35 Nixoderm . . . 129 Nordman, O. . 135

Nznac ... 2

Pabco Products 22 Pan Pacific Co. 25 Parke, Davis Pty. 62 Penfolds Ltd. . 125 P. I. Society . 39 P. I. Tr. Line iv Pinkettes . . . 130 Prouds Ltd. . . 32 Qantas . . cov. ii Qld. Insurance . 23 Quirk’s V. L. Co. 118 Ransomes Co. 134 Reckitt’s Blue . 27 Reed, Wm. E. 125 Refrig. Inst. Co. 37 Riverstone Co. . 40 Rohu Sil. . . 121 Scott, J„ Ltd. . 107 Seward Ltd. . 122 Shell Co. . . 59 Sims, A. G. . . ii Smith Copeland 44

S.M.P. Co. . . 92

Spruso Co. . . 31 S. Ltd. . 49 Stevns & Co. . 21 Stewarts-Lloyds 46 Sthn. Pac. Ins. 41 Stone, R. G. . 131 Strang, David . 85 Sullivan, C. Ltd. 41 Tait, W. S. . . 38 Taylor & Co. . 97 T. . cov. 11l Thornycroft Co. 101 Tilley Lamps 87 Tillock & Co. . 116 Tongan Photos 87 Tooth & Co. . 89 Turners Supply 79 Tusculum ... 3 Twentieth Cen tury Fox . . 64 Tyneside Eng. . 47 United Radio . 78 Vacuum Oil Co. 112 Valiant Rum 38 Ventura Co. 57, 140 Vi-Stim ... 133 Warnock Bros. . 57 Williams’ Pills 19 Wills, Ltd. . . 125 Wise Bros. . . 98 Wright & Co. . 105 Wunderlich Ltd. ■ • 53, 114, 133 Yorkshire Ins. . 33

Editorial; Gaps in the Papua- New Guinea Plan 9 Mr. D. M. Cleland Still “Acting” 10 The Queen Will Visit Fiji and Tonga 11 Mangola Stranding Upsets Timetables 11 Sydney Spiv’s Raid on Rich Placer Shares 11 New Copra Price Still Awaited —Analysis of MOF Price .. 12 Second South Pacific Confer ence in April 13 Do You Remember? Extracts from PIM of 20 Years Ago 13 Challenge to BSI Taxing Authorities 13 Editors’ Mailbag 14 New Caledonia Goes to the Polls 17 Gaol Sentence for Samoan Chief 17 Territories’ Talk Talk 19 Blue Print for Future New Guinea 21 Fiji Bananas by the Foot ... 21 Ships for the Trans-Pacific Service 23 Official Cheer-up Party for Sad Micronesians 25 MV Pollurian—Writs and Court Proceedings in Rabaul ... 27 Disquiet on the Rubber Front 29

An Effiiciency Expert to Tell Fiji How 33 Hogmanay at Mendi New Guinea Fashion 35 New Guinea’s New Passion fruit Industry in the High lands 39 NG Master Charges Crew with Assault 42 News from Lautoka, Fiji .. .. 43 Donations to NG Scholarship Fund 45 Side-Tracked —the Story of Siohe 47 Morseby Beer is too Dear for Rabaul .. * §0 Breakers Ahead in Suva Sea Baths 51 Canadian Magnetometer Party for Papuan Oil Search ... 55 Some Progress with P-NG Wharves ...'. 56 The Loss of the Carnegie ... 59 Old Waria Syndicate Stakes a Claim in N. Guinea 61

Magazine Section:

War’s Aftermath—Noumea 65 Tropicalities 67 Tahiti’s Nature Man .. .. 68 Crossquiz 70 New Patrol Posts in New Guinea 74 For Pacific Radio Amateurs .. 75 The Story of Tony Olsen .. 79

Future of New Hebrides and Solomons 85 M. Poroi’s Victory in Tahiti .. 90 Honolulu-Tahiti Air-Sea Ser vices Planned 91 Population Decline in Dutch New Guinea 93 Lack of RSL Interest in Moresby 95 WPHC Settling in at Honiara 99 News of the Small-Ships ... 101 Gold Find in Tonga? 109 New Guinea Can Grow First- Class Coffee 119 Training Natives to Doctor Natives H 3 Developing the Citrus Industry in the Cooks 115 OBITUARY: Henry Aporo Williams, Madame Brunsch wig; R. Farquhar, Laurie Henderson; Vernon Leunig; Bishop Le Cadre; Mrs. D.

Campbell; Edgar Leetag 121-122 Bock Charged with Fraud .. 122 New Caledonia Wants Workers 123 Crime in the New Hebrides .. 124 Markham River Bridge is Under Way 127 New Clutch Industry for Papua 128 Religious Dissension On Niue 128 Bags of Beer for New Caledonia 129 Kelvinbank Lost 139 The Cession Obelisk 134 Commerce, Markets, etc 149

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Vol Xxiii. No. 7.

February, 1953

PRICE: 2/- Per Copy.

Plan

A T last, after years of bumble \ footed administration, a plan for the development of the ustralian Territories of Papua and few Guinea is beginning to take lape. As distinct from the British nd Australian planning of the nmediate post-war period, it is not dream of a Socialist Utopia: there evidence of official eagerness to icourage private enterprise to go i and do something.

The Territories can produce almost ly tropical foodstuff or material ithin reason. The Territories are allowing in money—mostly sup ied by Australia, at the rate of )out £6 millions per annum. An nazing number of planners, re archers, experts, advisers and hat-not are circulating busily in mberra and the Territories, blue inting all kinds of new industries, id paid for by the not-so bilant Australian taxpayer. Under ch conditions, some worth-while onomic development should be pected—and there now are quite ipressive signs of it.

But it must be emphasised that is economic liveliness, this notice •le spirit of optimism, have no und basis, as yet. They spring 3rely from (a) an abundance of mey and (b) Ministerial and reaucratic promises.

We are assured that the Terri fies can produce cocoa, coffee, ;naf, cattle, timber and so forth addition to copra and gold, eryone knew that. High official m says that land now will be

made available, and invites capital and private enterprise to walk in and get busy. So far, so good.

But there are serious gaps in the plan, as sketched by high official dom for the attraction of capitalism.

They are the absence of guarantees relating to Labour, Taxation and Markets.

INDUSTRIES in a tropical islands territory cannot be developed on a scale large enough to interest big capital unless a labour force is imported. The land-owning islanders —quite properly—are an undepend able labour force. Proof of this may be seen in New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti. There are perhaps lh million natives in P-NG. A proportion can be in duced to labour; but, generally, they are in so primitive a condition (in other words, they have so little urge to sell their toil in exchange for foreign goods) that only the coastal sections can be brought to labour without some measure of compulsion.

If there is to be big-scale de velopment in P-NG, a new supply of labour must be found, either by changing the living habits of the majority of the natives, or bringing in indentured workers from Asian countries.

Western Samoa, now exceedingly prosperous on cocoa, provides an in teresting example. The Germans originally established the cocoa in dustry by importing Chinese labourers. New Zealand, after World

War I, sent the Chinese home. By then, it was possible for the cocoa industry to be worked by Samoan labourers and Samoan peasant planters. There is a wide gap, however, between the literate Poly nesians of Samoa, and the still un tutored black Papuans of P-N.G.

Maybe, the encouragement of New Guinea native rice-growers will pro vide some sort of answer to this problem. But it is not wise at this stage to expect big capital to go into P-NG without a dependable supply of labour. fITHE history of pioneering (or, if JL you will pardon the use of the hated word, colonialism) shows that success never was achieved un less there was reasonable freedom from direct taxation. With another dose of Socialism looming in 1954, the present rulers of New Guinea cannot promise that freedom. The Minister has indicated, hesitantly, that there will be no taxation of in comes for a couple of years.

No man is going to risk large sums in speculative enterprises in P-NG. if there is likelihood of State seizure of part of his profits. People are wailing about absence of coco nut re-planting in NG. The chief cause of that is uncertainty about future taxation and markets.

MARKETS represent the biggest gap in the new tropical heaven which the planners have sketched.

It is ironic that the Planners pro pose to establish the kenaf fibre industry right alongside the Papuan rubber plantations. One glance at what has happened to the rubber planters will scare off the kenaf planters. Papua produces excellent

rubber; Australia uses immensely more rubber than Papua can supnly: but at the faintest suggestion that Australian manufacturers be com pelled to use Papuan rubber there is a howl that sends the Australian politicians scuttling for cover.

Jute now is cheap, and getting cheaper. Will Australia penalise users of wool-bales and cornsacks by insisting on the use of P-NG kenaf?

Remember New Guinea’s infant cocoa industry, pre-war? NG. planters were producing good cocoa beans, but Australian confectionery manufacturers, wedded to the West African product, would have none of them. NG. cocoa sells easily now, since the West African cocoa plantations have been decimated by disease. But the West African planters are beating the scourge.

When the Accra product is back on the world market in quantity, what will happen to the output of the NG cocoa plantations, now being so enthusiastically encouraged?

There now are 9 million people in Australia. That is a big market for P-NG. products. As Australia, for her own security, is obliged to spend many millions per annum on P-NG., it seems only logical that she should try to make P-NG self-supporting by giving the existing and proposed P-NG. industries a guaranteed market. She has not done so. The politicians fear they may arouse the antagonism of big Australian in terests, which too often think only in terms of profits.

That is the great weakness in Canberra’s present P-NG. policy.

One would have thought that some where, among all these busy teams of planners and investigators, some one would have found an answer to it.

There may not be much time in

which to complete the P-NG plan.

How much longer will Australia and the oil companies continue to endow P-NG with £7 million p.a.?

Mr. D. M. Cleland

‘Acting Administrator’

mHE failure of the Australian X Commonwealth Government to make any announcement con cerning an appointment to the Administratorship of Papua-New Guinea has been commented upon adversely in Sydney recently.

Amid considerable political agita tion, Mr. J. K. Murray retired from the position as on June 30, 1952.

Mr. D. M. Cleland, who had been Assistant Administrator since 1951, then became Acting Administrator.

In every way, except in name, Mr. Cleland has been Administrator since mid-1952. His work, in that capacity, has earned general com mendation in the Territories. If the issue were put to a vote, his appointment would be overwhelm ingly approved.

Those professing to have inside information say the appointment was agreed to by the Federal Gov ernment in early December. An announcement by the Prime Min ister was expected, as soon as he returned from abroad.

But nothing has been said. This is unfair, both to the Territories and to Mr. Cleland.

This is the kind of thing—a smug refusal to give the public any in formation on or explanation of issues which concern the public— which has so markedly weakened the position of the Australian Gov ernment in the last 12 months.

Similar Name : No

A RESIDENT of Papua inquires whether the Pacific Islands Monthly, or its editor-publisher, R. W. Robson, is connected with “The Pacific Islands Purchasing and Trading Company, 51 Pittwater Road, Harbord, Sydney —W. E.

Robson, manager.”

It appears that this “Company” has distributed circulars through out Papua-New Guinea, offering to purchase many kinds of goods, for Territories residents, on commission.

The Answer

Until the receipt of this circular, we had never heard of “The Pacific Islands, etc., Company,” or of W. E, Robson.

Neither name is listed in the Sydney telephone directory. At the address given, in Harbord (a Sydney seaside suburb) there is a grocery store kept by Mr. J. E. Robson, and we have ascertained that his brother, Mr. W. E. Robson, at one time a resident of New Guinea, operates from there. The “Pacific Islands, etc., Company” is not registered in Sydney as a company.

There is no connection of any kind between the PIM or its editor, and the trading concern referred to.

The marriage took place in Sydney in January of Miss Philo mena Rooney of Strathfield to Mr.

Gordon Linsley, who is at present doing the two-years course at the School of Pacific Administration, Mosman.

Recent travellers from Auckland to Rarotonga included, left to right, top:— Mr. F. M. Borrell, who will join PWD staff temporarily, was farewelled by Mrs.

Borrell. Matron A. T. Reynolds, who was returning after leave in NZ. Jean and Elizabeth Watson, returning home to Rarotonga for the school holidays. Mrs.

T. Rahui and Paul, on a holiday visit.

Bottom Row: Miss P. Utanga returning home on holiday. Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hickling with Wendy, Peter and Ricky.

Miss Gloria Perkins to visit the W. Watson family.

To Visit Fiji

Unique Honour for South

Pacific Islands

HER MAJESTY the Queen of England and the British Com monwealth nations, accom lanied by the Duke of Edinburgh vill visit the South Pacific Islands ;his year. ’ FlJl—December 17 and 18 (Thurs iay, Friday), sailing early Dec. 19 or TONGA—December 20 (Sunday).

This is an event unique in history, fever before has the head of any ;reat nation visited the Islands of he South Pacific. On this occasion, ire not only receive a visit from loyalty, but the visit is being made y the reigning head of the British Impire, who is the world’s greatest aonarch.

Before the new Governor of Fiji, lir Ronald Garvey, left London, at be end of August, he had audience rith the Queen. It then was known hat Her Majesty might possibly lake her deferred visit to the mtipodes via the West Indies oute; and it is believed that Sir Donald made an appeal that, if the •oyal Party should cross the 'acific, a call should be made at iji.

There were indications that the ►ueen was interested in this plea; ut the secret was well kept. Sir ionald knew in December that the lute of the Royal Party, travelling n the liner Gothic, definitely ould be via Panama, with a call t Suva likely; but he could not ly anything of the pending event util the official announcement was lade in London.

It is an honour that will live [ways in the history of the Crown olony.

PHE visit to Nukualofa, chief town of Tonga, scheduled for December 20, is an unexpected idition to the Royal Tour, and it widely welcomed as a very great )mpliment to the independent ngdom of Tonga, and the two larming people at the head of it, ueen Salote and Prince Tugi.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, id the Queen of Tonga will not eet as strangers, however: Queen alote, as a specially-invited guest, ill be present at the coronation : Queen Elizabeth, in London, in me.

The British Royal Party will >end January in New. Zealand and ebruary and March in Australia,

and thence will go on to Ceylon, en route to Europe.

Representatives For

Coronation

Persons to represent officially practically every British Administra tion in the South Pacific Islands have now been chosen to attend the ceremonies connected with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in London in June, and all are now preparing for departure.

Latest and most interesting an nouncement (on February 5) is that two or three European officers, and 25 native members of the Royal Papua-New Guinea Constabulary, will go to the Coronation. Names will be announced at any time; and —unless it is to travel the expensive way, by air—the contingent probably will depart for England within a short time.

Reports from Port Moresby, Rabaul, Honiara, Suva, Apia, Raro tonga, Nukualofa and some smaller centres indicate that preparations are afoot to celebrate the important event, with ceremonies and displays, on the day and evening of the Coronation.

Fiji’s official Coro nation representatives are (left to right) the Hen. Vishnu Deo, Senior Indian Mem ber of Fiji Legislative Council and an in dent and insurance agent; the Hon H.

Maurice Scott, DFC, Senior Elected Euro pean Member of the Fiji Legislative Coun cil and a barrister and solicitor; and Ratu G. K. Cakobau, lead ing chief by birth in Fiji, and a nominated Member of Legislative Council.

Photo by Fiji Public Relations Office.

Mangola’S Stranding

WHEN the small Burns Philp freighter Mangola, 2,000 tons, ran on to Karkar Island, off the north coast of New Guinea, in a thick haze on February 8, the accident threw all the Burns Philp timetables out of gear.

Craft from all around—the Bulolo, on her regular run; the Malaita, just leaving Rabaul for Samarai, a naval vessel from Manus—gathered near the Mangola within a couple of days; she got off on February 15.

The Bulolo will be delayed in beginning her March schedule.

The Malaita’s schedule already has been altered. Instead of leav ing on February 27, she will depart at least a week later and, to pick up lost time, she will omit the scheduled calls at Lord Howe.

Norfolk and New Hebrides, and proceed directly to the Solomons.

On The

Rich Placer Shares

NO wonder the stock exchanges value the shares of Placer De velopment, nominally worth a few shillings, at £2O Aus. Placer not only gets rich dividends from Bulolo Gold: it has a much bigger net income from its group of dredging enterprises in South America, while its lines of oil-wells in Texas and lead-zinc and tungsten mines in Canada, promise even greater profits.

No wonder the brokers were “easy marks” when Reginald Doyle, Syd ney’s spiv and con man, trotted around among them with large numbers of forged Placer share certificates. Placer scrip, unlike most bank-notes, is international— just as acceptable in America as in Australia. Exchange-starved over seas travellers —even god-fearing citizens of notorious probity—have been paying black-market prices for Placer.

Doyle seems to have negotiated over £70,000 worth of his forged Placers before some ultra-cautious soul carried his certificates to Placer’s Sydney office, and asked, could he please have them trans ferred to Canadian registry. Thus, the forgery was exposed, the Syd ney financiers shrieked in conster nation, and Doyle dived for “smoke,” just half a hop ahead of the entire detective force. For 10 days—before he came out of “smoke” and surrendered—the frantic newspapers made him front page news. If it had not been for the ultra-cautious soul, Doyle might have cashed his £500,000 worth of forgeries.

Hitherto, financiers have readily accepted well-known share scrip as collateral, with very little check ing, although it is much easier to forge than bank-notes. There will be a change now!

Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Rashleigh Winston, with their schoolgirl daughter, arrived in Sydney in January for a 10-weeks holiday.

Planters Bitterly Critical of London’s Attitude

UP to mid-February, there had been no official announcement from either Australian or New Zealand sources to indicate the 1953 price to be paid for copra, in Papua-New Guinea, Solomons, Western Samoa, and Tonga, under the British Ministry of Food’s 9years contract.

As indicated in January PIM, there has been doubt about the price since early December. Lon don wanted to reduce the 1952 rates by 10 per cent, (and did so, in the British Solomon Islands). The Aus tralian and NZ Governments re sisted this proposal. The unexpected and startling sequel was that the British MOF suggested in January that the whole contract be can celled.

The argument still was in pro gress in early February, with con siderable bitterness being shown by planting interests, who pointed out that the world price has now re covered (the London quotation on January 23 was £9O stg, cif, Euro pean ports) and that for years, because of the devaluation of Ster ling, the South Pacific planters, under the MOF contract, had been paid from £2O to £3O per ton under world parity.

When it was realised, late in January, that the British Ministry of Food officials had taken up the attitude that they would either have a reduction of 10 per cent, in the 1953 price, or seek the cancel lation of the contract, the reaction throughout the South Pacific was unfriendly to Britain. It was recog nised that, in an economic sense, Britain is having a hard struggle for existence; but it was also pointed out that, for three years, Britain had been buying South Pacific copra at a most favourable rate and that she would be taking no risk in continuing the 1952 rates throughout 1953.

Fiji Announcement

It was officially announced in Suva at the end of February that Fiji copra producers would receive, until February 28, the MOF rates for copra paid in 1952. It was stated: “Negotiations with the Ministry of Food are still going on.”

But, in the case of the Solomons, as far as we know, the 1952 price, less 10 per cent., has been paid since January 1.

An announcement is due any day; the present situation cannot go on Some observers in Sydney, in Feb ruary, expected the cancellation of the MOF contract.

P-Ng Stabilisation Fund

So far as the public knows, there has not yet been any sequel to the statement made, two months ago, by the New Guinea Planters’ As sociation, that steps would be taken to contest the legality of the Australian Territories Minister’s decision that the Papua-New Guinea Copra Stabilisation Fund (the total of which is now well over £1.000,000) should be maintained, and not distributed to the pro ducers.

Observers believe that an appeal on legal grounds against the Minister would succeed. But the same people now point out that, if the MOF contract is abandoned, the chief stabilising factor in the South Pacific copra industry will be gone, and it might then be de sirable to continue the New Guinea Fund. Developments in this direc tion should follow quickly after the MOF price is reached.

Analysis of MOF Price

A close student of the world copra markets—his records are much better than ours —takes the PIM to task for this statement in January: “The MOF price to the various (South Pacific) Governments in 1952 was betiveen £59 and £6O Stg. per ton fob (between £73 and £74 Australian).”

He shows that those figures were wrong. The MOF, it appears, paid all the Governments, under the contract, £65 Stg. per ton, fob, in bulk. That is equal to £7l/19/9 Fijian and £79 Australian —which means that the Governments re tained (in Australian currency) be tween £9 and £ll per ton, or £5 per ton more than we calculated.

He also says that the Bank Line carries the copra from the South Pacific to Britain for £lO Stg. per ton; and that £2/10/- Stg. per ton should be allowed for shrinkage.

South Pacific copra therefore costs the MOF £65, plus £lO, plus £2/10/per ton—which is equal to £77/10/- Stg. per ton. Generally, South Pacific copra is equal to FMS.

Therefore, when the FMS price m London goes over £77/10/- per ton, MOF is winning on the South Pacific contracts. When it is under that figure, MOF is losing. Our cor respondent says that, on his re cords, the London market quotation was under £77/10/- from end of February, 1952, until mid-October, 1952; since when it has been above that figure.

That is why the MOF in London wants to cut the 1953 rate by 10 per cent, it was paying slightly

more than world market price for seven or eight months. But, as our correspondent says, during all the rest of the time since the begin ning of the contract—that is, about 21 years—it was getting copra from the SP planters at a price aggregat ing millions of pounds under world parity.

Tongan Producers Complain

From a Special Correspondent

Nukualofa, Jan. 14

PRODUCERS here understand that the MOF current f.o.b price per ton is £Stg.sB/10/or £T73 for every ton of copra shipped in 1953 from Tonga. Local producers are to get the following prices per ton; Sterling Tongan A Grade: £39/-/- or £52/-/- B Grade: £34/10 - or £46/-/- Producers get £l9/10/- Sterling less than f.o.b. value per ton for A grade, and £24 Sterling less for B Grade.

The Tongan Government has been established since 1875, and now has a surplus of over £500,000.

The Tonga Copra Board has a similar amount of surplus funds.

This does not seem fair —the pro ducers should have most of it.

The Copra Board consists of 9 members appointed by the Crown.

Six are Government Officials— namely, the Premier (Chairman), the Treasurer, the Government Secretary, the Senior Agriculture Officer and two District Governors.

Others are the general manager of the Copra Board, and two mem bers only to represent the pro ducers. The composition of the Board is unsatisfactory.

Our local producers quite rightly complain that the Government andl the Copra Board grab far too much., Why should these already well endowed institutions take £2O Stg. per ton from the people who doi nearly all the work?

Highlands

A GEOLOGICAL survey is being; made of an area between Mt., Hagen and the Chimbu, in the 1 New Guinea Highlands, which con tains perhaps the oldest sedi mentary rocks in the Territory.

The survey was started two years! ago by Mr. F. K. Rickwood, for the Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral] Resources, but since then he has; joined the staff of the Sydney Uni versity as senior lecturer ini Palaeontology.

He returned to the Territory* early in January to resume the; survey, and expects to complete it by March. At one time he was om the geological staff of the Aus tralian Petroleum Company.

In April

Accommodation Problem in Noumea

DELEGATES have been and are being selected in all Territories of the South Pacific and Micro lesia to attend the Second South >acific Conference, which will be ield in Noumea, New Caledonia, letween April 16 and 28. Practic ,lly all delegates are natives of the arious Territories, supported by earns of European and native 'facials and advisers.

The First Conference was held in Suva, Fiji, in 1950.

The Conferences are an essential lart of the organisation and tructure of the South Pacific Com nission, and are called together very three years. They deal with 11 aspects of native life and pro ress. They make recommendatiohs 3 the Commission, and to the six lember Governments (Britain, 'ranee, United States, Australia, Eolland, New Zealand) which con rol all the South Pacific Tern aries.

The following are the delegates rom the Australian Territories: New Guinea: Waiau Ahnon, a clerk -om the Rabaul Education Department; dvent Tarosi, a teacher from Dreger afen. Alternatives: Takanpan, New reland district; Nason, New Britain.

Papua: Paulus Apek, teacher of Sogeri; liss Tani Sisa, handcrafts branch of ducation Department. Alternatives: Tu iaus Sambud, medical assistant of ona: Elliott Elijah, a Bougainville Coo perative inspector.

Advisers and officials: Director of istrict Services, Mr. J. H. Jones; Miss . A. McLachlan, officer in charge of the Women’s Division of the Department of ducation; agricultural officer. Mr. R. S. arne; Mr. R. Thompson, social welfare Ulcer from the Education Department.

A Conference of this kind pro ides difficult problems of accom iodation. This Second Conference ill take place at the Pentagon uilding at Anse Vata, Noumea eadquarters of the South Pacific ommission; but there is not accom lodation in that area normally for t least 100 delegates, officials, dvisers and staff. Some presum bly will be lodged in Noumea town, )me two miles away. Noumea snerally is overcrowded. SPC ficials have been labouring on the roblem for some time.

Suva solved it more simply in 150. The Government made avail ile the Teachers’ Training Col ge at Nasinu, complete with halls id barracks, and the willing young ijian students provided a fine >rps of clerks and attendants.

Mr. J. H. Common, of the Fiji üblic Works Department, has been ransferred to Aden as Assistant lirector of Public Works.

The Bsi

Taxing Authorities

THE planters’ challenge to the legality of the regulations under which the Solomons Islands Administration imposes taxation ef incomes, initiated some months ago by Mr. R. C. Syme, probably will be advanced a further stage next month.

Two legal men from Sydney—Mr.

C. L. D. Meares, QC, and Mr. P. F.

Galvin, solicitor, leave for Honiara at the end of February to deal with a dispute between Mr. Dalrymple Hay and a firm of overseas buyers of war salvage material. While they

are in Honiara, it is expected they will make an effort to get the taxa tion case before a superior court there.

It had been proposed that the case be heard in Suva. But, now that Western Pacific High Com mission headquarters are in Honiara, it is thought that adequate judicial machinery may now be provided there.

The challenge to the authority of the BSI Copra Board, initiated about the same time by Mr. J.

Bryan, another BSI planter, by service of a writ upon the Board, is now under examination. If Messrs. Meares and Galvin can get the taxation case advanced to hearing, the Copra Board case should follow quickly.

From PIM of 20 Years ago.

Rubber troubles and copra troubles—they had them all 20 years ago, just as they have to-day.

Starvation, we said, when copra dropped to £l2 Stg., in London.

Yet, if the 1953 £ is worth only a 1933 5/-, as most people say, that

meant £4B Stg. at present day

values. Take away the favourable rate of exchange from the South Pacific copra producers of 1953 and maybe they are not such million aires as we think!

Here are some other extracts from our issue of February 1933: “Burns Philp (SS), Ltd., have now ex tended their activities to French Terri tory—on Wallis Island—having acquired the interests there of Messrs. J. S. Brlal and Wing Ming and Co.” * * ♦ “As a result of the New Zealand Government embargo on fruit grown in Australia or Australian territories, the shipping service maintained by Burns Philp with ‘Morinda’ between Auckland, NZ, and Norfolk Island has been dis continued.” * * * Papuan rubber planters were still hav ing trouble with Australian rubber manu facturers who were refusing to buy Papuan rubber until the Federal govern ment cancelled the 4d per pound duty imposed on rubber imported from any where but Papua. Mr. E. C. Harris, then Treasurer in Papua, and Mr. Arthur Jewell, Member of Papua’s Legislative Council, journeyed to Sydney to meet representatives of the rubber manufac turers. The discussions, contrary to ex pectations, were amicable enough, and the parties withdrew to consider ways and means of mutual help. Greatest obstacle to success seemed to be that the Aus tralian government got £50(),000 per annum out of the 4d impost on foreign rubber and was naturally unwilling to give up this sweet morsel. * * * “Two European prospectors, William Naylor and Emile Clarius, and nine of their carriers were killed in an uncon

trolled area between Surprise Creek and the Langamar River, Morobe District, NG, on January 6. There was no evidence of conflict; it seems obvious that they were surprised and clubbed to death.

District Officer G.W.L. Townsend and ADO Penglase set out for the scene of the massacre as soon as the news was received.” * * * Copra had slumped again—down to £l2/2/6, cif, London. ‘‘This means starvation for the copra planter,” we said, and commented that there seemed no reason for the fall within a few months from £l5. other than that Unilever had bought enormous quantities of Antarctic whale oil cheaply. * * * The late Robert Dean Frisbie, then a resident of Tahiti (and who had not at that time gained fame as an author) wrote an article for PIM wherein he de manded damages from writers of Sooth Seas literature which lured men to the Islands by false representations. ‘‘On the island of Moorea,” he wrote, ‘‘along two kilometres of beach, there are If) white men who have arrived in the past six months. They are all victims of ridiculous books about the Pacific such as ‘lsles of Eden’ and ‘White Man, Brown Woman’ Mr. Loring Andrews is responsible for about half these men. In his book ‘lsles of Eden’ he tells his readers that money is a secondary matter in the Islands—in fact that one can live on 10 dollars a month and have a new girl every day.” * * * As you will read elsewhere in this present issue, when the Australian Terri tories Department recently called appli cations for cadet patrol-officers for the P-NG service, there were 200 applicants for the 30 positions. An encouraging response, one might think. But 20 years ago, when applications were called for six New Guinea cadetships, there were 2,126 applicants. After the wheat was sorted from the chaff, there was still an imposing array of university graduates, ex-RAAF officers, ex-Naval officers from Jervis Bay, plain accountants and other mental and physical giants for the Terri tories Minister (then Mr. Marr) to choose from.

Stainless Steel Murnan

Completes Circumnavigation

Remember Bill Murnan, who was in the South Pacific Islands in the stainless steel yacht Seven Seas II in 1948 and 1949, and who left Port Moresby in mid-1950, headed for Indonesia and South Africa? He reports cheerily from Miami, Florida, under date January, 1953.

The trustworthy little metal ship was sold in New York last October; and Bill thereupon bought a huge Ford “ranch waggon”, which he and his wife named Seven Seas 111, and in which they now are engaged in wide-flung land-cruising. (One suspects that the attractive Mrs.

Bill does not like the motion of the wide seas which her circum navigating husband has conquered).

Bill, all alone in Seven Seas 11, was buffeted cruelly in the Indian Ocean; but by mid-1951 he was round the Cape of Good Hope and away across the South Atlantic.

He spent eight weeks in St. Helena with “the nicest and most sincere people of the entire trip” (pleasant words for former South Pacific-ites Trevor Johnston and Sir George Joy); and then he had 3,240 miles of delightful sailing, in 35 days, to the West Indies. He spent some months among those archipelagoes; sped across to the American coast; and proceeded by inland waterways to New York, a year after leaving Capetown.

This cruise clear around the world in a small yacht, lone-handed most of the way, in four years, by Bill Murnan, almost without accident, is a really noteworthy feat of navigation. Bill wants his Islands friends to know that letters now can catch up with him at 645 NW Bth Street, Miami, Florida,

Usa.

If Only . . .

From a very competent observer, who retired from the British Colonial Service not long ago, after many long years of service in the South Pacific: “Fiji is lucky to have our mutual friend Ronald Garvey to help deal with some of its modern problems. If only —IF ONLY—the Indians could throw up a leader who could show them how to live and let live. The Indians and Fijians have got to learn how to live and grow up together. Aimee Ragg’s solution, to send all Indians back to India, is no solution at all. .

Battle Facts Mixed

Very mildly, considering the egregi ous character of the error, a reader in Manus, New Guinea, directs our attention to a statement in a recent PIM article about “The Bombard ment of Papeete.”

Our article stated that the Ger man Admiral Von Spec’s fleet of four ships was destroyed at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in January, 1915, by a British squadron under Admiral Craddock. Actually, the battle took place on December 8, 1914, and the Germans had five ships, and the British Commander was Admiral Sturdee.

What actually happened was that the German fleet, after leaving Tahiti, trapped a British squadron under Admiral Craddock off the Chile coast, and sank the British cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth.

Craddock went down with his ship.

Five weeks later, at the Falklands, von Spee also went down with his ship. One small German cruiser escaped from the Falklands, and was caught and sunk by HMS Glas gow in February, 1915.

Our writer was sadly astray.

Old Photographs

A home for a collection of 50years-old photographs is still being sought by Mr. E. Nixonwestwood (PO box 957, Wellington, NZ). They show people and scenes in the moun

tains of Papua, and especially depict

natives of villages 5,000 feet above sea-level. They were taken by Guy Manning when he and Nixonwest wood were clearing Lolorua planta tion, in behind Konosia, at the Galley Reach headwaters. If you are in terested, write to him. (This adver tising space donated in the cause of

science.)

The Von Luckner Treasure

To the note on Von Luckner in December PIM may be added some later news concerning the Sea

Devil and the well-known barque Pamir.

A Swede, Mr. Bernt Leube, arriv ing in Auckland in mid-January, brought a message of goodwill from Von Luckner to readers of the Auckland Star. Mr. Leube’s father is a close personal friend of Von Luckner. He reported that an American-Swiss film company is currently making a film covering the story of the German raider Seeadler. The part of Seeadler is being taken by the barque Pamir, and Von Luckner is, of course, the “star” of the film.

It is also evident from Mr.

Leube’s statement that the Count now 72, has completely recovered from a thrombosis attack which partly paralysed him for some time The Count and Countess (who is Swedish) have made their home near Malmo, in Sweden. They shortly plan another visit to America where Von Luckner has already made several lecture tours and has appeared on television.

There is no mention of any planned treasure hunt to the Pacific, but, from the evidence contained in the Reuter despatch published last month, it would seem more likely that the treasure island where “on a stone are chiselled names of about 80 ships which had been there for the gold” would be Cocos, the Costa Rican island south-west of Panama, rather than Mopelia.

Cocos has been the scene of many treasure hunts and its cliffs carry the names of the many expedition ships and yachts that have called there. Von Luckner, it is thought, called at Cocos in his round-the world cruise in the yacht Seeteujel in the 1930’5. The late Sir Malcolm Campbell was one of many who tried his luck at Cocos—unsuccess fully—but told the story of the tremendous difficulties facing all such Cocos treasure hunters in his book, My Greatest Adventure.

Fiji’s Silliest Controversy

With much acid comment, a very old resident of Fiji sends to us a series of cuttings from the Fiji Times, indicating the fury with which Indian writers of “letters to the editor” are supporting their argument that Indians should have equal rights with Europeans in the use of the Municipal Swimming Baths in Suva. (See news article elsewhere).

This squabble develops at inter vals. A special bathing enclosure for Indians was provided years ago, but the Indians would not use it.

“We are as good as Europeans,” said they, “and we insist on sharing the bath with them.” The whole silly business clearly stems from that inferiority complex which seems to torture the average Indian in Fiji, as elsewhere. It is made so much worse because the average j Indian has no sense of humour.

Mr - and Mrs. Bill Murnan, with “Seven Seas III”, somewhere in Florida.

In the court of human rights, there is absolutely no difference be tween Indian, Chinese, Fijian and European. Fijian, European and Chinese adheres each to his own ways of living, and regards the other fellow’s ways with a kindly tolerance. Maybe, each laughs at the other —human beings generally are funny—but there is nothing malicious or unfriendly in it, and the races live happily enough to gether.

But it is not so with a certain class of Indian. His egotism is such that he wants to live in European areas, enter European clubs and hotels and —in this case —go swimming with Europeans. If the Europeans or Fijians or any other community want to keep to themselves, why in the name of commonsense cannot the Indians accept that, and themselves become exclusive? Europeans (except may be a few pin-heads) do not regard themselves as superior beings.

Heaven forfend!—they were bar barians long after the Indians had established a magnificent civilisa tion. But they, and the Chinese and the Fijians, do wish that in their home life and their social relationships they may be free from the embarrassments caused by close contact with people of other races who have quite different con ceptions of life and living. It is not a matter of snobbery, or exclusiveness —it is simply a matter of comfort.

The Suva swimming baths squabble is the silliest thing that has come out of Fiji in years. Why cannot the Indians, in their social activities and organisations, be as exclusive and good-natured to wards other races as other races are towards them?

Rhino Beetle On a New Diet

From Wellington, NZ, Mr. F. H.

E. King, once of Western Samoa, sends us a cutting from the Evening Post. A representative of the E.P. recently visited the Islands, and wrote the article contained in the clipping—on a subject dear to the hearts of New Zealanders — bananas! On surveying the possi bility of boosting Islands production so that NZ-ers may eat two bananas per head per week, the writer refers to the devastating effect rhinoceros beetle has on W.

Samoan production. We agree with Mr. King when he says:— “It looks as if someone has been pulling his leg over the rhinoceros beetle and the damage it does to the banana plantations. Of course, these critters may have developed a taste for bananas since I left Samoa in 1946, but I doubt it.”

Then Mr. King goes on to other subjects: “Various references to the quality of food served at hotels in the South Seas that have appeared in recent issues of PIM have reminded

me of our experience when we ar rived in Samoa and went to stay at an hotel that had better be name less. It was our first introduction to the tropics and we were eagerly looking forward to all manner of luscious tropical fruits; but —our first dessert was steamed pudding!

“I enjoy your feature Small Ships News; Viria, referred to in last April’s issue, must have gone to New Guinea from New Zealand, as she came here from Sweden about four years ago. One Dalhoff, a Swede, came to this country with the intention of establishing a pre fab. house factory in Nelson. The ship, which he brought out from Sweden, was to be used in dis tributing the houses round the country. The factory was never established: Dalhoff is now in partnership with an indent agent.”

Who is Tahiti’s Outstanding

Artist ?

There are those who firmly con test the statement made in January PIM (p. 65) that Edgar Leetag is Tahiti’s outstanding artist to-day.

While admitting that he certainly is one of Tahiti’s notable crafts men, they declare that his work is in demand more because of its un usual nature —being painted on velvet—than from merit alone, though artistic value is not lacking.

Some who claim to know their art declare that the work of the 73-

years-old Monsieur Gouwe, a Dutch man who lives quietly in the coun try and who was recently per suaded to exhibit, will stand the test of time above that of any other artist living in Tahiti to-day.

Supporters of Gouwe say that he lived for many years on Raiatea, adopting the native way of life, and is undoubtedly deeply sympathetic with the “atmosphere” of Poly nesia, which his brush interprets.

While not trying to discount the talents of M. Leetag in any -way, they feel that it would give a false impression to make no mention of Gouwe —and, in the medium of etchings, of the talented Jacques Boullaire, whose work is to be seen on the French Oceania postage stamps. (Leetag Killed—see p. 122.)

Would-be Islands Tourists

Nostalgic note from A. G. Sheat, of Auckland, who would like very much to have another look at the places in Polynesia which he once loved, but who is appalled at the cost of air travel:— “Once there was a steamer leav ing Sydney or Auckland every week or two for the Islands, and it was quite easy for plain people to pay for a passage out and home, with a delightful stay-over in some hospitable island. Now there is only a high-flying Coral Route for Dollar Tourists, and journalists on the free list.”

Let not our friend be misguided in relation to the “privileged press”.

Once, newspaper men travelled often and freely as guests of the shipping companies; but to-day there are very, very few ships with a vacant berth, while the air-lines now are subject to some ruthless international regulation which pro vides rack and torture-chamber for any high executive who hands out “complimentary” tickets, except on very special occasions.

Thousands of people want to visit the Islands—witness the crush When the Orient liners reintroduced their “cruises” the other day—but no one seems able to devise a travel system to take care of the person of modest means, under modern conditions.

Concerning Beer

A public servant from New Ireland is eloquent on the subject of dis comforts suffered as a passenger

Z^\^ lekula - There * nothing

much that is new in his recital of woes; but what he says about liquor is interesting:— M 4 Y £ U 1° , h °P efull y into the 6 ft. * f ft- . k ar > an d seek to ease your unhappiness with a cold drink. But !w re i s no besr far Passengers— not a drop. Before you can get out

again, the place is invaded by a party of crew members, who push you around. They are lining up for their daily ration of Australian beer. They get that by law—under the dictation of their Red Union, I suppose—but there is no beer for the passenger, no matter how much currency he waves around.”

HCL In Vanikoro

A European who has been work ing for a lumber firm in Vanikoro, British Solomon Islands, complains bitterly of the high prices he is forced to pay for food and common necessities, and encloses a copy of his stores to prove his points.

He was charged 6/3 per pound for butter, 50/- for 6 dozen eggs, 10/3

per pound for tea, 35/- for 28 pounds of potatoes, 45/- tor 12 tins of peas, 12/- for 2 tins of cherries and many other items at stoilar rates ‘ hat n are bought

2perVemJ

the goods pay 17i per cent. Cus toms duty, for the BSI Govern ment; and the Co. itself then adds on a substantial charge for its work as distributor, .

ab^u e t «e M

Vanikoro

an< ? the Europ'eans who Se^mto

a two-years engagement, have to endure more than 20 months of almost complete isolation.

This is an historic photograph from the collection of Mr. August Hettig, of Nukualofa, Tonga. It was taken on the occasion of the open ing of the Nukualofa Club on May 15, 1914, and shows the original members of the Club, from left to right in each row, as follows. (Back row): Mr. Dan Flood; George B.

Riechelmann: G. E.

Heenan; Captain Jury; R. L. Donaldson; W.

Ostermann; Jack Clements: J. M. Master ton; W. T. Goodwin; G.

E. Zuckschwerdt. (Middle row): August Riechel mann, junior; R. l.

Skeen, (Chief Justice); George Riechelmann (late of Hiapai); W. G Bagnall; H. A. Monk; Vug u s t Riechelmann, senior; W. Tarr. (Front row): L. B. Levin; H.

E. w . Grant (H.B.M.’s Agent and Consul); H.

King George Tupou, II; A. B. Wallace Minister of Works);

Tuivakano (Premier);

ipu (Minister of Lands).

All are now dead vith the exception of

Mr. Flood, who lives in Auckland; Mr. A. Riechelmann Jnr.; Mr. Bagnall, n Auckland; Mr. Ostermann, in Auck-

land: and Mr. Henry Cocker, who was not in the photograph. Mr. Wallace was Minister of Works in Tonga in 1914 and

became hon. secretary of the Club. When he retired he went to Ireland where ho died last November.

New Year balls were the order of the night in places as far apart as Vila, New Hebrides, and Rabaul, New Guinea. The top photograph shows the prize winners at a fancy-dress b all held by the Vila Tennis Club — no titles were supplied so we can only guess that they represented (left to right): Hiawatha and Minehaha, Annie Oakley, Man from Mars, 1920 flapper, and Three Odes to a Grecian Urn. The bottom photo graph was taken at the New Guinea club ball and is part of a set that won first prize. We think maybe they represented an episode in the life of Ned Kelly. Or could it be Abe Lincoln?

3N Sunday, February 8, the voters of New Caledonia, totalling 20,343 —including 9,832 natives -voted for the election of a new General Council. The results are hown below. NC has been without Council for nearly a year.

A Bill which provided for a new institution was passed, in the first istance, by the French Parliament i 1951. Under %his, the Council r as to comprise 25 members—l 6 lected by Europeans and 9 by atives.

Meantime, M. Maurice Lenormand -a Noumea pharmacist who has ;en called pro-native—was elected » the French Parliament to repre *nt New Caledonia and New ebrides. When the Bill came up »r confirmation, he was instru ental in having it thrown out. He *manded a common roll for NC. his was strongly resisted by jropean interests, who feared mfiscatory taxation if the Council “re dominated by Leftists and itives.

The dispute went on during 1952. ittlement was delayed by the in ability of the French Government, delegation of Deputies arrived in 0 in September, and arranged aat was called a “compromise ttlement” as between the common 11 demanded by the Leftists, and e double roll, originally proposed, lis was agreed to by the French rliament in December,

9 Natives In Council

Noumea, Feb. 10.

Lhe new Council of 25 is made , by parties, approximately as lows: Leftist and Pro-Native, led by M. Lenormand (in cludes 9 natives) 15 Rightist (led by M. Bonneaud) 8 Miscellaneous 2 25 fhe names of the 9 natives are: idjune, Bouanoue, Bouillant, ui, Enoka, Kauma, Haeweng, ipoindi, and Pidjot. fhe other elected men are: :ges, Lenormand, Newland, Caron, Jhenbrenner, Legras, Dr. Tivollier, meaud, Bichon, Parazols, Thomas gen, Stephane de Saint-Quentin, allier, Solier, James Daly and ruelle. 1. Lenormand (described as rongly pro-native, pro-common 1, a Leftist, but not a Com nist”) will dominate the new mcil, I. Bonneaud, president of the uer Council, secured only 8 seats, e three De Gaullist candidates ■e all defeated. Only one of the ididates which favoured the ible roll, James Daly, secured ;tion.

NGG Shareholders Miss Again

New guinea goldfields LTD., in the year ended last September, made a profit of £43,542 from gold and timber, but again decided to pay no dividend.

Almost similar profit was made in the previous year. All profits, for years, have been used to finance capital development.

There is no indication of when such operations will begin to return something to shareholders. The amalgam section of the Golden Ridges mill, at Wau, has been in operation for some time; and the cyanide section, constructed at very heavy cost, will come into operation this year. The Co., then, will be

getting substantial revenue from three sources—Golden Ridges (two sections), tributing and timber.

Although it has had no help from the Government, the Co. is still developing its timber interests, and 97,000 super feet of specially treated pine, from Wau, arrived in New castle early February.

The Co’s history is not promising.

Under the influence of an energetic Englishman, named Urquhart, it started some 25 years ago as the Elyou Syndicate, and by the time it had become New Guinea Gold fields Ltd., operated by the British Mining Trust, it had an issued cap ital of £5,000,000, and was absurdly top-heavy. The Guggenheim in terests, of New York, came into it in the ’Thirties, and wrote off some £4 millions; but the Co. was still floundering when the Japs invaded, in 1942. The owners have another and much more profitable leg in Mount Isa, Queensland, and do not seem to worry much about NGG, so long as it earns enough profit to pay its way.

Miss Pamela Milesby, a Sydney air-hostess, was married at the end of January to Mr. Clyde Davis, of Rabaul, New Guinea.

PLANTERS in Samoa, New Guinea, etc., who are used to puny rhinoceros beetles of an inch and-a-half or so will be laid flat in the aisles at this piece of phantasy from the usually quite sober Ade laide “Advertiser.” In Tonga, said the Advertiser” in January, “. . .

Islanders were battling immense swarms of nightmarish tropical beetles. Native hunting parties 300 strong beat through the underbrush in defence of their rich coconut groves in May last, clubbing rhino ceros beetles up to six inches in length. Among the world’s biggest insects, they drill the palms for sap and cut through the early leaf buds.”

Clubs would surely be necessary!

Samoan Chief Startling Liquor Case in American Samoa

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Feb. 6

MAUGA, District Governor of the Eastern District and County Chief of Mauputasi, and highest hereditary chief in Ameri can Samoa, was charged in the Pago Pago Court in January with smuggling two bottles of whisky, and was sentenced to three months’ gaol and a 50-dollars fine.

Mauga accompanied the retiring Governor of American Samoa, Mr.

John C. Elliott, together with other chiefs, to Apia, whence Mr. Elliott was to fly back to the States. He was presented with two bottles of whisky by Apia friends, and, when returning to Pago Pago, he did not declare the two bottles, and he re fused to have his luggage searched by the Customs Officer, like other passengers.

When the two bottles of whisky were found in his luggage he was charged before Chief Judge Arthur A. Morrow with illegal possession and importation of alcoholic liquor, and sentenced as above.

Following this sentence the new Governor, Mr. James Arthur Ewing, deprived Mauga of his Oflice as District Governor and County Chief, but he granted a stay of execution for 60 days to elect a new title-holder of the Mauga family, so as not to disgrace the title.

In granting the stay of execu tion the Governor explained that the plea of forgiveness, and the traditional ceremony of “Ifoga” (or voluntary humiliation of the chiefs and people of Pago Pago) could not be acceded to, as no man is immune before the law.

A suggestion was made to send Mauga to exile on the island of Manua, instead of to gaol. The liquor question in American Samoa is a sore problem, as some full and some part-Samoan Government officials are allowed to buy and consume “hard” liquor, while, in the case of Mauga, the full force of the law is used for a compara tively minor offence. In Western Samoa, Samoan chiefs and Samoan Government officials in many cases enjoy the same liquor privileges as Europeans.

The 60-days stlay of execution expires on March 1 and it will be interesting to see the course of events. So far, the chiefs of Pago Pago and the Mauga family seem reluctant to deprive the High Chief of his title, and it would certainly be an unparalleled disgrace for the highest Chief of American Samoa to be sent to gaol for this offence.

By Tolala

rms seems to be the season for Church dignitaries to be stick ing their necks out and —to nix metaphors—chewing off more han they can swallow.

On Australia Day, Sydney’s 3ean —Dr. Babbage (the doctorate s one of Philosophy, London)— aunched a tirade against Australia’s lative policy which was a “national candal and disgrace.” He quoted dinister Hasluck to support his ■ccusations and pulled no punches i referring to the manner in which Australia had “sinned against the borigines,” mentioning our Chris ian duty of reparation and re titution. He probably was talking i the usual ecclesiastical generali ies, but his sermon went over in big way at St. Andrew’s Cath dral and was called a “special itercession for the aborigines.”

The worthy Dean, who is a young [aorilander by birth, thus in urred the wrath of two seasoned itizens. One was Professor Elkin nd the other Michael Sawtell, a lember of the Aborigines Welfare card. Both showed they have aowledge far surpassing that of le Dean, where abo. conditions re concerned. Unfortunately, the can’s declamations had already rovided good ammunition for the iti-democratic forces, always gun ing for the NG administration, I may be wrong (I hope I am) it it does appear that many of icse self-appointed champions of -called native welfare are doing lot of shouting from the house ps merely for reasons of pub ;ity, to advance their own sec mal or political ends.

A letter comes from a New Britain ssid e n t concerning “Queen nma’s” surviving relatives—which mentioned in December PM, re

calling three in New Guinea. I missed out on a grand-nephew, A.

M. P. Uechtritz, who is at Sum Sum, so the writer tells me. (And, incidentally, since his writing, I believe his wife has had a son.

Congratulations!) He then men tlQns. Eddie Parkinson, “either in America °? in Germany,” and also E. P. Uechtritz in Germany, with two more relatives in NZ.” Thanks a lo t- But my special point was there were not many in New Guinea.

In NSW there are the descen dants of Queen Emma’s son (the late J. C. M. Forsayth) and in SA °y, vic - (I ’ m not sure which) an other nephew, the son of the Queen’s sister, Grace. :: :: tj -vrr>. , v, J 3O ? 11 ( ? eplet^d . m ui f nC A f p ‘ re palled fo L Padets , fo , r A ® an ? 20 ? aPP*ied cml Board will comb 164 ap- Phcants down to the required 30.

Salaries appear lavish, compared l^ pr £T/S ar days ’ when they re ceived £3OO a year. Youths of 18 commence on £528, rising to :: :: : • The claim by an “American- Swedish” banking syndicate for re cognition of some 5,000 square miles in or ° be f ? anted by tbe Imperial Government, is -* 0 .f ai ? se someone a head -18 r€C °g m sed. If my S^ ve l ar jS bt ’ every 9L e^s wh ° • la ?£ or rights °* any description in the old Ger man colony was prescribed, or ex propriated, in 1920 and 1921, and it would be surprising to find that the Waria Syndicate was not dealt with in this manner. H. R Wahlen who was a “prescribed person ” re

presented the syndicate. I remem ber hearing of dredging machinery being on its way to the Morobe District from Germany when war broke out in 1914, but it never arrived.

My tip is that the lease was can celled, for it was not put up for tender with other expropriated pro perties. Anyway, there will be some thumbing through old Custodian files.

I see that Director of Works Rooney calculates the new plan to rebuild Rabaul will run into a cool £5 million, and the job is supposed to take ten years. I wonder whether Rabaul will be such a picturesque town as it was when the Germans finished building it in 1910? The

NDL wharf was commenced in 1905 and stood the test of many years. Even after the disastrous fire in the early twenties it was still a sturdy structure; and from there a narrow gauge rail line ran along to the New Guinea Kompagnie bulk store, and to the Police Depot off the Namanula Road. There were no motor-lorries in those days, only the old “bulamakau carts” rumbling along the shady avenues. Every house was built to withstand the constant earth-tremors, and ward- F ob ? s , SJjL looked back to the waUs to prevent thei . r toppling over during the Qunas. • • * • • : And, talking of buildings, it always brings a smile to the older

settlers of NG to read of intending visitors to the tropics living in native houses. One such US matron recently received publicity in Syd ney papers because she was joining her husband “in the jungle of Dutch NG, where she will live in a bamboo house.” So what?. . .

Thirty years ago more women left Sydney for the Islands, where they lived in native houses, than you could count; but use of such a resi dence never caused any special comment. Why fuss about “bam boo houses,” as though it was an outstanding act of bravery or ad venture? Well constructed native houses—roomy and airy—are much preferable to the more modern fibro-cum-galvanised iron struc tures which are dubbed “European residences.”

My own experience has been that a good sac-sac roof, properly tied down against the Nor’west, and Sou’east busters, walls of river sac-sac (painted if you so desire) and for flooring, native timber or libug, with split libug for a cover ing. make a most excellent domi cile in the tropics—cool and com fortable and easily repaired at any time, for material is always avail able. I don’t like bamboo—the borers get in and create much dust.

(Continued on Page 117)

The idea of putting Common wealth Public Servants into the senior positions of the PNG Ser vice (Jan. PIM, p 15) seems a bit unfair to me, and is certainly not an incentive for NG Public Ser vants to put their heart in the job.

“Tony” Anthony, with his 26 years’ service, was certainly entitled to a trial. Perhaps the fact that he is a brother of Postmaster-General Anthony may have gone against him, or was it his conscientious work in the Public Service Associa tion that knocked him?

It’s a bad policy, this of keeping the plums of office for outsiders.

Phe only exception to the rule of exclusion seems to be F. H. Moy. vho is now Director of Native (Vffairs in NT—who seems to be loing a good job there, too, after lis eleven years in TNG.

The article about W. D. Pieris. )f Ceylon (Jan. PIM, p 45) made interesting reading, and he hits ;he nail on the head. I remem »er seeing palms in Ceylon yielding cwt. to the acre from palms over eventy years old; and yet TNG bought a ton to the hectare (2.4711 ,cres) was more than satisfactory rom palms of less than 30 years Id.

There has not been the same soil ertilisation in TNG as in Ceylon, ’oo much reliance has been placed n the natural richness of the oral-volcanic soil, and God and be sunshine have been left to laintain copra production. Not for etting, of course, the good turn tie 1937 eruption did to the New iritain palms eventually. I repeat, irentually.

Some of the NG plantings are now earing the 70-years mark.

In the German time, managers t Neu Guinea Kompagnie planta ons on the Gazelle Peninsula re vived from Germany casks of some lecial fertiliser for the palms, with istructions to treat certain areas id, after doing so, to mark the •unks of the palms. Some bright .err discovered the fertiliser was a excellent medium for cooling 3er and that was the end of the

»H fertilising—although, of course

ie palms were marked, according i instructions.

There is a Major-General Kirby Australia at present. His job is . record the history of the Pacific ar - He gave a very excellent talk er the air recently on Moral Re mament.

I agree with the General in most mgs, but he did say that the Japs id no intention of landing in Aus ilia and he quotes several official cords. That is as may be. But I member only too well being told

by a Japanese General in Rabaul, a few days after his landing there in 1942, that it would be a matter of only a few months before the Japanese army would be landing in Australia. And this idea was en dorsed by the rank and file, who were counting the days to when they would be looting Australian towns—and they were hoarding every bit of Australian money they could lay their hands on.

Their plan then was, I firmly believe, Port Moresby and then Australia.

The Scout Jamboree was a huge success and gave Australia plenty of opportunity to lower the colour barrier and create an entente cor

dale with all near-Eastern nations —including New Guinea, which is all over-worked a bit these days for political reasons. But the fea tured picture in the SMH (7.1.53) and reproduced in the PIM (Jan. p 18) of the Corrimal Scout Mis tress cutting the hair of “the Rabaul scout Sitangonei” was in particularly bad taste, according to my concepts. Publicity of frater nisations of this description is a bit premature: but people in Aus tralia are not able to appreciate that.

The whole trouble is the aver age white does not realise how the native mind functions in these matters. The white has not the foggiest conception of the tribal rites that are connected with hair

cutting, and of its varied signifi cance.

K, Pawson, of Tonga, writes about “Islands Mission Competi tion” (Jan. PIM, p 130) and there is much truth in what he says. I can speak only of NG, but there many of the natives are confused by the dogmas of the various sects and, in particular, by the obser vance of the Sabbath. One sect

designates Saturday, others the Sunday. When primitive natives are faced with this disagreement among the whites themselves, what can their opinion be? Such ques tions call for some co-ordination, in the interests of the native popu lation.

Lina Charlotte Mainka has gone to her rest. She passed away at the end of December, and will be

mourned by many old-time New Guinea-ites. She was a protege of Queen Emma, who met her in Sydney; and, shortly after her arrival in Rabaul, she married Herr Mainke, who was Postmaster. Des pite his official position, he was not “expropriated,” because he proved himself to be a Pole. They had a nice plantation at Londip for several years. Lina was a happy soul, and a grand hostess.

It is indeed reassuring to read that the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr.

Mowll, after having returned from Ceylon and Borneo, is quite sure Communism will not be adopted by the NG natives. He said this to newspaper men when he arrived back. The NG natives are quite happy, he said. Does Bishop Strong agree with him, I wonder.

Passengers who left Sydney for P-NG in January Bulolo, included (left to right, top to bottom): Mrs. N. F. Davies, who will return to her home at Norfolk Island, after visiting friends in Papua- New Guinea; Mr. J. D. Solomon, going; to a position in Port Moresby: Mr. Louis P. Fahy, well-known in Papua-New Guinea for the past 30 years, who was returning to his home in Lae, aften receiving treatment at the Repatriation Hospital, Concord, NSW; Mr. W T . Mist, who was going to a new position at the Catholic Mission Station, Milne Bay, East Papua; Mr. Warner West, of the Depart ment of Civil Aviation, who has been: appointed to Port Moresby for the nexti two years.

Future of N-Guinea

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Moresby, Feb. 2.

f|NE of the most important steps Lr yet undertaken in the system atic development of the natural esources of Papua-New Guinea —a areful survey of possibilities, by a elected team of experts—began idien, at the end of last month, Dr.

J. S. Christian arrived to organise he requirements of the party. The earn is called the Land Resources nd Regional Survey Section of the JSIRO, and its members are: General Leader— Dr. C. S. Christian Scientific Leader— Dr. R M. Dorrie Ecologist —Mr. B. W. Taylor Systematic Botanist— Dr. R. G. Hoogland.

Geomorphologist—

Mr. S. J. Patterson Pedologist— Mr. H. A. Haantjens Their over-all objective is the des iption, classification and mapping all regions of the Territory with i assessment of their agricultural,

istoral and other potentialities,

eluding hydro-electric resources.

The team will first examine the »rth District (Buna) which in

eludes the Amboga, Girna and Sam boga River basins, the lower slopes of the Hydrographers Range, the Lamington-Sangara plateau, the Kokoda area, and possibly the Yodda basin.

When the entire survey is finished, Canberra will have a complete blue print of the basic potentialities, and therefore a safe basis on which to plan the future of these huge Territories.

FIJI’S bunch of bananas of record size which was shipped to New Zealand in Jaunary in a special container has gained fame for the Colony, far and wide. News of it spilled into radio in Australia and also into newspapers. One Melbourne Daily said that since recovering from the 1952 hurricane, Fiji banana plantations were pro ducing bunches of bananas of such size that they could not be shipped.

In fact there was one OS bunch of bananas—it was of 10 hands, was three feet high, two feet across, weighed 145 pounds and each of the bananas were of 11 to 12 inches in length. Take a look at a foot rule—then agree that this is a lot of banana.

Presumably they were of the ordinary dessert variety. There is a variety of banana that grows in New Guinea which is about the

size, shape and dimensions of a vegetable marrow—but it is a cook ing banana.

Among engagements announced! recently was that of Mr. T. G.

Pollard to an Adelaide girl, Miss Pat Southerden. Tom Pollard’s mother went to Papua in 1922 as: Mrs. Arthur Gors. There were foun Gors brothers (Walter, Otto, Arthur and Leo), who were planters from Adelaide, and who settled in the: Hisiu district of Papua. Left a widow, Mrs. Gors married Mr; Arthur Pollard, of the British New Guinea Co’s staff in Port Moresby.'

TEAL passengers arriving in Auckland from the Islands in January included (top to bottom, left to right):— Mr. Eddie Lund of Quinns Tahitian Hut, Papeete, who has composed the music for a TEAL publicity film on French Oceania, was South to record the sound track in Auckland. Mrs. Leonie Hay, attractive Aucklander, now resident in Honolulu, who travelled by Fairmile launch Philante II to Papeete thence by TEAL, on a visit to relatives in Auckland.

Miss Valerie Lee, of Suva, will attend a business college. Mr. John Harrington,, well-known American business man now resident at Aitutaki, Cook Islands, is om a NZ business visit.

Miss R. Saunders and Miss R. Forster,, of Suva, will attend school in New Zea land.

Zealand

and Warren, who went to Niue where Mr. Shepheard will be in charge of Niue schools.

Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Webber, who re turned to W. Samoa after 4½ months travelling holiday all over New Zealand.

Mr. S. Thomson, of Auckland, who was farewelling Mr. Chris Anderson, who re turned to Savaii. W. Samoa, after three months in New Zealand.

assengers departing from Auckland in uary Tofua included (top to bottom): iiss Basel More, Matron of Vaiola pital, Nukualofa, who returned with [?]ce Taufaahau, eldest grandchild of [?]en Salote. r. and Mrs. G. G. Shepheard with Miles

Services

VARIOUS reports, generally to the effect that when the RMS Aorangi ceases the Sydney- Vancouver run in May the Matson Line will re-enter the trans-Pacific service with 25-knot vessels, were discounted on January 24, when the Matson Co. announced that it had no plans for such a service at present.

Indications are that, when the Aorangi is withdrawn, a trans pacific mail and passenger service will be carried on by a couple of the Carpenter motor-ships of the Lautoka class—fast vessels of around 10,000 tons, carrying over 100 passengers.

While Trans-Pacific trade is paralysed by dollar shortages and import restrictions, there is nothing much to tempt new shipping con cerns into the field. The Carpenter interests, with vessels now serving their established interests, already are running to a fairly regular schedule.

“Te Ao Hou”, described as a magazine for the Maori people will make its debut in May, 1953.

Something close to a world record high in prices for petroleum pro ducts must have been reached in the New Hebrides where it is re ported that petrol costs 7/9 per gallon, kerosene 6/6, diesel oil 6/and white spirit for pressure lamps, 8/8. It is said that there is a “certain amount of buyer resist ance”.

Moresby In 1954

Moresby, Feb. 3.

WHEN the hydro-electric under taking (to be installed at Rouna to supply Port Moresby with power) comes into use it will have an initial output of 3000 kilo

watts, which is just over the town’s present maximum power consump tion.

But the basic installation can be expanded to an output of 5,000 kilowatts, which should be quite enough for Moresby’s domestic and light industrial requirements for a long time.

The Rouna scheme falls into four major sections: 1. Supply of turbines and gen erating equipment. 2. Construction of intake works, pipeline and channel to the power house. 3. Erection of power house and installation of equipment. 4. Construction of transmission line from plant to Port Moresby.

The contract (already let) for No. 1 has a two year delivery date.

Last month tenders were called for No. 2.

It is estimated that the main construction work (No. 3 and 4) will all be completed by the time the turbines and generating plant are delivered in 1954. The new installa tion should give a steady supply of power and at about half the pre sent cost of the diesel generating plant.

Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Lillyman, ol Lae NG, who have been holidaying in New Zealand, returned to Syd ney en route to New Guinea ir January.

An Official Cheerer-Up for Sad Micronesians

Equipped with pingpong bails, horseshoes, novelty tricks and bits and pieces of sporting goods, Mr. A. K. Powlison has de parted from Honolulu for the Korror archipelago, in the Western Carolines, on a mission that is new in Pacific Islands history.

According to one of the Planners of the Trust Territory of Micronesia (now in the care of United States) the native people of Korror are suf fering “cultural dislocations and emotional stresses,” as a result of the impact of foreign ways upon their traditional manner of living.

In the last 150 years, they have been ruled by Spaniards, Germans, Japanese and Americans and, in the view of the Planners, their out look on life has been sadly dis rupted.

And so—believe it or not, Mr, Ripley!—it has been decided offici ally that they must be cheered up.

Mr. Powlison is to be the cheer leader.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin of No vember 24, says that Mr. Powlison “is a former director of recreation for City Parks and playgrounds; he has had more than 30 years’ ex perience in organising recreation.”

He is to spend the next 15 months “on a pioneer project designed to help smooth out alien influences that have disrupted the lives of the people of the Palau Islands (Korror) for 40 years.”

The Honolulu writer says: “Mr, Powlison’s job is to try and help convince the Palauans that they want to un-dislocate and un-stress themselves, and then help them proceed to do it.” Mrs. Powlison is to go and assist her husband in Korror when a house is available, [t is also noted that Mr. Powlison’s project is under the direction of the South Pacific Commission and the Administrator of the Trust Ter ritory. * * * The foregoing is a condensation }f the article in the Honolulu news paper which purports to describe seriously a project of the South Pacific Commission and the Trust Ferritory Administration. We pre :er to present it as a prime ex ample of irresponsible journalism md American ballyhoo. , It is difficult to believe that the sPC —the solemn embodiment of six esponsible Governments— would de spatch a games organiser, complete vith pingpong balls and novelty ;ricks, on a mission designed to )rmg back the sparkle to the eyes )f the melancholy half-breeds of he Western Carolines. That surely vould be the reductio ad ahsurdum )f the important tasks that have >een allotted to the SPC

Price Controlled

In Fiji Colony

W ITH the exception of bread, ’ * flour, sharps and road pas tJ’al^P9r.t (that is, taxi and bus fares >. Fiji is now without pnce control which was first im posed. early in the war period. A lon g hst of items ranging from dalo

removed Control has been maintained on bread, flour, etc., because of Gov ernment subsidy payments that are made in respect of flour. === Captain John Ritchie of the Union Steam Ship Co., lately master of the trans-Pacific cargo vessel Waitomo, retired in February aged 63.

Writs and Court Proceedings In Rabaul

Rabaul, Jan. 20.

fITHERE have been further develop- X ments in the troubles between the promoters of the Bougain ville Company (formed to run the MV Pollurian between Bougainville and Rabaul, and engage generally in trade and shipping) and Captain Thomas Willis Coyne, who was in strumental in bringing the Pollurian from England to New Guinea in 1951, and who subsequently acted in Rabaul as managing director of the Co.

Coyne, on January 13, was com mitted for trial on a charge of at tempting to steal £1,415 from the Company; and, about the same time, writs, each claiming £lO,OOO for malicious prosecution, were served by Coyne upon James Murray Joyes, of Iwi Plantation, and John Henry Ellis, of Tokaian Plantation.

The two latter are Bougainville planters and were associated with Coyne and others in 1950 in the planning of the enterprise.

The evidence showed that on February 27, 1951, £5,000 Stg. (£2,500 from Ellis and £2,500 from Joyes) was cabled to Coyne, in England, for the purchase of goods to be brought out in the Pollurian. The latter arrived at the end of 1951.

The Co. was registered in February, 1952.

Coyne, after his return to Rabaul, informed Joyes and Ellis that £1,300 of the £5,000 was not spent. This was a private matter between Coyne, Joyes and Ellis and was not part of the Co’s transactions.

In April, 1952, Joyes and Ellis interviewed Coyne, and asked for m accounting, and repeated the re juest in May and August. On Sep ember 19, Joyes and Ellis demanded i settlement that day; Coyne landed them a statement showing i balance left out of their £5,000 of :i,415; and he then and there signed i Bougainville Co. cheque for that imount and handed it to Joyes, and he latter, acting upon advice, de )osited the cheque in a Trust iccount.

The directors, Mr. Dudley Jones, ilr. Joyes and Mr. Ellis, called a neeting on September 22 and de aanded of Coyne his reasons for >aying a private debt with a Com pany cheque for £1,415. Coyne said hat more than that was owing to lim on salary and other accounts. ?he Directors had an audit mads, md challenged this claim; there /ere protracted arguments about ccounts (in the course of which it ippearod that Coyne, on behalf f the Company, had supervised ex penditure totalling £30,000, secured n bank overdraft); and finally the )irectors took the matter to the olice, Coyne was removed from

control, and Mr. Dudley Jones took charge.

Mr. James, counsel for Coyne, presented as a defence that Coyne had no thought or intention of tak ing funds improperly—he honestly believed that the Co. owed him this sum, and more.

Magistrate J. R. Rigby decided that there was a prima facie case, and committed Coyne to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail of £250 was allowed.

‘Out in the Clear'

AFTTER a series of semi-judicial appeals and decisions which are beyond the understanding of the average layman, Inspector Ernest Steeples (one of the best known of the pre-war police officers) has been confirmed in his position as First Class Inspector of Police by the P-NG Public Service Com missioner. The case was described in the last issue of the FIM.

Mr. Staples is now settled in Rabaul, and there has been no legal challenge to his status when he appeared in court on behalf of the Crown.

Although Mr. Steeples’ position now seems clear, there does appear to be a set-up in the Police Depart ment in Port Moresby that is puz zling. It is said that the system of promotion has got tangled up with the machinery of high bureaucracy.

Assistant Superintendent D. T.

Saint has been seconded from the Fiji Police to be Aide de Camp to the Governor of Fiji. Inspector A. P.

Keelan, who has been ADC since October, 1951, has been seconded to the Fiji Military Forces.

Mr. Eric Grove, . a . trader of Salnafota, W. Samoa, who served with the New Zealanders in the Middle East in World War 11, has been chosen as a member of the NZ contingent for the Coronation.

From Our Own Correspondent

Moresby. Feb. 3.

TEN Patrol Officers of the District Services Department will attend the fourth two-years course, at the Australian School of Pacific Administration in Sydney, which begins at the end of March.

They are; A. C. Jeffries, Recreation leave.

A. M. Bottrill, Recreation leave.

A. T. Carey, Southern Highlands (Tari).

D. P. Sheekey, Mendi, Southern Highlands (Tari).

R. S. Bell, Adelbert Range, Madang District.

J. F. Sinclair, loma, Northern District.

F. D. Anderson, Taskul, New Ireland.

D. A. M. Young-Whitforde, Kavieng, NI.

O. J. Mathieson, Ihu, Gulf Dist.

D. J. Parish, Finschhafen.

When they return to the Terri tory with the diploma for the suc cessful completion of the course in their luggage, they will be one step nearer the status of Assistant Dis trict Officer. This term at school is now one of the requirements for promotion to ADO.

Disquiet On The

Best Market Behind Iron Curtain

PAPUA’S rubber planters will see another threat to their product in the recent an nouncement from Germany that a new synthetic rubber has been per fected in West Germany.

Production, at present, is only a few tons per month, but it is hoped to increase output soon. All sorts of rosy claims are made for the new synthetic, which is said to be superior to any artificial rubber now on the market. It is claimed that it is particularly useful for shoe soles and heels, cable insulation, bicycle tyres and solid tyres; that it is immune to alcohol, petrol and ozones, and will give ten times the wear of natural rubber.

Basic material is coal and it has oeen developed as a result of years )f research, by Professor Otto Bayer, at the Bayer Works. It is jailed vulcollan. Manufacture calls or entirely new processing methods rom those used for natural or >rdinary synthetic.

British and American firms are aid to be keen to take out licences or the manufacture of this new ynthetic.

Jeylon Sells Rubber To

China

Ceylon has agreed to sell about 50,000 tons of rubber to Red China ver the next five years. The price i variously stated as being from i per pound to 40 per cent better lan the current market price. In Ceylon will take rice om Red China—also at a price Lid to be favourable to Ceylon.

The deal follows the visit of a eylon trade delegation to Peking 'me months ago, and it is not easing to the United States, ■ter negotiations were begun be reen Ceylon and China, the United ates Government offered to buy jylon’s rubber at existing world ices. Ceylon would play ball only the US, in addition, promised 50 illion dollars of economic aid to :ylon in the next five years. When e US refused, the deal was con ided with Red China. [t is generally agreed that the reement, from Peking’s point of ■W, is not just a matter of getting Dber —which it certainly wants — t also is a prestige builder in st Asia. ron Curtain countries’ latest m the Cold War is a con ted trade drive on Asian coun ts- And countries every sre from Egypt to Indonesia seem y too keen to play into Red

hands. These countries are in no mood to be convinced that they are being fattened for the kill.

In terms of potential trouble, this wooing of Asia by trade is probably a bigger threat to Western Civilisa tion than any previous phase of the Muscovite Cold War—especially in view of Eisenhower’s decision to withdraw the US fleet from For mosa, which almost certainly means that the Red China coast will be blockaded, and cargoes from Cey lon (or anywhere else) will be turned back or seized.

Papua’S Rubber Troubles

In the meantime, Papuan rubber planters still have a serious mar keting problem on their hands for, with the exception of very small

consignments, no orders are forth coming from Australian rubber manufacturers.

Territories Minister Hasluck ful filled his promise to find a market for 400 tons, and actually 450 tons haye been shipped to Australia.

This cleared planters’ accumulations up to about the middle of Novem ber, but by the end of December the Territory stockpile was already another 350 tons.

Planters were still in the dark as to any progress made by the Minister towards securing a definite market for the Papuan output. They are hoping, of course, that eventu ally the future of the industry will be assured by the granting of pre ference for Papuan rubber in the Australian market. (Next Page)

It was reported from London at the end of January that Australia may be asked to contribute funds to an international scheme de signed to stabilise world fluctuat ing rubber prices.

The working committee of the in ternational rubber study group, which concluded talks in London re cently has drawn up a buffer stock scheme for presentation to a meet ing of the full group in Copen hagen in May.

Mr. R. A. Hewlett has been appointed secretary of the Fiji Visitors’ Board (until recently called the Fiji Publicity Board and Tourist Bureau) in succession to Mr. F. I. Ryan who resigned at the end of 1952. Until recently Mr.

Hewlett was Tourist Officer, Nadi.

He has been succeeded there by Mrs. J. Lloyd.

The Nankin arrived in Australian waters early February with about 2,500 tons of cranes, bulldozers, tractors, etc., wartime salvage from the jungles of Dutch New Guinea.

The owners —Thiess Brothers —said part would go to Australian eastern States, and part to Japan.

These five boys from Tonga High School have been awarded scholarships for the year 1952. Their ages range from 16 to 18 years old. They are the first students to receive scholarships from this recently-founded school which is con ducted on the New Zealand system. The boys are to attend Auckland Grammar School for a year before deciding whether they will take University courses. Lodg ing has been arranged for them at the Tongan Government’s hostel at Epsom, Auckland. In front, from left to right, are Karl Tu’inukuafe, Siaosi Faletau.

Back row, left to right, are ’Aisake Folaumoetu’i, ’Etueni Tupou, and Edgar Max Tu’inukuafe.

Photo by Hettig.

Contractors In P-Ng

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 23.

IT pleases P-NG citizens that the Commonwealth Works Depart ment at Port Moresby is now switching construction jobs from “day labour” to contract. In the Department’s phraseology “day labour” means work done by the department’s own workmen. But the policy now is to call tenders and let out as much work as pos sible to private contractors.

Contract jobs already in progress or slated for early attention, in clude the Port Moresby and Madang wharves, the Markham River Bridge, Samarai wharf (now 99 per cent, complete), a wharf head and small ships jetties at Kavieng, Rouna hydro-electric scheme for Port Moresby and the new Rabaul wharf.

It will be sometime before much road construction can be done by private contractors in the Terri tory, since very few, if any, have the necessary heavy equipment for such jobs.

It is hoped that the elimination of unnecessary day labour jobs will cut costs but one bottleneck which has to be overcome is lack of techni

cal staff at Port Moresby to pre pare the plans and specifications of jobs for contractors, and lack of office space for the extra staff. The Department now has a departmental allocation of £15,000 for office ex tensions.

The Governor of Fiji appointed Lt. Commander G. R. Woods, FRNVR, Lt. R.J.B. Ackland, FMF, Ft. Lt, G. C. Benseman, RNZAF, and Jioji Suguturaga, Acting In spector of Police, to be Honorary Aides-de-Camp.

Mr. Gabriel H. Lepage, in Auckland en route to University in Sydney, after a [?]ear school-teaching at isolated Mangareva, Gambler Is.

Miss Celia Herman, Mr. R. C. Marsters and Miss Naomi Ratu, who arrived in [?]uckland by air from Aitutaki, Cook Is.

The Rev. Brother Ephrem, SM, who returned to Fiji for another period of service [?]i the Islands after being stationed at Wanganui, NZ, for the past nine years, [?]e is now at the Brothers School, Suva.

Miss J. C. Stinson returned to Suva after 15 months at Feilding, NZ.

Tell Fiji How

i LTHOUGH the plain Fiji citizen V says that nothing is done in Fiji that has not already ;en tried out in East Africa, the old Coast or maybe one of the r est Indies colonies, something 3w for the South Pacific occurred . January when Mr. R. A. Withers, presenting a firm of London isiness efficiency experts, arrived Suva.

He will prepare a quick outline of ways and means whereby Fiji Government departments and Fiji Civil Servants can get their work done with greater efficiency and economy.

It is considered that if Mr.

Withers' suggestions are worth what they will cost, then Mr.

Withers’ firm will be engaged to put them into operation and pre sumably Mr. General Public, who follows the British pattern in being rude about his own bureaucrats, will cheer like mad.

Mr. Howard B. Stone of the LDS Mission, has taken over as President of the W. Samoan Mis sion from Mr. Earl S. Paul.

Two RAAF Mosquito planes began an aerial photographic sur vey of Papua-New Guinea in January.

Colonel J. K. Murray, former Administrator of Papua-New Guinea, and Sir Raphael Cilento, who was a Director of Health in New Guinea

before World War 11, are among new members of the Senate of the University of Queensland, elected in February.

THE enterprising Indian trades men who run the Oceanic Printery in Suva have com menced the issue of a weekly news paper for literate Fijians—a goodlooking, 12-page compilation called Volagauna.

In 1951, Mr. Dick Abel, a part- Fijian, commenced the publication of a very good weekly newspaper called Duisiga, and the big circu lation he soon attained showed that there is a large and growing demand for this kind of service.

However, he could not command the capital for the enterprise, and it ceased at the year’s end.

The Indian publishers say that Volagauna is written and edited by Fijians. There is no doubt that it will fill a need. But, in view of the political situation, the Fijians’ newspaper should be owned and published by Fijians.

The marriage took place recently in BSI of Miss Barbara Beaumont of Queensland to Mr. Douglas Hall, Manager of Joroveto Planta tion. Joroveto is owned by Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Hodgess, who returned there recently after several months holiday in Australia.

Mendi -

P-Ng Style

From Our Own Correspondent

Moresby, Jan. 30

ANOTHER fine job of work was done by District Services staff near Mendi Station (in the Southern Highlands) on New Year’s Eve.

Just as the District Commis sioner, J. S. McLeod, was doubtless thinking of living up to his name by celebrating New Year’s Eve in traditional Scots fashion, word came through that over 200 Mendi natives were engaged in a ceremony ante dating the Scottish practices by several centuries.

In short, they were “mixing it” with bows and arrows, and a pretty lively battle was in progress.

With a patrol of 14 native police, the DC hurried to the scene. There tie left half his force to guard a juickly established camp, while he ;ook the rest down to within forty pards of the 250 fighting natives.

Immediately, arrows commenced lying in the direction of Mr.

McLeod and his party; while, back it the camp, another group of Mendi lads attacked the camp juard.

The attackers on the main battle ield had shrewdly taken up a neat, iefensive position behind a garden ’ence of pit-pit, and to protect hemselves the patrol had to open ire. Then, as the pit-pit screen nade it impossible for Mr. McLeod ;o gauge the intentions of the ittackers, he took the patrol back o the camp, where the native police ;uard had successfully fought off he raiding party. The latter had ■etreated after one of their group lad been injured by police fire.

Anything might have happened he next day, for the stage was set or trouble. But the District Ser rices habit is to resolve seemingly nevitable violence by peaceful neans. With the right degree of ourage. diplomacy, tact and shrewd nowledge of the primitive mind, Jr. McLeod, like many other DS nen before him, soon had the ormer combatants sending in teace offerings of pigs; and a little ater he got the ringleaders from ioth sides to sit down in confer nce under his wary eye. The affair nded in a truce, and compensa ion payments between the warring tarties (with no animosity against he government for the unavoidable rounding of five natives), and ettlement of the original land dis inte which had. precipitated the ribal fight.

The government has been estab ished in the Mendi district only

about eighteen months —not long enough for the natives to have fore gone their age-old method of sett ling disputes in tribal clashes. The New Year’s Eve incident will help them to realise that the old order must go.

The incident itself was not re markable. What perhaps is not ap preciated, either in Australia or abroad, is the good work being done by Australians of the District Ser vices Department under extremely difficult circumstances. It is time the Commonwealth edged some of its overseas critics off the publicity stage by letting the world know just what is happening in the much publicized “under-developed” areas of New Guinea. If Australia’s record in these newly opened regions were

better known it would cut the ground from under noisy and unin formed criticism.

Miss Dorothy Kearsley of Suva, Fiji, was in Sydney in January en route to the UK for a holiday, Mr. S. Pratap, a Suva merchant and a well-known member of the younger section of the Fiji-Indian community, has accepted the post of General Secretary of the Indian Association of Fiji. It is believed that this organisation intends to use its influence to assist the Government of Fiji in creating a happier relationship between the three large communities in the Colony—Fijians, Indians and Euro peans.

A telegram of congratulation vas sent by the Governor of Fiji 10 The Rev. Mother Mary Agnes,

Diamond Jubilee of her religious profession on January 16, She is MBE, when she celebrated the

now living in retirement at Makogai. where for over 30 years she was in charge of the nursing sisters at the Fiji Leprosy Hospital.

Mr. Suraj Bali of Alava, Siga toka, Fiji, who was a student of the Natabua Secondary School, Lautoka, proceeded to Sydney in January to undertake medical studies at Sydney University.

In Auckland from the Islands in January (left to right, top row): Mr. Reginald Caldwell, of Inland Revenue Dept., Suva, and Mrs. Caldwell, who were met by daughter Barbara when they arrived on 4½ months’ vacation. The Rev. M. G. Check, of the LMS Church, Niue, with Mrs. Check, Bryan (left) and Graham, and Miss F. Fenika, who are on leave. Mr. H. A. Ritchie, of Kerikerl, met Mr. and Mrs. Robert P.

Aspinall of San Francisco (formerly of W. Samoa).

Bottom row, bound for the Cook Islands by January Maui Pomare (left to right): Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Ferguson of the Union Steam Ship Co., who went to Rarotonga o relieve manager, Mr. G. Leopard, due for vacation. Mrs. T. Paterson and Phillip, who were bound home to Rakahanga Is. Well-known NZ travel writer Ronald Syme, who went north to collect material for a book on the Cooks—a travel book on NZ is low in the hands of the publishers. Mr. D, Munro and Mr. Tapai Pirangi who were returning to Arorangi, Rarotonga, after a vacation in NZ.

Oranges Growing At Pukapuka

Oranges rarely do well on atolls, but Pukapuka, North Cooks, reports that three late Valencia and three Matavera seedless orange plants introduced to the atoll in November,

1951, are, contrary to all predictions, growing well and should bear fruit next November.

The Most Rev. Dr. Blane, SM, Vicar Apostolic of Central Oceania (Tonga), after 40 years in that office, recently retired at the age of 80 years.

Scholarships for NG’s European Children

A PUBLIC-SPIRITED citizen, who wishes to remain anonymous has donated £5OO for scholar ships to assist European children from the Territory’s primary schools in continuing their secondary school studies in Australia. The fund is to be administered by the Port Moresby managers of the New South Wales and Commonwealth Banks.

This is the third scholarship endowment to be made in the Ter ritory in recent years. In Papua, Mr, and Mrs. J. I. Cromie endowed two scholarships valued at £5O each, to be awarded annually, and sub ject to renewal where satisfactory progress is shown by the scholar ship holder. This year a Wau schoolgirl, Rae Ferries, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. H, Ferries, will do her second school year as a Cromie scholarship holder. The other Cromie award for 1953 has gone to Robert Mulholland, of Port Moresby.

Mr. Gilbert Renton, of Rabaul, last year endowed an annual scholarship valued at £5O, and for the second year in succession it has been awarded to Ruth Batze, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Batze, of Lae.

In addition, of course, the scholar ship students benefit also by the Administration’s annual secondary school grants.

Passionfruit Industry in NG Highlands

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 24.

k ROUND 30 tons of passion- U fruit pulp will be processed at Goroka, New Guinea Central ighlands, this year by Cottees assiona Limited, and the first atch of fruit has already gone trough the factory.

The Secretary of the company, [r. E. Wrighter, who returned to ydney in January after visiting oroka, said that this year the first lit of the factory was only operat ig to keep faith with the few rowers who had fruit available, eal commercial operation could it start for about a year as it ould take this time for the passion uit seedlings, planted three to iur months ago, to reach maturity, y the time the main crop began i yield, the Cottee factory would 3 large enough to handle any nount of passion fruit which could ; produced in the Goroka district.

So far, approximately 100,000 ledlings have been distributed by le company’s Goroka agent, Mr. . Greathead, and the Agricultural Officer in the area. And hile it is unlikely that all the idlings have been cherished, lurished and otherwise properly ired for (or even planted) a very >od percentage has been estab ;hed in both European and native issionfruit plots. These are show ig excellent growth, and things iem fairly well set for the develop ed of a very valuable industry . the Goroka area.

Mr. Wrighter said he thought the me was not ripe for talking about ie company’s long-range plans in oroka —they would concentrate on ;tting the passionfruit industry ell established first. But he did mcede that later there was a good lance of other fruits being pre ssed, such as cape-gooseberries id strawberries, both of which •ow well in the Goroka area of ie Highlands; and perhaps the anufacture of peanut butter might welop also. Right now, however, st a small section of the factory is been erected and is in use, and ie project itself is still in its in ,ncy. When the factory is com eted and comes into large-scale 'eduction, the passionfruit pulp ill be frozen at Goroka, flown out • Lae, and sent to Australia by a in refrigeration cargo space, here the firm will manufacture it to the various types of passion uit products already on the arket. Mr. Wrighter said the lality of Goroka passionfruit was ; least equal to that produced in iistralia.

Mr. E. T. Fulton returned from elbourne to his New Britain plan tion on January Bulolo.

From Our Own Correspondent.

MADANG, January 22.

MADANG housewives are gradu ally getting a few amenities that make life more pleasant.

With the arrival of the January Malekula, Burns Philp’s new freez ing plant came into operation. This is a great improvement on the old army model, and enables the house wife. to do her shopping more leisurely.

The new freezer is open until 3 pm, whereas the old one opened for two hours daily. This means that the daily queue has vanished.

The position of Chief Medical Officer. Cook Islands, has been ad vertised in New Zealand recently.

The term of appointment is for

three years. Dr. Tom Davis, who last held the appointment, is at present doing a post-graduate course in the United States.

Mr. and Mrs. C. Peagram of Apia, and formerly of Rarotonga, left for the UK on leave in February. Mr.

Peagram is the Union Steam Ship Co.’s Manager in W. Samoa.

The Rev. Father Albery de Theye, S.M., has been appointed Superior of the Marist Missions in the South Solomons.

Islands travellers who arrived In Auck land in January, included (top row, left to right):— Mr. W. G. Davies on leave from the Audit Department, W. Samoa.

Miss Elaine Uluave, lately of MH & Co’s. Apia staff, on holiday.

Squadron Leader E. Shaw, Administra tive Officer at RNZAF Station, Lauthala Bay, Fiji, during the past two years, on transfer to Air Department, Wellington.

Miss Sheilagh Heenan, of Nukualofa, eturned to resume duties as school teacher in NZ after holidaying at home.

Mr. B. P. D. McEwen, of W. Samoa Government staff, will spend two months leave in NZ, then proceed to England to study for Diploma of Anthropology.

Bottom (left to right). Mr. and Mrs. W.

C. Moore, of Apia, who were met by a friend.

Mr, and Mrs. H. A. Colliver with Michael and Tony, from Suva, where Mr.

Colliver has been manager of C & W for the past five years.

Mrs. C. Young, Irene Young, Mr. A.

Wendt and Miss V. Ralley, all of W.

Samoa.

"For some years past a school for 'children of the NZ technical staff has been operated at Nadi Air port, Fiji. Up to date one or other of the wives has been a qualified school-teacher and has taken charge.

Recently, however, it has become necessary to locate a teacher in New Zealand and Mr. E. H. Diack, a noted Southland sportsman and

schoolteacher, has been appointed first headmaster. The school at present has about 70 children.

The first Marine Board Certificate for Master (Unlimited Tonnage) ever earned by a Fijian was pre sented to Taito Cavei, a pupil of the Rehabilitation Nautical Class, in January.

With Assault

From Our Own Correspondent MADANG, January 22.

CAPTAIN THOMAS, master of the MV Mar ova, recently laid charges of assault against six members of his native crew. He alleged in the Madang District Court that the ships bo’sun and five other native crew members attacked him while the ship was at sea be tween Madang and Bogia on the New Guinea mainland coast.

District Magistrate Ormsby com mitted the bo’sun for trial on a charge of assault. Four other natives were sentenced to six weeks’ gaol, and the fifth was discharged, as he gave evidence that he had tried to restrain the other natives.

In the December issue of PIM a similar occurrence was reported from Kavieng, when the Master of the MV Mainiro charged members of his crew with assault.

It is noticeable that the word “mutiny” does not appear in either of these cases—the crime is called “assault.” This is another of the Territory’s legal relics —in New Guinea a native crew member can not be charged with mutiny because he is not signed on ships’ articles.

New Guinea must be one of the few, if not the only country, where such a law exists.

From Our Own Correspondent

Lautoka, Jan. 13.

Torrential rains have been falling in the Western districts of Fiji for two days and at the moment the Ba River is in flood, and road communication Tavua and Ba, Ba and Lautoka, and Lautoka and Nadi has been interrupted by road flooding. Fairly heavy windstorms and thunderstorms have been ex perienced and at the moment show no signs of abating.

The rains followed one of the driest seasons on record. ,♦ * * With the absorption of the CSR Mill area and adjacent lands into Lautoka, a new Town Council is to be elected to replace the Town Board, there is an assurance that the Lautoka Wharf will be com pleted by the end of 1955, and prospects for the town, which has already gone ahead in an astonish ing manner in the last few years, are bright.

New subdivisions of both in dustrial areas and residential areas are planned. Morris Hedstrom’s new store is close to completion and Millers are planning an up-to date garage alongside their re modelled store.

A broadcasting station license has been applied for by local interests, and the support of the town is assured for this project since the service from Suva is not at all satisfactory.

Elections for the Town Council are planned for April or May this year, and a good deal of interest centres around the candidates, who have not yet been disclosed. * * * The first Government primary school for European children in Lautoka is scheduled to open shortly. The CSR Co. has con tributed largely to this project, having donated light, water, build ings at a nominal shilling a year, and underwritten the cost of em ployment of competent teachers, a married couple, who have already been selected. * * * The Coronation celebrations have already engaged the attention of the townspeople and the local com mittee has outlined a programme starting on Coronation Day with parades of ex-servicemen, Scouts, Guides and schoolchildren, with bonfires, band concerts, and Indian displays, ending on June 11 with Fijian mekes and taralalas. * * * There has been an outbreak of breaking and entering at Lautoka in the last few weeks, in most cases only food, small articles of jewellery and liquor being taken. An Indian has been arrested while attempting

to enter a European house. On another occasion, an Indian store was burgled, money and some watches being stolen from a safe in an occupied room. A smart policeman, checking taxi drivers, found that one had just left for Suva with a fare who had proffered a £lO note. He phoned Suva police, who arrested and searched the man, an Indian. The watches were found on him, dangling between his legs on a string.

At a Methodist Conference in Christchurch, NZ, early in January the Rev. A. W. E. Silvester, re cently retired missionary from the Solomons, reported that £825 had been donated by young people at tending the conference, towards the construction of a youth hostel for Vella Lavella island. An appeal

will be made for a further £1,500 and for tradesmen within the Methodist Church to go to the Solomons to build the hostel, „ Mr - and Mrs. R. Sanders and their two children returned to Auckland in January a J^ er . 18 months 9 n Pl tcairn Island where Mr. Sanders was education officer, Mr - a ” d Mr f; A1 3, e1 ? rec( |ntly went from New Zealand to relieve them.

Donations to NG Scholarship Fund (Qld. Div.)

The funds of the NG Memorial Scholarship (Queensland Division) collected by the members of the NG Women’s Assn., Brisbane, and by generous friends, now amounts to over £6OO. Donations have not been published for over 15 months but the following list brings the fund up to date as at January 1, 1953:

Ryan, W. B 2 0 0 Humphries, H. 6 0

Luscombe, K. .

6 0 Joyes, J. 5 0 Copeland, W.M. . 8 0 Normoyle, C. Snr. . 2 2 0 Barry, Clive 5 0 Williams, A. F. 1 0 0 Pearson, V ■ . 5 0 0 Corbett, L. J. 10 0 Cresswell, A. H. . 2 2 0 Peirce, W. E 2 0 Nisbett, N. E. 5 0 Read, A. E. . . 5 0 Crockett, A. J 1 0 Rutherford, Miss G. . 1 1 0 Scully, J. A. . . 5 0

Withington, G

1 1 0 Hastings, L. j. .. 6 0 Chambers, K. M 0 0

Mullaly, J. C. .

0 0 Anonymous 6 0 .. 1 0 ,, . . . . , 10 0 Browning, Mr. & Mrs, A. 5 5 0

Chipper, J. & Co 5 5 0 Morris, G 1 0 0 Hugo, H 5 0 New Guinea Company 10 10 0 Vallentine, Mrs. M. . 10 0 Barret, D 2 2 0 Munro, J. A 10 0 MacLennan, G. J 2 2 0 Theckston. J. B. . 10 0 Barry, Miss J 1 1 0 Duncan & Koefod 2 2 0 Christie, Miss Yolande, 1 0 0 Richards, Mr. & Mrs. A. 2 2 0 Garrett, Mr. & Mrs. R. G. 2 0 0 Gaskin, A 2 2 0 Cosmopolitan Trading Company 2 2 0 Kent, G fi 5 0 Clark, G 1 1 0 Arrowsmith, Mrs. R I 1 0 Flenberg, D. M 1 1 0 Blackford, Mrs. Gwen 1 I o Bolsen, F. N 2 0 0 Scope. H. W 1 1 0 Thurston, J. A 2 0 0) Gunther, Dr. J. T .. 5 5 o.

Amounts previously acknowledged and advertised in £ s. d.

PIM, September, 1951 . .. 452 15 5 tan S. Levy, Daru, Papua Refund from Bank of NSW, 2 2 0 Brisbane Mrs. Jameson, Brisbane (Club 1 0 0 monies) SG Assn. Brisbane (Towel 1 1 0 Fund) SG Assn., Brisbane (Sale 1 18 9 Marmalade) Mrs. S. McCosker, Brisbane 3 6 (Club Monies i i4rs. Haslam, Brisbane (Pro- 1 17 6 ceeds Xmas party) ulrs. S. McCosker, Brisbane 9 16 6 (Sale of Cakes) 11 0 dr. N. Carter, Brisbane .. drs. S. McCosker, Brisbane 1 1 0 (Club Monies) 4 1 3 lank Interest )onations collected by Senator Kendall during 1952 visit to New Guinea: — 5 6 7 theridge, J 10 0 rale, J 1 0 0 dyne, T. W 2 2 0 [olloway, P 5 0

Wright, Dr. E. J. 10 0 0 Shaw, Mrs. M. A.

N 1 1 0 Maxwell. Mrs. M. 2 0 0 Keating, Miss J. . 1 1 0 Gow, Mr. D. . . 2 2 0 Heather, W. A. . 2 2 0 Warner Shand. F.

N 1 1 6 Gumming, K. .

Bell, Alex. V. . . 5 5 10 0 0 DeMorier, R. S. 1 1 0 Viggers, B. J. 2 2 0

Colyer Watson, Ltd 5 0 0 Cocoanut Products, Ltd. .. 10 10 0 Brown, Mr. Arthur 2 2 0 Woods, Mr. Norman 2 2 0 Howitt, Mr. E. M 5 5 0 Hayles, V. L. (Ending Senator Kendall’s List) 2 2 0 Mrs. N. Targett, Bundaberg .. 1 1 0 Mrs. Haslam (Proceeds Xmas Party, 1952) 6 1 3 Total amount of Fund as at 31/12/52 657 11 3

New Britain Women’s Club Secretary 1 1 0 MacLean, R. G 1 1 0 Gault, R. H 4 0 0 McPhee, J 10 0 Showman, Mrs. N 5 0 Fisher, I. C 5 0 Sutherland, Mrs 2 0 James, Mrs 4 0 Armistead, A. K 10 0 Wilson. Dr. R. K 3 3 0

Mr. Thor Gundersen, busy and popular Purser and Radio Officer of NZGS Maui Pomare for the past five years, packed his bags and came ashore to a partnership in an Auckland estate agency business at the conclusion of the Maui’s Jan uary voyage.

Mr. Gundersen is well known in Fiji ports, Apia, Niue, and the islands of the Cook Lower Group.

Prior to joining the Maui he was with the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. vessels on the Fiji-Australia- New Zealand run for 13 years. He obtained his radio operator’s certi ficate in 1914 and served through both world wars at sea.

Radio is a hobby as well as a profession with Mr. Gundersen and his amateur transmitting station, operated from the Maui, was well known in amateur radio circles all over the world.

The Story of Sione

'T'HE story of young Sione, of the Tokelaus, who was blown away to sea in a fishing canoe, and drifted to the Wallis Islands, and became an international complication, and was returned towards home via Noumea and a Qantas plane, was told in October PIM. But Sione did not go home, directly—he got side-tracked.

D. C. Morse, of Niue, tells the story of Sione after he was landed at Laucala Bay airport, in Suva, and put onto the Tofua, for Samoa and the Tokelaus.

WHEN the Tofua, en route from Fiji to Samoa, called at Niue early in October Sione came ashore for a stroll and looked up his father’s brother, Tui. Tui is a Tokelau Islander who married a Niuean woman in Apia. After seven years in Apia they came down to Niue for a visit and to meet the family; but Tui’s wife, Manogiahi, wears the trousers; so the visit has lasted 17 years.

Exuberant at meeting a nephew from his homeland Atafu, Tui, with true Polynesian hospitality, insisted that the much-travelled Sione should stay awhile. All we have to do (said Tui) is call at the Resident Com missioner’s office and get permission to land.

I was busily preparing the Com missioner’s outward mail when Tui called at the office with Sione. It seemed that Sione was a beloved relative of Tui, travelling on the Tofua, and they would be forever grateful if we could make it possible for Sione to accept Tui’s invitation.

His 39 days alone in a canoe, his six months on Wallis Island followed by trips on schooner and aeroplane to Fiji, were items too insignificant to mention.

Tui is a respected resident of Liku Village, with plenty of taros planted and chickens galore, so the R.C. agreed to the issue of a landing per mit for Sione. In deep appreciation, Uncle Tui danced a couple of steps and gently stroked the arm of the Resident Commissioner. After 18 years in Polynesia, the latter has a tolerant attitude towards wayfaring islanders—it’s in their blood, he says.

With large smiles and profuse thanks Sione (truly, an intelligent and attractive lad) left the office to get his things off the Tofua, with instructions to call the following day to complete application forms. A medical check-up showed that he was

in good health, apart from a small ringworm infection.

There was a slight flutter in local police circles shortly before the Tofua sailed that night. An anxious Niuean constable reported a stow away, when what he meant was that a passenger had landed without a permit.

When the parties called the following day, further enquiries re vealed that Sione had come from New Caledonia and Fiji. Uncle Tui mentioned something about going to New Caledonia from the Tokelaus by canoe; but this I took with a grain of salt.

ON the next call of the Union Co.’i Matua our copy of the Octobei PIM arrived. My office boys wem through this issue more quickly thar usual, and the editor’s story aboui Sione was pushed under my nose about five minutes after the wrappei was taken off. As I read, it came tc my mind that somebody would probably want to know how Siom came to land in Niue. The R.C. wa< unperturbed.

Three weeks later, international complications began again. The Government of Western Samoa asked the R.C. to investigate whether theii castaway was anywhere on Niue,

md, if so, please have him arrested md re-embarked for Apia.

The Resident Commissioner of Viue is not without a sense of lumour; he and the Secretary to the Jamoan Government are old friends n the Islands service, as members )f the N.Z, Island Territories Depart nent. Niue is administered by N.Z. mder the Cook Islands Act; Samoa inder the Samoa Act. The chance 0 have a friendly dig at his colleague n Samoa does not come very often. ?he Resident Commissioner of Niue adioed to the Secretary of Samoa: On what charge do I arrest Sione lease”.

The Samoan Government could, f course, have charged Sione with ;aving the Tokelaus without a ermit. But finally a personal plea 5 the R.C. did the trick, and Sione r ill continue his journey tomorrow 1 charge of the Tofua’s purser.

I have just had a little talk with ione and Tui and they are not appy about our statement that Sione as to leave. Said Tui: “We were □ping that he could stay here with le until next year. I might be taking trip home to Atafu”. Said Sione, ith tearful eyes: “I like Niue, here’s plent of kai. Much more lan Atafu”. And then, more cheer illy: “The girls? Yes. Some nice rls at Liku”.

An official’s life in the Islands is not without amusement, when he deals with the human problems that arise. So Sione leaves Niue tomorrow without a stain on his character. Furthermore, his visit has not been a charge on the N.Z. taxpayer.

New “Wales” Bank for Moresby

From Our Own Correspondent

Moresby, Jan. 24.

A cement-brick building will shortly be built here for the New South Wales bank at a cost of £21,000.

It will be located at the corner of Musgrave and Douglas Streets next to the rambling old iron shed now doing duty as the bank’s quarters.

The contract has gone to Horni brook Constructions Ltd.

New staff buildings for the bank are to be erected in Lawes Road.

In a Queensland Police Court on January 9, two German migrants who have been in Australia for eight months, were each sentenced to three months gaol for stealing an 18 ft. boat worth £l5O from the Ist Townsville Sea Scout Corps in order to sail to New Guinea to find work.

Mrs. Mollie Crookshank who has lived in New Guinea, Fiji, and the Solomons for the last 30 years, is now en route to England in the MV Himalaya. She is the widow of the late Commander Robert Crookshank. who died in Sydney a year ago. Mrs. Crookshank hopes to see the Coronation, and to tour Ireland, Scotland and the Con tinent.

Mr. P. J. Gill of New Zealand was recently appointed Officer in Charge, Magnetic Survey Branch, Apia Observatory, for two years.

Mr. and Mrs. Gill and child flew north early in January.

A brother, Mr. M. M. Gill, and his wife recently returned to New Zealand after a two year assign

ment at the Apia observatory as Geophysical Assistant and Clerk- Librarian respectively. They have now been appointed to the obser vatory at Christchurch, NZ, fol lowing furlough.

James Michener, American writer who won fame with South Pacific, was a visitor to Fiji in January.

In Rabaul!

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Rabaul, Jan. 25.

“/'IOOD stuff, light and tangy VJ right for this climate but to( dear for me,” is Rabau opinion after sampling South Pacifii lager in local hotels at 4/6 a bottli (although newspaper advertise ments quote it as £l/13/9 a dozen) Inquiries from the publicai elicited the fact that only a tokei shipment has been sent across bu the cost of the three dozen bottle allocated to him was such that th addition of a reasonable margii (much smaller than that obtainei on Victorian or foreign brands meant that he could not sell it fo less than 4/6 a bottle.

“Rabaul is the only place in th world,” he declared heatedly, “wher publicans are forced to buy thei beer through grocers. The Soutl Pacific Brewery made no attempt t find out whether Rabaul hotel wanted their beer and how mud of it. They will not supply it direci I fail to see why we should not b able to sell Moresby beer as chea; or cheaper than we do the Victoria: brands. We can sell Dutch beer a 3/9 a bottle and that comes vi Hongkong, which means tranship ping. Moresby beer, at present, i too dear to sell here.”

We Want to Play In Your Bath!

Breakers Ahead in the

Suva Sea Baths

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, January 19.

THERE is a storm brewing in the Suva Sea Baths.

Plans for the baths were drawn up nearly 25 years ago, when Suva’s ratepayers were mostly Europeans.

The main swimming bath was built by the former Muncipal Council with Government aid, and it was built for European use. Later, there was an Indian rumpus and a second bath was built for non-Europeans next to the main bath. The Indians refused to swim or bathe in the second bath and for years it has been more or less derelict. Now, mainly because the wartime boom enabled Indians to acquire a large part of Suva’s free hold properties, an Indian coun cillor has formally demanded the opening of the European bath to ‘all ratepayers.”

Now that the whole business is jut in the open a number of Euro cean swimmers say that the baths Dught to be open to Fijians, if only because Fijians are natural swim ners and because their unquestioned standards of personal cleanliness jive no cause for doubt in any luarter. But most Europeans say ;hey will not use the baths if they ire open to all and sundry Indians.

It is pointed out that Indians as i people are not water-lovers and rery few of them could ever be de icribed as natural swimmers in the lense applied to Pacific Islanders.

Another queer angle is the fact hat although Fijians, as well as hdians, have been excluded from he Suva Baths, Chinese have been idmitted for many years. No one leems to know why, though the momaly was cited during an agita ion to admit Fijians in 1950.

A European suggestion that the ►aths might be allocated to each if the three large groups (the Chinese seem to have got mislaid ,t this point) for two days a week ach, has been knocked on the head y the second thought that Indian len and women would never bathe imultaneously and that Hindus and luslims would have to be separated.

In short, the only point at issue » whether the baths are to be landed over to the Indians lock, tock and barrel. If this happens ; is virtually certain that people f other races will retire en masse, nd thus discriminatory non-dis rimination will have another field ay. Further, it is also certain that nly a handful of Indians would be repared to pay for admission to le baths, which, deprived of this mrce of revenue, would ultimately e closed.

Research Ships Call at

Papeete

The Scripps Oceanographic In stitute’s hydrographic research vessels Horizon and Spencer S.

Baird, which were in Suva in De cember (PIM, Jan. p. 126), arrived at Papeete January 17 from Suva.

They were under the command of Captain Noel Ferris and Captain Lawrence Davis respectively, with Dr. Rodger Revel, Director of the Scripps Institute, in overall charge of the expedition which flew the flag of the US Navy.

The expedition cleared San Diego on September 25, 1952, and made calls at Eniwetok, Bikini, Kwajalein, Ocean Island, Rotuma, Aitape,

Nukualofa and Pagopago before calling at Suva. The ships were present at the explosion of a bomb at Bikini on October 1, which the world’s press judged, from unofficial eye-witness accounts, to have been the first hydrogen bomb ever ex ploded by the United States.

Members of the expedition, which is said to be mainly engaged on ocean soundings, were hospitably entertained while in Papeete. They departed in continuation of the voyage two days later, bound for Marquesas and the States.

Mr. and Mrs, Alfred Deroche and their three daughters arrived in Brisbane recently from New Cale donia by Air France. They will spend a holiday in Australia.

Evenett

A FURTHER link with the past has been broken with the death of another of the Old Timers in the person of Mr, Ernest Evenett, who died in Sam arai, Papua, on December 28, 1952, at the age of 80 years. He had been in ill health for some years and it was only his indomitable spirit which kept him going long after medical opinion had given him up. He is survived by his widow and seven children, three of whom are resident in Samarai.

I do not know of anyone now living who had earlier contact with this country. Ernest Evenett first came to Papua in the Merrie Eng land in 1892 at the age of 20. After trying his hand at many things, including gold digging on Wood lark Island, he returned to Aus tralia in 1896, married at Coen, Queensland, in 1897 and he re turned to Papua in 1898 to take part in the Milne Bay gold rush and later in the Mambare rush.

For a time he ran boats with sup plies on the coast and made several trips io Australia. One of his trips from Cooktown, which was the jumping off place for Port Mores by then, was in a nine-ton cutter yhich was almost an open boat md among his fellow travellers on ;hat occasion was the late Bishop Elenry Newton.

He was again at Woodlark Island n the early part of World War I, larrowly missing travelling on the ast trip of the old Matunga.

Although, in common with many nen of his type, he did not iccumulate great worldly riches, lis willingness to help others was veil-known (and taken advantage if in many cases). An old account >ook shows loans made years ago, ome marked ‘ Paid In Full,” others narked “To Be Paid In Heaven.”

K hard worker, he lived a full and ruitful life and all were his riends. —J. D. Wilkinson.

Tinian and Saipan, US Trust 7erritory, have reverted to US Navy

)ept, control.

Stc

Prom our Own correspondent

Moresby, Jan. 25

STEAMSHIPS Trading Company at Port Moresby has just added a new 56ft scow to its fleet of coast vessels. This is the Kone built by Bjarne Halvorsen

Limited of Sydney, and it will boost the number of Steamships vessels operating out of Port Moresby to nine. The Company has two more operating in the Samarai region.

The Kone can carry 25 tons of cargo, and will be used on routine coastal trips carrying stores on the outward voyages and mainly copra on the return trips.

NZ Beach

ONE of the medals which Captain Cook distributed to natives in the course of his second voyage to the Pacific in 1772 was recently found on Ryan’s Beach, near Wickliffe Bay, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. It was the seventh medal to be discovered in New Zealand, and it is believed that four others have been found in the Islands down through the years.

The medal bears on one side the head of King George 111 and on the reverse, the vessels Resolution and Adventure, with the inscription “Sailed from England, March

Mdcclxxii”.

The medals were distributed during the voyage “as testimonies of our being the first discoverers”.

The next meeting of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate Ad visory Council will be held on February 20. New Official Members of the Advisory Council this year will be Mr. R. J. Minnitt (Chief Secretary, Western Pacific High Commission), Mr. A. M. MacLeod Smith (Financial Secretary, WPHC) and Mr. P. N. Dalton (Attorney-General).

Party In Papua

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 25

SEVEN young Canadians arrived at Port Moresby in an am phibious Catalina early in January to carry out a magneto meter survey for the Australasian Petroleum Company and the Island Exploration Company Pty. Ltd.

Now they are operating over sections of Western Papua, and in their spare time getting a close acquaintance with swamps, croco diles, heat, mosquitoes and every thing else that crawls, swims or wriggles down in the Delta country.

They should be great boosters for Australians when they return home, for nobody can spend much time in Western Papua without acquiring a great respect and ad miration for the Europeans—in this :ase, mostly Australians—who live and work on the fringe of the swamplands.

They are seeing the antithesis of Canada’s great northern Barren Lands for the only barren quality ibout the Delta swamp region lies in its value to mankind unless, of course, oil is ultimately discovered inder the swamp or jungle.

One

Ears Afterwards

Honiara, Jan. 20.

rE Bomb Disposal Unit in BSIP was very active in the Russell Islands in December ind January, disposing of remains if the 1942-44 war operations.

Jankika, Loavie, Yandina, Sifala lua and Lingatu Plantations have een cleared of all known explo res and ammunition. Visale Mis ion at Cape Esperance, Guadal anal, was also visited in Decem er and mortar bombs were removed rom the vicinity of the Mission hardens. The work is continuing t Hell’s Point, Guadalcanal, and further 200 acres have been rushed, and some 90 tons of high xplosive shells stacked ready for umping at sea. An LCVP recently rrived for the Bomb Disposal fait, and this will assist in the umping operations.

Captain J. J. Busch, OBE, who jrved in the RNZAF in the Islands uring the war, has been appointed eneral manager of NZ National irways Corporation which main lins the service from Auckland to orfolk Is.

District Officer and Mrs. F.

Earner Shand of Rabaul, New ■uinea, are in Australia on 6 lonths’ leave. Son Roger has been irolled at Southport College.

Sister M. Johns, SM, who has been on leave in New Zealand after 16 years’ service in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji, returned there by January Tofua from Auckland.

She said that the mission property there had been considerably damaged in the hurricane of a year ago.

Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Voel cker, CBE, DSO, MC, former High Commissioner in W Samoa, and now executive officer of the Chung chong Namdo team in the UN Korean Reconstruction Agency, re turned to New Zealand on six weeks’ leave in early January after 12 months service in Korea.

Planned

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 25.

LAE was the first in the Papua- New Guinea Territory with a brand new wharf and sheds and the old days of handling cargo off barges are fast being forgotten.

Now the new Samarai wharf, built under contract by Fraser & Lam perd, is in use, with its copra and other cargo sheds, and at Madang contractor Tom Huxley is well ad vanced on his wharf-construction contract.

In Port Moresby, Hornibrook Constructions Limited hope to have the first half of their wharf con tract completed by around April.

This will give the town 320 feet of new wharf with new approaches, and work will then start on the remaining part of the 700-ft wharf head. This will be a big advance from the rickety old structure in herited from the pre-war and war years.

Works Department is currently calling tenders for completion of the new wharf structure at Kavieng, where two approaches have already been built by the department. The wharfhead on which tenders are being called is to be 394 feet long and 37 wide, with timber decking and steel piles.

Down?

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Jan. 23.

About £2,700 is to be spent on urgent repairs to the existing pontoon wharf at Rabaul to enable the wharf to operate until the new wharf is constructed.

All that is now necessary to get started on constructing the new wharf is Canberra’s authority to spend £219,000 thereon.

At an interview shortly after Canberra’s decision seven months ago, in favour of rebuilding Rabaul, the District Commissioner displayed plans for the new wharf on which were pencilled suggested improve ments. At the time it was remarked that the sending of plans back with the kindly inquiry, “But would you prefer. . .?” is a favourite way of stalling.

There have been several sugges tions for improvements since June, 1952.

A 52 ft boat, named Kone, powered by a diesel, capable of carrying 25 tons of copra, and built \ by Halvorsens for Steamships Trading Co., left Sydney at the end ] of January for Port Moresby. She ,1 was in charge of a crew of eight, ] including six Papuans, sent from ] Moresby to take her over. She will] be operated on the Papuan coast. \

Cause A

Press Explosion

Suva, Jan. 19.

ON January 15, a new Indian member of the Suva Town Council penetrated, without authority, the printing-room of the Fiji Times , read through some sorted but unset copy, and pro ceeded to sub-edit a report of a Town Council debate, to his own satisfaction. When an agitated worker reported to the main office, the Fiji Times management all but went up in a puff of smoke.

Threatening to boycott Town Council debates, the newspaper said that this instance of “colossal effrontery” marked the end of patience with certain Indian coun cillors who, in their ignorance of normal relations between public and press, had since the last election, attempted to dictate what should and should not be published, had “made personal representations based on a desire for self advertisement”, and had kept up a barrage of trivial objections.

An editorial ended: “Recently there has been a sharp increase in attempts to direct or influence the conduct of the Fiji Times. In case this has to be dealt with drastically, the situation is now placed before all readers”.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Jan. 25.

rE old Nonga-Namanula-North coast road out of Rabaul has been cleared right through with a bull-dozer and is being re formed—the first bit of real construe

tion work to begin in the town since it was decided, last June, to leave the town on its present site instead of moving New Britain’s capital to Rapopo.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs.

Keith Williams of Nonga, New Britain, on Boxing Day.

The following were the prices actually paid to Gook Islands growers, on the beach, by the merchants at the end of 1952me ena 01 .

Rarotonga: aid (NZ) per lb (equal to £6l Aust. per ton).

Aitutaki: 3ld.

Other Lower Group Islands: 3£d.

Northern Group: 3id.

Merchants have to pay 3d. per sack (about 28 to the ton) as a lighterage charge at some of the outer islands.

Nassau, which the Pukapuka people purchased and settled a couple of years ago, produced about 80 tons of copra in 1952.

WHEN the Bishop of Melanesia, the Rt. Rev, S. G. Caulton, re turned to NZ in Southern Cross in December he reported that there had been about 200 deaths, mainly amongst babies and aged persons, as a result of the hurricane of a year ago on Tikopia, Polynesian outpost in the Solomons.

In addition to great damage to the coconuts, sea spray during the blow had soured the soil so that nothing will yet grow.

Following reports on the situation to the High Commissioner, action is being taken to see that food supplies are immediately taken to the island.

THE Very Rev. Brother Leonida, Superior General of the Marist Brothers, left Auckland, NZ, in January to visit Marist schools in Fiji and Samoa, in the course of a world inspection tour.

This is the first occasion that a Superior General of the Order has visited the area since 1893.

The world-wide organisation operates 700 schools with a roll of about 200,000 pupils.

A SPG Community Development project is now under way at Tobar, off New Ireland.

OVER 22 years ago—on November 29, 1929 —there was a disaster in the harbour at Apia, Western Samoa, which brought about the destruction of the ship Carnegie, engaged on scientific work.

Petrol was being pumped into the vessel, and there was a great ex plosion, followed by fire. The ship was totally destroyed. Her master, Captain J. P. Ault, well-known in most South Pacific ports, died a few hours after the explosion, from injuries received.

It was known for centuries that, owing to what were called “magnetic variations” in the compass, many charts used by seamen were not correct, and could cause the loss of ships. Preliminary work was done on the Galilee, a brigantine, which carried the mails 50 years ago between San Francisco, and Tahiti; and then the Carnegie In stitute, of Washington, fitted out the Carnegie as a non-magnetic ship, to study magnetic theories and compass variations generally; and she did most valuable work.

Although the ship was lost, many valuable records were saved; and the members of the Scientific Mission who had been aboard the Carnegie were afterwards successful in correcting a large proportion of the charts in use in the world.

The photograph, from an old album, was kindly loaned by Mr.

A. G. Smyth, of Apia: and other data comes from Mr. O. Nordman, of Tahiti, who was formerly in the service of the Carnegie Institute.

The beautiful ship “Carnegie”, on fire in Apia Bay, Western Samoa, on November 29, 1929

MISS ALPHA DUFF, popular nursing sister from Lautoka Hospital, Fiji, was married on December 22, to Mr. Laurie Budd, Officer in charge of Aer- Radio, Nadi Airport.

Only close friends attended the ceremony.

Later a very successful sendoff party was given at the Hospital to Mrs. Budd.

Old Waria Syndicate Stakes A Claim in N. Guinea

THERE has been an extraordinary sequel to the Australian Government’s world-wide in vitation to anyone with old claims to property in former German New Guinea to submit particulars.

This was not an indication that such claims necessarily had hope of success. It meant only that the Government was seeking informa tion to assist the authorities in re building land and other titles, under the New Guinea Titles Restora tion Ordinance, 1951.

When Australia took over the Mandate from the League of Nations in 1920, all German-owned properties were alienated —or “ex propriated.” Australia took over the properties, and compensated the German owners by giving them orders on the German Government which, under the Peace Treaty, had undertaken to pay the Allies a huge sum as war damage compensation. In other words, Australia took the properties and gave Germany a credit note for same.

Thenceforward, the titles to these lands, etc., were based on the “Old German Ground Book,” or system of records compiled by the Germans between 1880 and 1914.

But disaster came with the Jap Invasion of 1942-45. The “Ground Book” was destroyed: and so when civil government was restored in 1946, and rehabilitation com menced, there was enormous con fusion. The Administration had to attack the weary, heart-breaking task of re-establishing the land titles: and it was in that connec tion that the Ordinance of 1951 was passed, and a world-wide search instituted for data.

FUS there came into the pic ture the descendants of a member of the famous old Waria Syndicate, well-known in tfew Guinea in “German time.”

Fo the amazement of Papua-New Guinea, they have lodged a formal ;laim to mining rights over 5,000 ;quare miles in ’ New Guinea, in cluding the famous Morobe Gold ield. The claim is based on a grant nade by the Imperial German Government to the Waria Syndicate n July, 1914. of a lease over 5,000 quare miles.

The Waria Syndicate was formed, letween 1912 and 1914, by Hein ich Rudolph Wahlen, well-known n New Guinea prior to World Var 1 as a pioneer planter and merchant. He was once called “the Fing of the Northwest Islands.”

Jthough now of advanced years, ie is still alive and alert in Ham

burg, and his letters —he has been a valued correspondent of the PIM in recent years—show his present lively interest in affairs. The Syn dicate comprised: Heinrich Rudolph Wahlen.

Julian Wahlen.

Max M. Warburg.

Herman Fliess.

F. Rosenstern and Co.

All were important financial men, residents of Hamburg. Banker Warburg probably was the wealthiest and most influential.

It would appear that, after the New Guinea expropriation move ments, the Waria Syndicate re mained dormant, and—so far as official Australia is concerned— completely forgotten.

THE Warburg family is Jewish and, when Hitler came to power, this was one of the powerful groups “Aryanised’ by the Nazis, in 1938. The family already had strong links with America, and, in 1938, it removed all its interests to New York. Max Warburg died in America in 1946, and is survived by- Mrs. Alice Warburg, his widow, now a naturalised American.

Frederick Marcus Warburg, a son, aged 55, born and educated in America, and a naturalised Swede.

He is a very wealthy banker.

Eric M. Warburg, a banker, and a naturalised American.

These three, with Ernest Spiegel berg (former German banker, closely associated in Germany with

Warburg, a naturalised American since 1941, and now a New York banker) have combined to deal with this Waria Syndicate matter.

They recently examined the records of the Waria Syndicate, and de cided that they, as heirs of Max Walburg, are entitled to 10 per cent, of anything which belongs to the Syndicate. Claims were pre

pared accordingly in 1952 in Ham burg and in New York, and were formally signed in Hamburg on September 5 and in New York on

September 8.

The claim, made on behalf of the three Warburgs named, and Spiegleberg, was lodged in Port Moresby in December, and will be heard there, in due course, by the

Commissioner of Titles, Mr, McCubbery.

The others members of the old Waria Syndicate do not appear in the matter—only the heirs and associates of Max Warburg.

WHEN the claim was lodged, some people refused to take it seriously—it belonged, they said, to the “German time before,” which had no legal standing after World War 1. But others point out that a group of New York bankers, of the wealth and influ ence of the Warburg family, would not lodge a claim like this unless the whole legal position had been very carefully examined and appraised.

It is difficult to estimate the value of the gold that has been taken out of the Morobe goldfield since World War 11. The Terri tory began exporting gold in a big way in 1927; within ten years, it was producing £2 million per annum; and after the war it soon regained big scale production. A total production of £40,000,000 might be a fair guess.

Dr. A. Spoehr assumed Director ship of the Bishop Museum, Hono lulu, in January, in succession to the late Sir Peter Buck. Dr.

Spoehr has been curator of Oceanic Ethnology at Chicago Natural History Museum.

Rarotonga’s Hurricane Warning System

DURING December the Rarotonga Chief of Police, Mr. J.

O’Halloran, and the senior clerk, Mr. M. Hegan, visited all village safety committees on the island to refresh their memories on the hurricane warning system.

The preliminary warning is dis seminated by telephone-and-mes senger to ail points and the final warning is given by two motor vehicles encircling the 21-mile cir cumference of the island, in opposite directions, each continuously sound ing its horn.

Rarotonga has not been hit by a hurricane for a number of years, so, by the law of averages, one is now overdue. There has been one preliminary warning so far this season.

A number of Island positions were advertised in February. They included Inspector of Police, Fiji; Treasury Clerk, Tonga; Works Officer, Aitutaki; Station Electri cian, Nadi; Foreman Mechanic and Foreman Plumber, Nadi; loni sphere Observer, Rarotonga; Over seer, Rarotonga Printing Works; and Purser-Radio Officer, NZGS, Maui Pomare.

A proportion of the donkeys In the farqaesas Islands (French Oceania) _>re illed in an unusual way. There is much time in the food they eat, and this radually builds up into a solid mass In heir bladders, and causes their death, n this photograph, the Marquesan ativc is holding three round balls of me, taken from the bladders of onkeys after they had died.

War’S Aftermath—Noumea

By R. W.

Robson

Noumea, Oct., 1952.

IT Is 10* years since the first division of American troops poured ashore in this port, to establish the first corner of the line that eventually stopped the Japanese invasion of the South Pacific. It is six years since the Americans left this place.

It is not like Rabaul, which was simply obliterated. Nevertheless, the traces of war still are all over and around Noumea.

Before the end of 1942, the low hills for miles around this port had been covered with endless lines of pre-fabricated buildings, housing hundreds of thousands of service men. Most of the buildings nov; are gone, but the hills still carry the levelled terraces where they were sited —thus resembling, in a truly remarkable way, the terraced hillsides of some forgotten race of agriculturalists, which I photo graphed between Noumea and La Foa, and published in the PIM nearly 20 years ago.

Along the business streets, one notes some new buildings of modern design. They were paid for with >he dollars of half a million service men, who enriched scores of Noumea traders in 1942-45.

In the same streets there are nany cars and, among the cars,

countless jeeps—relics of the war, and a godsend to this, as to so many other Pacific territories.

Most of them obviously are near the end of their useful lives, but their grim-faced drivers keep them spluttering and moving.

And in the extraordinary mixture of races in these streets I am shown youngsters who may also be described as part of the flotsam of wa r—offspring of servicemen and local women. They are of all shades of colour but—thanks to the kindly ca f® of French administration they all a PPear well-fed and ha PPV- T • • , , h L i. vmg T m one street near the 1 S t w Tonkinese New p al^ doniar kanakas. Loyalty Isl anders ’, Indonesians, Polynesians f ro m Wallis, and various crosses showing Chinese and Japanese and American negro characteristics. It was a happy and contented community. Under to-day’s laws, all have equal rights as citizens of the French Union.

ag b ™^r a zz

palms and gardens, is a French Institute devoted to scientific

research. Had there been no war, there might have been no Institute, no Pentagon, and no South Pacific Commission in New Caledonia, T N a pleasant circular valley, A between Noumea and Anse Vata, is Noumea’s newest suburb. (See photographs). Scores, perhaps hundreds of decent families live in these Quonset huts, enjoying the shelter, electric light and power, water-supply and drainage provided 10 years ago for USA servicemen, , ... .. , 01 , , . , r Uri 6? amid

inhSfoH a

row, labelled respectively “Miss Montana”. “Miss Washington” and “Miss North Carolina”. No one could tell me why they thus were named: so your guess is as good as mine After I had photographed “Miss North Carolina” (see picture here with) I listed the contents of the comfortable little home which I could see from the sidewalk— and flowers.

I do not know the name of the neat little suburb. It should be

A hillside section of the Quonset suburb of Noumea.

called Quonset. It has Anse Vata beach on one side, and the town on the other, and is connected with both by a good bus service.

War is a curse, of course. But I seem to see the good burghers of Noumea regarding war’s aftermath with a certain amount of com

placency.

leadmg

of tv. Br ° th l r A u lphonsus ’ no w anst ° rder > who has given ™ ! es ? 64 yCarS educatl ° nal work in Fiji, were each awarded an

MBE in the New Year Honours, There wa s an MBE also for Warrant Officer Ernest Bolton, of the RNZAF, f or good service at the Laucala Bay station.

ABOVE: View over Quonset suburb.

LEFT: Suburban home mysteriously labelled “Miss North Carolina”.

Typical group of the Colony’s pretty children, marching into school in a street in Noumea.

1 LOVED them, too, Those Islands in the sun.

Rings in my ear The beat of evening drum.

I still can see The placid blue lagoon Reflecting bright A rising tropic moon; And, from afar, If hear a guitar play With lilt of song To charm the ended day.

Across the breeze, The richly-scented air Brings memories Of Jasmine in her hair.

Taste comes to me Of tropic fruits divine; Whilst memory Recalls the happy time When, ’neath the pines, I lazed on coral sands, Sun-kissed, content With Nature’s bounteous land.

These things I loved; But, with the passing years, My feet have strayed, Renounced these loves, I fear— But not my thoughts.

I have the knowledge sure, That come what may, True beauty must endure; That works of man My picture cannot mar.

So not good-bye But to my Isles, Aloha.

Periti.

The Rev. Father J. F. Pothering ham, SM, first New Zealand priest of the Society of Mary to go to the Islands, celebrated his silver Jubilee of priesthood at the same time as the mission’s centenary celebrations at Aleipata (W. Samoa) last Nov ember. He has now been appointed Religious Superior of the Marist Fathers in Samoa and the Tokelau Islands. He has spent all of his 25 years as a priest in Samoa —11 of them in American Samoa.

Peter Kilner, son of Mr. and Mrs.

C. G. Kilner, formerly of New Guinea, was one of 11 NSW school-j boys selected to enter the Royal Aus-i tralian Naval College as cadet mid-| shipmen at the end of January. Hei was born in Rabaul in February,: 1939, came South with his mother prior to the Jap. invasion and has been attending Sydney Grammar School in recent years. Mr. and Mrs.

Kilner will be remembered in the Territory, where they have many friends and relatives—before the war he was with the Shell Co., then as.

OC Rabaul Detachment of the NG Volunteer Rifles he was taken prisoner by the Japs, after the in-j vasion. In 1949-50, he was business! superintendent of Bulolo Gold Dredg ing Ltd., and now is living at Pens-] hurst, Sydney, where he is secretary! of the New Brighton Golf Club.

Back In Your Box,

Cap’N Cook

[F you think that Captain Tames Cook discovered a sizable lumber of the Pacific Islands, etc., /ou couldn’t be more wrong. The fact is that they were all discovered Dy Russian gents long before Cook »ot around to it. The authority? ked Fleet, official organ of the Soviet Vavy. The Americans particularly ire given to robbing the Russians of heir hard-won nautical honours, ays the paper . . . (Quote) “For nstance, all discoveries in the Pacific )cean are ascribed to foreigners, larticularly the notorious Captain ames Cook, although they know /ell that Cook gave his own name o lands and islands discovered by Russians long before him”. (Un uote).

Put Not Your Trust In

Ghosts

VT the Court of Petty Sessions at Moresby in January, a young native recounted how a host led him into temptation.

He told the magistrate that one ight while he was asleep at a ogeri District plantation, a ghost oke him up, and told him to come utside. Then, at the ghost’s sug estion, they walked together into le bush and to a neighbouring lantation. This landed them at le door of Ihe plantation trade ;ore where the ghost again gave Dice and said: “Open the door.”

Now this was a bit of a poser »r the lad since the doors of lantation stores are not usually ft on the latch, but the ghost as equal to the occasion, “Take us stone and hit it,” he told the >y, who obediently followed in ructions.

Things happened smartly after At. One of the native employees the plantation appeared, where in the ghost’s pupil dropped the one and fled, but was caught and lally taken to the police depot, lere seemed to be a bit of a ystery as to the whereabouts of e ghost when all this occurred, r when questioned on the sub zt the lad informed the police at he was not aware of what ,ppened to the ghost after he opped the stone.

The magistrate committed the y for trial at the Supreme Court

on a charge of having attempted to break into a plantation trade store.

No Sirens (Ships’ Type) For

Papeete

rR some time Oscar Nordman of Papeete has had a siren in stalled in front of his water front home, former American con sulate, with which to answer the parting bellows of vessels as they leave Papeete’s friendly waterfront and head for the open sea. These friendly parting hoots are an established custom with vessels leaving. They are a way in which the shipmasters, on behalf of then ships’ companies, thank Tahiti for its hospitality.

Oscar felt that someone ought to acknowledge the blasts, so he appointed himself official acknow ledger.

Now it seems that Oscar’s siren is not appreciated—the President of the Syndical dTnitiative lately

lodged a complaint with the Mayor.

Perhaps the tone of Oscar’s hooter Is not as sweet as might be —or perhaps, with a ship heading out through the pass, the members of the Syndicat feel a little jaded.

Oscar points out, in his own de fence, that there is a hooter mounted on Honolulu’s Aloha Tower for this same purpose—so why shouldn’t Tahiti have the same? What’s more, when the new Assembly commences its sittings, Oscar plans to have the matter raised.

Bananas For Prestige—

Not Pleasure

rE poor condition of Island bananas on sale in New Zea land in January drove a number of Aucklanders to write letters to their local newspapers.

The condition of the bananas was evident for all to see in Auckland fruit stores. However, Mr. C. Ross Walker, of Fruit Distributors, Ltd., sprang to their defence. He said that green fruit was sold as a result of customer pressure and because of shortages over a number of years. He could have added that in many parts of New Zealand these green bananas are dealt out—at 1/2 per pound—only to favourite customers who make a substantial purchase of other goods. The bananas are kept, and bagged, in a back room, to be inspected by the customer only on arrival home.

Anyone exposing his wares in front of other unqualified customers in the store is guilty of a cardinal sin and likely to have his name struck forever from the green grocer’s banana list.

In provincial towns New Zea land country-women, gathered to gether on their day-a-week in town, boast with one another as to how many of these poor-quality bananas they manage to persuade from their individual greengrocers. A twelve-banana woman may really strut!

In cold, north European and American countries, far removed from the source of supply, they somehow manage to have golden unblemished and flavourful bananas. Why cannot New Zealand, which is little more than 1,000 miles from the banana lands of Fiji?

Cruise-Ship Passengers Are

Fully Dressed

SUVA laughed in December when it was reported that the Orcades’ cruise passengers had been solemnly warned to dress with strict sabbatical propriety for fear of shocking the Fijian people. As it happened, it was the Orcades passengers who took the jolt when they discovered the extent to which some local European and pert

(Continued on Page 70)

Mr. Norman J. H. Woods, of Rabaul, the New Guinea representative of Brett’s, the Brisbane timber firm. He thoroughly merits his nickname of "Diwai”, Pidgin word for a tree, or for timber or woods of any sort; not only is his name sufficient, but he is a timberman as well.

He is one of the staunchest pillars of the New Guinea Club. He not only drinks there, but eats there as well, and would sleep there too, if he had the chance "Diwai” went to New Guinea from Melbourne in 1937, when he started get ting logs out from Wide Bay on the Northern coast of New Britain. Since then (except in the occupation years) a steady stream of timber has gone to be peeled into plywood at Brisbane, shipped from Powell Harbour in overseas shins

—Brett Hilder. P

European misses partly emerged from their garments in the hot weather. The warning was dropped in the case of the 1,300 tourists in the Oronsay, which visited Suva on January 18-19.

Judging by the attire of most of the tourists, any sort of caution was unnecessary. It seems that Youth ‘"cl Fijian choral singing at Albert Park.

On each occasion the Methodist Church organised 150-voice choirs which, packed in the Albert Park pavilion, kept hundreds of tourists and several thousand Suva people spellbound for two hours or more.

On both evenings the main worry

has not been to keep the visitors entertained but to get them to go away after the programme is finished.. Hundreds of them surged up to the pavilion steps to beg for encore after encore and to submerge the young Fijian conductor (Josua Rabukawaqa, of Bua, Vanua Levu) with requests for autographs.

T 'B'esasta

JJS 1 in Austra ia last vS? s 1 e ’ coras m Auslralla last year.—S.

RAROTONGA hatrcitt

Raruiunga Haircut

TN these days when haircuts cost J. anything from half a crown to a dollar and a half—de pending on the longitude—an item

from the Rarotonga (Cook Is.) official news of January 14 makes pleasant reading: “An interesting ceremony was held in the Avatiu Packing Shed last Saturday when a boy, Tearii Fuller Henry, aged 7, adopted son of Tearii Toru, had his hair cut for the first time.

“The boy’s hair, which reached his shoulders, was neatly tied with ribbon in 36 locks. The ceremony commenced when each of the boy’s 36 relations cut off one lock of hair, at the same time presenting the boy with a monetary gift. The remainder of the 150 invited guests presented their gifts and, after a barber had trimmed the boy’s hair, all sat down to a big umukai.”

Away From It All—

To Tonga

YET another Paradise Hunter appears to be making prepara tions to invade the Pacific, if press despatches from Port Eliza beth, South Africa, in January are any indication.

The gentleman who does not wish to disclose his name at present, is “weary of national and international hypocrisies and the eternal dog-fight of party politics”.

He has selected Tonga for his re treat (no reasons given).

Members of the expedition must be “persons of integrity, especially those interested in the arts and sciences”, have “a valid reason for getting away from it all, and ability to pull one’s weight and a willing ness to pool £2,000 or more for the common good”.

The organiser first contacted the Tongan Government on the subject back in 1938-39, but war intervened.

Now “it is proposed, given per mission, to secure the lease of one of the smaller islands in the Tonga Group”.

The self-supporting colony would “cultivate copra and engage in other local trades. It would be non political and non sectarian . . .

Thousands of books and hundreds of gramophone records would be available. Some settlers would write, others would paint and draw, and others would do scientific work”. (And a few make copra, perhaps).

One might well conjecture as to just how long a group of artists and scientists, used to city frustrations and other amenities, would remain “r>r>n ’-'ffit.ical non sectarian” and 100 per cent, tame, if cooped up on one of the smaller Tongan Islands. Still, it would be interest ing to watch, so let us hope that Queen Salote, having taken all due precautions to quell any riots, sees her way clear to lease them an islet.

AS TOLD BY OSCAR NORDMAN TO R. W. ROBSON

“■fTJRNEST W. DARLING, Tahiti’s Jlj famous Nature Man, lived up there about 40 years ago,” said Oscar Nordman. He pointed to a lush valley up in the steep hills beyond Papeete. Then he chuckled reminiscently, and told me the story of how the Nature Man went to San Francisco to look for a Nature Woman.

Darling originally was a student at Stanford University, and he de veloped ideas of his own. He was a pleasant, harmless young fellow —a kind of ratbag, in modern parlance—and his ratbagginess was expressed in a determination to wear no clothes and eat uncooked food. To return close to Nature, in other words.

About 1906 he sailed on a steamer, out of San Francisco, bound for the South Seas. He ex pressed his determination to found a colony for Nature Men. He disembarked in Papeete. The French authorities were easy-going in those days. If Darling wanted to be a Nature Man, that was no concern of theirs. (I should like to see Papeete officialdom’s reaction to-day to a similar enterprise!) Somehow —I don’t know how — Darling got himself an area of land in one of those lovely little valleys up in the foothills of the Tahitian mountains; announced he was ready to extend hospitality to people of similar views; and settled himself down as a Nature Man. He wore no clothes, and he ate only raw fruits and vegetables.

There was nothing wrong with that. Anyone who has experienced the pleasant climate of Tahiti, and eaten the Island’s bananas,

mangoes, oranges and other delicious fruits, could easily enough take root there, with only a G- String between himself and pure Nature.

Two or three men of similar ideas appear to have joined Darling in his pleasant valley, and their place of residence was called Darling’s Nature Colony. They lived for practically nothing, and as they did not interfere with their neighbours, they were not interfered with. The Europeans regarded them as freaks; the natives decided they were a little mad, and respected them accordingly.

But officialdom showed a very lively interest in them when they tried to visit Papeete clad exactly as in their own valley—namely, completely naked, without either hat or shoes. The outraged gen darmes hunted them back into the hills.

Back home, after such episodes, the Nature Men held indignation meetings and decided that the call was upon them to strike hard for a vital principle—namely, the right for freeborn men to go naked, if so they wished. So they tried on a few occasions to enter the capital, as Nature Men; and the patient constabulary was not always com pletely patient.

However, the Colony did not flourish. Its members drifted away.

About 1914 Darling decided he would return to the United States; and he bequeathed his ranch to his one remaining associate, Eugene Dufour, to be maintained as a Nature Colony.

DARLING’S method of going abroad was simple and primitive. He sneaked aboard a steamer bound for San Francisco, and hid himself. They were far at sea when he was discovered.

He said he would sleep on the fore castle head, and exercise himself by shovelling coal, and eat the plain, raw food he had brought with him; and the captain, who was not amused, arranged it that way.

The San Francisco reporters greeted the Nature Man with whoops of delight. Ancient cuttings from Oscar Nordman’s scrap-book show that Darling’s quest for a wife caused keen interest in that sophisticated community. These were the specifications, as then published:— He has no preference in the matter of race or colour. She must be in good health . . . She must be willing to dispense with raiment except in such places as are

burdened with a chief of police of conventional ideas; and she must be willing to subsist on uncooked food. In return for these sacrifices she gets Darling.

The reporters said that, in deference to the San Francisco climate and police, Darling was wearing a sweater and “knicker bockers” (that is what they called shorts before World War 1), but that his head and feet were bare.

They said he subsisted on a vege tarian and uncooked diet. That morning, they said, his breakfast consisted of shredded coconut, bananas and raisins.

Darling did not find his Nature Woman. A few months later, he was haunting the San Francisco waterfront, trying to stow himself away on some ship bound for Tahiti.

One day, just as the Union SS Go’s, steamer Tahiti was on the point of sailing for Tahiti, Nordman (who was then in San Francisco) whispered to Port Captain Lewis that Darling, who had been vainly seeking a chance to get aboard, was not anywhere in sight. The worthy Captain Lewis passed on the good news to Captain Evans, master of the Tahiti.

Captain Evans almost had a stroke. “What! A damned naked man stowed away on my ship.

Lower the gangway!”

Down came the gangway. Dock officials joined the ship’s company in a frantic search of the steamer!

Where had the wretched Nature Man concealed himself?

The ship was half-an-hour pasti

Darling’s vain attempts to stow away on ships bound for Tahiti amused the San Francisco newspapers of 40 years ago. One jof them published this cartoon.

E. W. Darling, Tahiti’s “Nature Man’

Picture reproduced from a photograph in “San Francisco Examiner” of about 1914.

sailing time, and high officialdom was cursing furiously, when the bearded Nature Man crawled leisurely out from under a pile of cargo lying on the wharf. When he found the gangway sternly guarded, he had retired there for rest and meditation. He seemed surprised by the warmth of the greetings he received.

I was suspicious of the amuse ment with which, after 40 years, Oscar recounted the incident. But he assured me most urgently—too urgently, I think —that he had had no part in planting the Nature Man among that cargo.

I am still wondering why the Nature Man went all the way from Tahiti to San Francisco in his search for a Nature Woman. Per haps Tahiti has changed.

A Table

SOME skippers go in for stamp collecting but Captain C. W.

Ostenfeld of the Union Steam Ship Co’s. trans-Pacific freighter Wairuna has a hobby which is quite unique.

Recently when a PIM repre sentative visited him in his cabin he brought out what at first sight promised to be a navigational chart but which revealed itself, when un rolled, as a complicated design drawn in ink. Each separate sector of the design had a pencilled number —and a great many sectors bore a name.

This is the plan of a fascinating inlaid table —every sector consists of an inlay of the timber of some ship—many long since wrecked or broken up. Many of the 300 vessels so far represented have had some thing to do with the history of the Pacific. Captain Ostenfeld has notes on the history of almost every ship in the collection.

Anyone with an interesting wreck at his back door —and some facts on the vessel’s history—will please the captain, who is well known around the Islands, if they send along a small piece of its timbers and its story.

Nearly every country in the world is interested in the work now being done by a Dutch committee of ex perts under the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation.

The committee is seeking practical methods of de-salting brackish and sea-water. It can be done now, in a small way. Sooner or later, it will be done cheaply, on a huge scale, and millions of square miles in reach of the oceans will immedi ately become subject to irrigation and cultivation.

THERE is a pretty little strip of shallow water enclosed by a string of islets to the south east of Rarotonga island. From here history says that some at least of the famous canoes of 600 years ago commenced their great journey from the Cook Is. to New Zealand. This is Ngatangiia lagoon, only sheltered water close to the island.

Ngatangiia to-day is the home of the Rarotonga Sailing Club, probably the only club of its kind in the Pacific, because it uses out rigger canoes of un-Polynesian de sign with modern-type sailing rig.

The Club’s type of craft have been governed entirely by the sail ing area available. The mile-long stretch of water was once com paratively deep for at least the northern third of its length. Big schooners could enter and lie in shelter, even in a hurricane.

Schooners have been built there long ago. But in later years, native fish-weirs have caused the lagoon to silt up, and the coral has steadily encroached from the south, so that to-day it would be possible to sail a centre-board type yacht in only a very limited area near the entrance to the lagoon at its northern end.

The outrigger canoe, drawing only a few inches with its two-man crew is thus the only answer—and a very exciting one, too, in the fresh breezes that are frequently experienced on this, the windward side of the 21-mile-around island.

Since the 1939-45 war the Club’s activities have varied considerably.

Interest has at times been keen, when enthusiastic yachting men have been attached to the local Administration staff. Then, as their terms have ended, interest has waned for a while, to flare up again with some new arrival. At the moment interest has relaxed a little —with Mr. W. Graham recently on long leave and now transferring to Mangaia, Dr. Tom Davis and family in the States, and other leading lights such as Chief Sur veyor Alf Bailey and Mr. Ron Powell otherwise preoccupied.

Recently Mr. Powell sold his beautifully designed and built Ron Tiki to Mr. Phillip Woonton, of Penrhyn, who has taken the canoe north for his own use. But doubtless, as soon as the Club comes to active life again, Mr. Powell will equip himself with an even more revolu tionary and artistically built craft to challenge all-comers.

When active, the Rarotonga Sail ing Club is a source of great in terest to residents of Rarotonga in general, and its meetings on Satur day and Sunday afternoons are the occasion of a general outing, motor trucks being provided to carry all comers, including the womenfolk and—most important of all—the afternoon tea they provide, to the lovely picnic spot overlooking the lagoon.

Mr. R. G. Roberts of the Adminis trative staff, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, was on furlough in New Zealand in January. He has been stationed in G & E for the past nine years.

Two of the outrigger oanoes of the Rarotonga Sailing Club.

Across

1. —Who was the lover of Venus? 4.—What name was given to the Germans’ biggest gun in World War I? 8. —What is the name of the most famous legendary forest-outlaw inown since the XlVth century? 9. —What is the term lor .a Russian village community? 10. Under what name was known the maharaja of Nawanagar when he was a member of the Sussex county cricket team? 13. —ln Greek myth ology, what is the name of the blood of the Gods? 14. Where did Noah’s ark land after the flood? 16.—What is the official report of pro ceedings in Parliament? 18.—Who was the woman whose seven sons were killed by Apollo and six of her seven daughters by Diana?

situated? WhiCh American state is Duluth 21. Which English historian is known as “the Venerable”? 22. — Which universal language was in vented by Dr. Zamenhoff? g m

Down

the goddess q i dawn? 2. Which famous Hungarian painter Is well established in Australia? 3. What is the name of an atom

carrying electrical charge? ’

s._What is the name of the German seaport in Dollart Bay on the rTver „ Was former ly the capital of lumna? gUI Empire sltua * ed on the River

(Solution on Page 72)

T-ta North America there llres an a ™ ma * closel y related to, or the same as the elk. What is its name?

What is . the rank of an officer be tween a captain and a lieutenant-colonel? 11. Who was the great lexicographer whose life was written by Boswell?

Who was the English King whose surname was “the Unreadv”’ slo l p 3 ii U t n y d p e es? What name are knOWn the IS.—Which ancient Moorish town is 42 1? ww ° f ?* braltar? 1S the name of the district a £d mining town situated on the River l 9 7°^' nD - Q ir,cf Wh ?. Was the notorious informer agams t Roman Catholics during the reign of Charles II?

MAKI MAORI: A Mystery of The Polynesian Islands

By James P. Shortall

THE evening meal over, we shifted to the long cane chairs on the front verandah, facing the reef.

It was one of those stifling, strangely still tropical nights with never a rustle from the palms over hanging the beach and only the softest rythmic sighing of the surf far out across the shallows.

Still, that is, except for the distant screeching of bats, back behind the house, towards the mountains.

“No wonder these people are such a ghost-ridden lot,” I said to the Doc. “What with ancient tomb stones and burial mounds every few yards along the coastal road, and the screeching and swooping of those things all night.”

The Doc was silent for a time, his pipe flaring like a distant volcano in the darkness, a few yards away.

“Yes. But there’s more in it than that,” he finally said, quietly. “I’m satisfied that there are ghosts, and other things round here that affect these people, even if they don’t affect us.”

“Well,” I said, “I’m ready enough to admit there are more things in heaven and earth, etc. —but give us some concrete facts. They’re the things you live by, aren’t they? Let’s hear about it.”

The Doc leaned over and knocked his pipe out on the edge of a carved wooden bowl. “Yes, we have plenty af well-documented, good, solid facts,” he said. “I’m not going to pretend that I can interpret them; I'm just going to present them.

“For instance; In the past three weeks we’ve had three cases of what you’d call voodoo or black-magic— maki maori they call it round here — and every year we have a number of them—all very similar —all com pletely unrecognisable in modern medical science.”

The Doctor’s story, in almost his own words: • THIS is about what happens. The victim is “wished” to death by someone. I believe there are only ane or two on the island here who :an do the job—and they do it pre sumably at a price—and no one is ever likely to find out just who these medicine-men are, for obvious reasons.

Generally, I believe, something be longing to the victim —preferably a lock of hair—is delivered to the

operator. What he then does 1 do not know. But the cases we manage to get into hospital all agree more or less on the same symptoms.

First, there’s a heaviness or dull pain at the back of the head for per haps a couple of weeks, accom panied by a great uneasiness. Then there is often a sudden paralysis of one side of the body. If we get them at this stage we find extraordinary body temperatures—readings as high as 108 degrees above the waist, and perhaps very sub-normal below. In the ordinary course, the end is always fatal, preceded by a couple of days of violent stomach upset, with con sequent severe dehydration of the body and great weakness.

Well, those are the symptoms.

We've tried everything—all the modern drugs—we’ve taken blood tests, etc., etc. As far as we’re con cerned, they have no identifiable disease at all. There’s just nothing that we can do for them to keep them alive. Intravenous salines, etc., keep them going for a while, but only for a while.

Usually, the patient will never dis close the cause of the trouble—some times he doesn't even know about it.

It’s usually the relatives who have been instrumental in getting the patient to hospital who tell us, though now we can usually guess.

Once we know, the treatment is de finitely unorthodox, and almost always effective.

SO far as I know, there is only one man on this island who can cure these cases, and—this will surprise you—he’s a European. Admittedly he’s lived a long time with these people. I’m not going to say who it is, but his name was given to me by the relatives of one of these cases.

Nor have I discussed the matter with him in any way whatsoever. I have merely witnessed his work.

You must understand that these cases are sometimes very young chil dren—far too young to be “scared to death” by threats. Then there are others who, though they know what is wrong, have no idea who has been the cause of the curse, or the reason for it. I reject the ‘“scared to death”

theory entirely; there’s something

much deeper than that.

Now, when a case comes in, I simply drive round and see this European and at the same time send the patient home in the ambulance with instructions for him, or her, to be put to bed in a room and every one to get out of the house, and away.

I then bring the curer along to the house in the car. He goes in, re mains there perhaps one minute.

comes back to the car, and I drive him home. By the time I get back to the patient he is, to all intents,

completely cured, though naturally

weak from dehydration. He is given plenty of fluids, allowed to sleep, and is up and about as well as ever next day.

MAKE what you like of it—those are the simple, bare facts of what is happening right here on this little island with all its civilised amenities, its planes and ships com ing and going, right now in this year of 1948.

The medical records naturally do not show these deaths (where they occur) as maki maori, because there’s no such disease. They are simply put down as dysentery or something similar. What else can we do? At present the fatal cases are those that never reach us, through fear on the part of the relatives.

As things are at the moment, if this European were to leave the island, or die, I know of no one who could cure these cases. The cure is cer tainly not by persuasion or encourage ment, for not a single word is spoken.

He merely enters the room—some times puts his hand momentarily on the patient—sometimes just pauses at the bedside. Frequently, the patient is delirious or unconscious.

This sort of thing has been going on for a long, long time, and it’s about the last carry-over from the old days remaining here, strangely enough. All the best of the old culture is gone and forgotten—and the sooner this goes the better. * * * “Yes,” the Doc concluded, “you can take it from me there are more things going on round here than the average European resident dreams of.”

The Islanders Church in Auckland, NZ, is one rendezvous for the 1,400 Islanders now resident in the Dominion—and so, at the other end of the scale, is the Polynesian Club, operated by Lou Mati, from Tahiti. He married into the well known Mitchell family of Rarotonga and has meantime acquired some property on that island but since 1935 he has been almost continuously in New Zealand—in the early years as a member of a J. C.

Williamson song-and-dance team called the Royal Rarotongans. The present

Polynesian Club was born in the mid thirties and has been a success from the beginning. However, to-day it probably merits the name Cosmopolitan rather than Polynesian for, as well as Polynesians, representatives of practically every race go along to dance in the course of the year. It was popular with American servicemen during the Pacific war.

Photographs (by Vogue, of Auckland) show Lou and his band, and, at light, some of the dancers.

Teachers

Miss Tiresa Hunter and Miss Fetaui Matatumua, shown above, returned home to Western Samoa from New Zealand in January, as qualified school teachers.

Both were trained at Ardmore Teachers’

Training College, Auckland, under the New Zealand Islands scholarship scheme.

With Miss Fanaafi Maiai, who also trained at Ardmore, they are the first Samoans to become teachers under the scholarship scheme.

Miss Matatumua is a daughter of A.

M. Matatumua, Registrar of the Land and Titles Court, Western Samoa.

Miss Tiresa Hunter is the daughter of T. p. Hunter, Government survey draughtsman in Samoa.

Both attended secondary schools in NZ before qualifying for the Teachers’

College. There are about 100 Samoan, Niuean and Cook Islander scholarship holders in New Zealand, their ages ranging from 12 to the early 20’s. Some are at boarding schools receiving secondary education, some are training for technical jobs, others are at Uni versity. The New Zealand government pays all their expenses—even providing school clothes and pocket money.

"D EADERS are invited to send in •*-V recipes using Pacific Islands in gredients or ingredients readily ob tainable in the Islands. Ten shillings will be paid for each one used.

Tropical Peach Pie

Line a shallow piedish with short pastry, and fill with slices of pawpaw in imitation of sliced peaches. Squeeze lemon or lime juice fairly liberally over the fruit, sprinkle with sugar to taste and with grated nutmeg, and arrange strips of pastry in lattice-work over the top.

Bake in fairly hot oven, and serve with coconut cream or fresh cream (if ob tainable). (Note: If any readers don’t like the flavour of pawpaw, we assure them that pie doesn,t taste like pawpaw at all.) Mrs. F.H.E.K., Ex-Apia.

Spiced Banana Cake

M cup butter, cup sugar.

1 cup S.R. Flour. 1 egg.

Vt teaspoon salt. 1 teaspoon cinnamon. 1 teaspoon mixed spice.

Several ripe bananas.

Cream butter and sugar, add egg, then sieved dry ingredients. Spread half the mixture in a greased tin, cover with mashed bananas and lastly the remainder of the cake mixture. Bake Vi hour in a moderate oven.—Mrs. R. P., Kavieng.

Notes

Conducted By Raimanu

No. 3 —Bats Mostly we call them “flying foxes” although we know they are really not foxes at all, but bats.

Just before dark they go flapping slowly across the sky to their feed ing grounds for the night. If there is a mango tree handy to your house you will be familiar with these visitors, or perhaps they will come and feed on your ripening banana bunch, or even a few pawpaws.

In Merauke, Dutch New Guinea, in 1944 we were used to seeing these creatures in their thousands each evening, leaving their “camp” near the mouth of the river to move in land to feed. There were other big camps of this kind on the Digoel River too, to the west.

Such big camps of flying foxes seem less common in Fiji, I re member seeing only one, and that was on the shore of Viti Levu Bay just beyond Nanukuloa, where the bats were settling down in the early morning as we passed along the road.

The Fijians consider the flying fox a delicacy. They say that once the skin has been burnt off, by tossing the carcase into the fire, the smell for which the animals are infamous disappears. I am told that flying-fox is not unlike young chicken to eat.

Then there are the little bats, common wherever there are big caves. They no doubt do quite a bit of good, snapping up mosquitoes.

Women in one of the villages not far from Na Savusavu, Fiji, some times take one of their fishing nets to a cave nearby and catch some of these small bats. I asked—what for? Surely they are not big enough to eat? The answer was— not to eat, but for the children to play with.

Dr. K. B. Noad on February 4 received the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Sydney University as a result of his thesis on scrub typhus (or Japanese River Fever) which is prevalent in Papua-New Guinea.

Take Law Into Wild N. Guinea

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Tmadang, Jan. 22.

WO new and vital Patrol Posts have recently been established in the Eastern Highlands and Madang Districts, New Guinea. One is at Taramo, south of Goroka; the other at Atitau, in the Adelberts Range, west of Madang.

Patrol-Officer McArthur, who is stationed at Taramo, already has an airstrip under construction. A road connecting Taramo with Goroka is to be given high priority.

At Atitau, Patrol Officer Bell with natice police, has established a Patrol Post, so as to form a central base in this area for patrolling the region. This country is particularly rugged, and the people primitive and hostile.

It is the policy of the Adminis tration to patrol this area continu ously, so as to gain the confidence of the native population, and get them used to Administration and law.

The Patrol Post at Annenberg (also in the Adelberts Range) has now been moved to Aiome where Patrol Officer Jordan is in charge.

Mr. Jordan recently discovered a: hidden valley in this district, which had a population of some 6,000 natives, hitherto unknown.

At Chimbu

Prom Our Ow« Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 24.

AREAL job of work is being: done at Chimbu, NG Highlands, by the District Services staff, under ADO B. Hayes, on construct ing a new airstrip. Even Civil Aviation is full of praise, for Chimbu has little level land.

With Chimbu boys, digging sticks, perhaps an odd pick and shovel, and locally made coolie-type baskets for carrying thousands of yards of fill, the ADO is carrying out a job which normally calls for powerful and expensive mechanised equip ment.

Neither passengers nor pilots liked the old strip. It was blunted at one end by sharply rising ground, and at the other by a drop over a gully. It abounded in tricky cross air-currents.

The new strip angles across the old one, and will be twice as long as the original.

Mr. R. R. C. Caten, Assistant Public Relations Officer, Fiji, is at present on leave in Australia.

Conducted By Ex Zk-1 -Ac/Vr-2-Ak.

(Address notes to P.O. Box 5179, Wellesley Street, Auckland, NZ.)

ISLAND HAMS: Let your Pacific neigh iurs know you’re on by giving a call your favourite band at 0100/0700/1900Z. se of a known time will help you—and em. • Unfortunately by the time this appears o interesting events will probably be [ over. On January 30, three NZ Air spt. technicians left Auckland to instal w radio telephone equipment at tntaki. One was Eric Armstrong, rmerly a VR2, and another was Max mstrong—no relation —formerly VR2BY. ix had obtained permission to operate »m Aitutaki during their month on the and under the call ZK-l-AC. At the »ment of writing he is active on 20 m. one, and probably on 40/80 m. also.

L-l’s are now in very short supply so e appearance of the call with 100 watts the DX bands was bound to cause me interest—however, Max stated that was not really interested in the DX gle—just wanted to keep in touch with ■ mainly.

Phe other item is from “Amateur idio”, reporting that in January or bruary CE3AG and CE3CZ would be dting Easter Island for four or five ys and would operate from there under e call CE-0-AA on CW or phone con mously. Bands not stated. We suspect at these men may be attached to Thor yerdahl’s (ex Kontiki) expedition which

was visiting the Galapagos in January and believed to be going on to Easter. • BERS-195, in an interesting letter from his new QTH at North Fairfield, Vic., says he believes that Dr. Rob Black, VK2QZ, will be returning to the Trobriands soon—probably March —and will be on with his VK2QZ/VK9 call using phone and CW. He recently returned to

Sydney after appearing as VR4AF and YJ 1-AB during the past year.

Alan Smith, VK9YY, checks in with some news from Lae. Formerly VK2AIR of Sydney, he made his 20 m. VK9 debut with 100 watts on December 19—crystal frequencies 14,020 and 14,090, CW only at moment of writing, but a modulator is under way. And if anyone can send him along the gen on a GBPO antenna, rush same to Box 13, Lae. Meanwhile, it’s a folded dipole, with a 8C348 doing the receiving.

Perhaps the most interesting point in the letter is this: “To my knowledge there

re only two active hams in TNG— K9FM at Madang, and myself. If any ne knows of any other we would be leased to hear about it. There are quite lot In Papua—but as far as the DXCC concerned they are different countries”.

Other points from Alan: Due to skip, ’s difficult to QSO many Pacific Island ;ations on 20 m., so he’ll be going on I m. also. P.I. Net times are not too mvenient for NG except at week-ends -but he’s particularly interested to con ict Island stations. Men who contacted J-l-AB will soon he receiving his special SL with a mosquito motif, according to ob Black whom Alan spoke to in Sydney • Another letter was from Bari Hogg who ismantled his station VR2BZ on ecember 2 (sorry for the typographic Tor to your call last month, Bari) but »pes to be on again in about a year 'ter helping deliver the RNZAF’s new inderlands.

Bari reports two stations remaining at luthala Bay—VR2CP/CR—both just ■rived and preparing for action on 80 m. ainly. Names and past calls not entioned. Let’s hear from you, men! hether or not the call VR2CQ was lotted, we do not know—if it was ere’s a third new VR2 somewhere in ji.

A yachtsman recently returned from ■ench Oceania, Ron Lamb, of Auckland, ports that FOBAD plans to remain in s present position as Met and radio an at Rapa Island for another year at ist. Roland is completely absorbed in et. research and radio, Ron says. And e probable reason why he’s never heard ZL: he has two fixed beams, one on ihiti and the other on N. America— us the fact, of course, that he’s well ielded by very high mountains.

The crew of the yacht “Stortebecker I” were very kindly treated by Roland and e Island’s medical assistant during their days’ stay.

Nothing has so far been heard in ickland of VR6AC who planned to be tive from Pitcairn by the end of scember. • We recently farewelled Hugh Hickling, >m Auckland, returning to the Cook lands. He was formerly on Mangaia. iis time he’ll be at Rarotonga—and ly be active under his old ZK-1 call.

The XYL said “nothing doing” when e subject was broached, but Hugh, in aside, said that he might swell the t-I ranks occasionally.

Fhor Gundersen, after about five years Purser and Sparks in “Maui Pomare”, the Auckland-ZK-1 run, retired from e sea in January, when the ship laid for survey. He has probably been the ►st active Cooks station —so you can >ss ZK-I-AZ off the list; and also l-1-BE, Ray Sutherland, rarely active, to finished his term at Rarotonga Radio d returned to ZL in January. Thor II doubtless be active as ZL-l-VU. her calls he’s set aside are VK-2-AM d VR4AM in post-war years. ‘Break In” gives us the current ZM6 t; ZM6AA, Pat Senior, Box 23, Apia, Samoa. ZM6AB, Des Fahey, c/o Apia dio. ZM6AC, Arnold Stanbury (ex 3LT), c/o Observatory, Apia.

Conditions, especially on 20 m., seemed very poor in Auckland during January, in limited evening listening. The list of Islands stations heard is short: KC6QY,

Kg6Aex/Hl, Vk9Fm, Zk-L-Ac.

WANTED: News from the Gilberts, Papua, Tahiti—and all points, east and west.

The wedding of Miss Judith Hudson of Terrigal, NSW, to Mr.

Arthur Wyndham Hoile, of Lae, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Hoile of Wau, New Guinea, took place at St. Philip’s Church, Sydney, on January 28. Among the guests were a number of New Guinea residents.

The Most Rev. A. Noser, Bishop of Accra, West African Gold Coast, has been appointed Vicar Apostolic of Alexishafen, Nsw Guinsa, in

succession to the late Bishop Applehaus, who was killed in a plane crash in NG in July, 1951.

The new Bishop is 52 and an American.

Kon Tiki is now housed with Dr.

Nansen’s famous Fram and three 700-year-old Viking ships in a special museum six miles from Oslo.

When Kon Tiki, was taken aboard Thor I at Papeete in 1947, she was to go to an American museum. But at San Francisco the authorities would not allow the raft ashore owing to danger of introducing un desirable pests in the balsa wood logs. So the raft was loaded onto another Norwegian ship, for Norway.

Just completed his first year at Flinders Naval College, Victoria, is Donald Edgar, 15-years-old Cadet- Midshipman, RAN, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Edgar of Wangar atta, Vic., but formerly well-known residents of Salamaua, Wau and Rabaul, New Guinea.

(See story opposite)

These two photographs (kindly supplied by Mr. J. M. Clift) show people who were well known in Solomons in the middle ’Twenties, and some of whom took part In the Malaita punitive expedition of 1937, referred to in article opposite.

Group, left to right, back row—Tony Olsen; Jack Clift; Ernie Palmer. Front row—Mrs. Olsen; Jim Risby; Mrs. Risby; Mrs. Jack Clift. (Elderly lady in centre, not Identified).

Lower left—Bill Adams. Jack Clift and J. A. Johnstone, out on the Malaita expedition, 1927.

WHEN the Union Steamship cd purchased its trans-Pacifici freighters from the Canadian Government a few years ago, one of the terms of sale was that the vessels must, for a time, remain under Canadian registry and be manned by Canadian crews.

This agreement came to an end in so far as “Wairuna” was con 4 cerned, when she paid her latestJ visit to Canada.

On the run south to New Zeal land, the vessel was manned with a “scratch” crew of varied occupa| tion—labourers, journalists, a press photographer, radio technician truck drivers, an accountant, a chemist, etc.—New Zealandera: Australians, and Canadians, all: glad of the opportunity to work; tneir passage to Auckland, where i New Zealand crew took over.

Story Of Tony Olsen

(See photographs opposite )

]yHEN “Tony” Olsen, trader and 't planter aged 67, died on •ctober 7, the British Solomons lost ne of its most valued residents, and very colourful and adventurous life ime to an end.

Anton Daniel Olsen was only 15 hen he left home (Tunsberg, orway) and signed on a Norwegian tiling-ship. He deserted her in apetown, in 1900, in an attempt to ilist in the British Army (then igaged in the Boer War) but was •mly returned to his ship. For the jxt few years he wandered in North id South America, and North China -he actually saw some of the naval igagements of the Russo-Japancs£ At Boston, soon after, he joined e largest wooden sailing ship afloat, e Susquehanna, bound for New aledonia to ship chrome ore. While le was in Noumea her sister ship, ie Roanoke, burned to the water le, and the Roanoke's crew were ken aboard the Susquehanna.

When the ship was en route to hina, the chrome ore loaded in New aledonia shifted during a hurricane,

and the ship broke her back and foundered at sea about 500 miles from the British Solomon Islands.

All personnel on board took to three

lifeboats.

In Tony’s lifeboat was the brutal captain of the Roanoke, a man buTlt in the old bullying tradition of sail ing vessels, and the captain’s young bride. After they had taken to the boats it was discovered that this young lady had put her clothing into one of the canvas bags which nor

mally would have contained food!

She and her husband occupied half! the lifeboat, and the men were! ordered to surrender their shirts to make for them an improvised screen!

They had been nine days at seal without water, when Olsen’s boat] sighted San Cristoval. The crew was] picked up there the next day by thd late Captain Svensen, one of the] early pioneers of the Solomons and] father of Mrs. E. A. Palmer. This] was in 1904.

Eventually, the other lifeboat! from the Susquehanna made land at] Tulagi, and all personnel from the!

Susquehanna and Roanoke were re-1 turned to Australia by the first avail! able ship, except three—Tony Olsen!

Harry Caspar and “Long Jack”, who remained in the Solomons and were] employed by Lever Bros. • TONY signed on for two years with!

Levers’ trading ship Lindsay! which ran between Lord Howe atoll!

Sikiana and the Santa Cruz group.] In 1907 he went to Australia for his] first vacation, and the Lindsay was! wrecked during his absence.

On his return he was given thd Jessie. During 1908 he met thd famous Jack London and his wife] Charmaine* London’s book ThA Voyage of the Snark describes “Aj Lost Week-end” at Penduffryn Plan! tation, now known as Berande Plan! tation, on Guadalcanal.

Soon after his return from leave Mr. Olsen was married—a marriagd which lasted from 1909 until hisj death. He resigned from Levers and,] accompanied by his young wife, hei recruited labour on Malaita, then! very much of a “hot spot”. Subse! quently he cleared and planted hisj own plantation at Tanemba, 18 miles west of Honiara, on the Guadalcanal! coast.

IN 1908, while on a recruiting trip! to Malaita, Tony Olsen met a notorious gentleman who had per! suaded a group of Australian busij ness men to finance a prospecting expedition to Malaita to find King Solomon’s Mine. A well-known! schooner had been purchased and! outfitted for the purpose. AIH members of the expedition dressed! fully for dinner every night, and the| table appointments were elaborate!

When the schooner finally reached Malaita—where the natives then werq very savage—the District Officen would not allow any member of thej expedition to land.

While the vessel lay at anchor off! shore one moonlight night, with!

veryone asleep on board, one of the »arty, Simonds, awakened on deck yhen three canoes came alongside; nd he heard a whispered conversa ion between the “gentleman” and the latives. They arranged that at lawn all the Europeans except he “gent.” were to be murdered, for /hich payment in rifles, cartridges nd other items was promised.

Simonds waited until the gent, lad gone below, and then he took the inghy and rowed round the point to tie vessel Minota, whose Captain, lob Jensen, was informed of the dot. The gent, was overpowered nd the schooner got under way be ore the pre-arranged dawn attack ould take place.

The gent, was handed over to the Resident Commissioner, Mr. C. M.

Woodford, and sent to Fiji for trial, t was found that this was the second xpedition the gent, had arranged; lembers of the first had been mrdered under similar circum ;ances. ”N 1914, and the ensuing war years, ■ very little European food was rought into the Solomons, and the ioneers had a difficult time.

In 1916, the northern coastline of ruadalcanal was swept by what was,

according to old residents, the worst hurricane in Solomons history, and Tony’s plantation suffered with the rest. In 1918 he met Martin and Osa Johnson, who photographed the Solomons and the New Hebrides.

In 1919, Tony Olsen went to Sydney and met the late Mr. W. M.

Hughes, with whom he went actively campaigning. It was then, also, that he met that remarkable man Sir Edgeworth David, famous explorer, soldier, geologist and philosopher.

Tony and his wife saw much of Professor Edgeworth David and his family, and it was then the thought

of gold first entered Tony’s mind.

He took an active interest in prospecting for the rest of his life.

During the early ’twenties, Tony was recruiting with a well-known and respected resident of the Solomons, Mr. Geoff Clift, in the A. V. Men-

dana, mostly on Malaita and San Cristoval.

FN 1927, early in October, news was * received in Tulagi of the massacre on October 4 of the District Officer on Malaita, Mr. Bell, and his ADO,

Mr. Lillies, with 19 native members of the Armed Constabulary, at Sinerango, Malaita.

HMAS Adelaide and the supply ship HMAS Biloila were sent from Australia at the Protectorate Govern ment’s request, and a party of 30 European volunteers were recruited.

Among the first to volunteer were Tony Olsen and Geoffrey and J. M.

Clift. Thirty days of strenuous operations in the bush resulted in the capture of those responsible, and the ringleaders were ultimately hanged or imprisoned. (See photos.) THE depression in the early ’thirties brought copra prices to below production costs. About this time, Tony Olsen and Jack Clift set off on an expedition into the Guadalcanal mountains, prospecting.

They discovered gold in the Betilonga River, at the headwaters of the Tenaru River; but a more sensational earlier discovery on the Sorvohio River distracted attention from their venture. Tony Olsen then ran his own vessel, the Pedeu, recruiting and trading, until during a heavy north west blow she dragged her anchor, struck a reef and sank.

In 1939, Tony started with the Balasuna Syndicate, and was engaged

on alluvial gold leases for nearly three years. In October, 1941, he went with his wife to Australia on leave, and was in Sydney when war was declared on Japan. He im mediately booked their passages in the MV Malaita back to Tulagi, but when they arrived at Cairns Mrs.

Olsen was not allowed to go on— women and children had been evacuated.

Tony returned alone to the Solomons, arriving on December 31, 1941, and continued work on the Sorvohio River lease until the ad vancing war forced them out. He left with other residents in the A. V.

Ruena, owned by the Fairymead Co,, and after a hazardous voyage—the lapanese being then established in ;he Solomons—the party got to Aus ;ralia, via Vila, early in April, 1942.

During the war, Tony, then well )ver 50, was one of the rigging crew )f a giant crane known as The Hawk m Sydney Harbour, unloading heavy var material for transhipment to heatres of war.

With other European pre-war )ioneers, Tony returned to the Solomons by MV Southern Cross in 946, and went to Ruanu Plantation, ■le then returned to Onavatuva )lantation, near his old plantation >f Tenimba on Guadalcanal, and was here until his death.

A. H. Bunting’s New Store at Samarai

From Our Own Corresponded

Port Moresby, Jan. 24.

PE well-known Samarai firm of A. H. Bunting Limited has just celebrated its fiftieth an uversary with the completion of tew retail shop premises. These /ere officially opened by the Act ig Administrator, Mr. D. M.

Jleland, on January 19th, after rhich Samarai residents were en ertained at a cocktail party given y the firm.

One person at the party who ould have related a great deal of lamarai’s history was Mrs. E. iunting, widow of the founder, the ite A. H. Bunting. Mrs. Bunting ow lives at Lae, where her aughter also resides, but made a pecial visit to Samarai for the pening of the new store.

The new premises are modern ith fluorescent lighting. And it is matter of considerable interest lat native carpenters carried out le bulk of the work on the new mlding.

First of 20 members of the New ealand WAAF, Sgrt. Thora Robin ►n, left NZ at the end of January >r Fiji.

Ng Europeans Register

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Jan. 15.

TO date 27,000 cocoa trees have been registered by European planters in the Rabaul and Kokopo areas of New Britain and new applications for registration are still arriving at the Department of Agriculture.

Agricultural Officer, F. Ryan, has been closely supervising native cocoa production and is encouraging the establishment of fermentaries to serve groups of natives rather than that each should try to ferment his own small crop.

The Vunamami area is taking the lead in this direction and al ready cocoa sent South under this brand has earned high praise.

Templer Would Like More Fijians

When General Sir Gerald Templer, High Commissioner for Malaya, returned to Singapore after a tour of Johore State in January, he was asked whether he required any more troops to defeat the bandits.

The General declared that he had enough men but indicated that he would be happy to exchange some of his present team for another battalion of Fijians.

Future of N. Hebrides and Solomons

by R. D. BLANDY, CMG, OBE, Lately British Resident Commissioner in New Hebrides.

T is not generally realised that ■ Australia was very probably saved ■om invasion during the late war y the use that the Americans (and iter, other Allied Forces) made, suc sssively, of the New Hebrides and alomons.

By checking the enemy’s southern rive at the Battle of the Coral Sea le Americans gained time, not only i secure their communications with ustralia and to reinforce the quite [sufficient Australian garrison, but so to construct most important ises, first in New Caledonia, then in e New Hebrides.

It was the build-up in these islands -and the rapid construction therein airfields—that permitted the plan ng and timely launching of the suc ssful flank attack on Guadalcanal, i operation which history is likely confirm as the critical offensive ittle of the war with Japan, just as e Battle of the Coral Sea was the itical defensive battle. Moreover, its ccessful outcome finally destroyed

the threat to the Australian mainland.

It is relevant here to record that this vital operation had been facili tated by two important occurrences, both with their genesis in the New Hebrides Anglo-French Condo minium.

Firstly, in the dark days of 1940, the French population of the Con dominium—inspired by the gallant M. Henri Sautot, then French Resi dent Commissioner, who was later awarded the OBE as a mark of recognition—had promptly rallied to de Gaulle. This led, soon after, and logically, to the overthrow of the Vichy authorities in New Caledonia by the local de Gaulle partisans, and to the installation of M. Sautot as Free French governor.

Thus the Americans, when they had urgent need to use these terri tories as bases, were saved the em barrassment of finding Vichy (with whom they were still maintaining diplomatic relations) controlling the French administrations in these

islands, administrations with which they would certainly have had to force the issue.

The second important event was the establishment, after the Solo mons had been overrun by the Japanese, of teleradio communication by the British Administration in the New Hebrbides with the Resident

Commissioner of the Solomons and 1 his chain of coast-watchers hidden at strategic points throughout the islands, thereby establishing a vital intelligence service.

These two occurrences contributed materially to the timely capture of the Guadalcanal airfield (a few days before it was to be ready for use

by the Japanese) and to the successful campaigns in the Solomons which were supported chiefly from New Caledonia and New Hebrides bases.

In fact, the base at Santo was the first predecessor of Manus.

The preceding narrative should be sufficient to prove the great value these islands have for Australia—at

least, from the defence angle. IfJ therefore, Australia, as the farthest flung bastion of “Western Demo cracy,” and in pursuance of the “White Australia Policy,” aspires to consolidation of her position as an eventual Great Nation and Power (not to be attacked with impunity from the North), her interest in these islands as a prolongation of her de fensive screen eastwards and south wards from New Guinea, appears unquestionable.

Consequently, it seems appropriate to examine the present position of the New Hebrides and Solomons and how it affects, or may affect, Aus tralia.

The New Hebrides

OPHE New Hebrides group is administered by treaty between Great Britain and France under a form of condominium. It is not a true condominium, in that only cer tain matters are jointly controlled, each Power maintaining, indepen dently of the Condominium (or joint) Government (i.e., the British and French Resident Commissioners “act ing jointly”), a complete sovereign administration of its own, with sovereign rights over its own na tionals and “dependants.”

There can, then, be (and not in frequently are) conflicting national

policies. Consequently, as the Joint Administration is a “government by agreement” (or disagreement), it is not unnatural that it has no fixed or stable policy of its own.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the “System” laid down in the Angio- Frencn Protocol of 1914 has gen erated, both in peace and war, a host of anomalies, difficulties, em barrassments, confusions and agreements, which have multiplied themselves progressively as the group has “grown up.” Indeed, it is rare that a positive answer to any question affecting the New Hebrides as a whole can be given.

Each Power pays for its own sovereign Administration. All (legiti mate) revenue goes into the joint treasury to finance joint expenditure, which—as in the case of joint policy —cannot be controlled except by agreement (or negatively) by either Power. Each Power must pay half of any budgetary deficit regardless of its own share of material interests and population (which are at present, and likely to remain, preponderantly French). Therefore, the administra tion of the group is not an interest ing financial (or any other) proposi tion for Great Britain, particularly as trade is shared chiefly by France and Australia.

However, the British connection did, as narrated above, pay a hand some dividend during the last war.

It has been suggested in the Press from time to time that Australia might logically replace Britain in the Condominium. Britain might well be glad to get rid, without “loss of face,” of such an embarrassing and unprofitable responsibility. But it seems doubtful whether Australia would care to take up Britain’s share in what would be to her, without Britain’s long local experience of this unorthodox international experi ment, a step into the completely unknown.

Consequently, if Australia did eventually desire to establish a foot hold in that area, it is likely that some simpler formula would have to be devised.

AUSTRALIA has, incidentally, already a “stake in the land” in the New Hebrides, in the shape of very considerable properties —or claims to properties not yet regis tered—handed over to the Federal Government by the late Sir James Burns (as a gift, or in trust) with a view to encouraging British settle ment. The bulk of these properties consist of potentially rich arable lands, but they have mostly re mained undeveloped, awaiting a

clear-cut policy—and partly owing to the labour position.

Economically, the New Hebrides group has distinct potentialities, par ticularly for a nearby “growing” major country like Australia, which already supplies the greater part of the Condominium’s essential require ments—though, owing to trade bar riers, at present she receives very little in return.

The chief export is copra; but good cocoa and passable coffee are also produced. Moreover, the climate range is so varied, the soil so rich and the rainfall so adequate that a very large variety of other tropical and sub-tropical products could be grown with success. Even

sheep do well on one island, and cattle luxuriate everywhere.

One of the chief things which has held up development (and the group is still virtually “unscratched”) is the meagre supply of native labour, a result of the relatively small native population. A great deal of the de velopment which has been carried out was achieved pre-war by the

ench, by means of imported in nture Asian labour, the source of lich has since dried up.

Given a solution of the labour oblem, this group could have a :h future.

The Solomons

IHE Solomon Islands Protectorate is administered under the aegis the Colonial Office in London d, as a straight-out British depen ncy, presents none of compli :ions of the New Hebrides “con minium.” Any advance towards istralian responsibility in the Pro torate would, then, be by, arrange nt between two British partners of British Commonwealth.

Fhough there may be differences detail in native administration, idamentally the British and Aus lian native policies are not greatly ergent, and the Solomons natives mostly akin in race to those of w Guinea and the Bismarck Archi ago. There should, therefore, be insuperable difficulty, if and ;n Australia may desire to ex id into the Protectorate, in find a formula, particularly as the omens should logically be far re valuable to Australia than to :at Britain.

Economically, the Solomons are

less rich than the New Hebrides, having a much poorer soil and a climate suitable only for extreme tropical agriculture. However, the population is about double that of the New Hebrides and, owing to the comparative difficulty of growing food, the plantation labour position is much easier (and cheaper). Again, there is always the possibility of striking payable gold on Guadalcanal.

By and large, it seems as if an expanding and vulnerable Australia (whose needs in tropical produce must necessarily increase with a mounting population ) will be driven sooner or later to look for definite respon sibilities in the New Hebrides and Solomons, even though at the moment circumstances do not seem propitious for the Federal Government to in crease its financial and administrative commitments—and the incidental burden on the Australian taxpayer— in the development of territories other than New Guinea-Papua.

The Chinese Consul-General at Sydney, Mr. Liang Rung Wang, visited the New Guinea area dur ing January, and his itinerary in cluded short stays at Rabaul, Lae and Madang. Latest statistics on the Chinese population in the New Guinea region indicate a total of 1,949.

Mr. R. K. Wilson, FRCS, who has been Medical Officer, Rabaul, NG, for two years has been transferred to Port Moresby headquarters where he will be Surgical Specialist —a surgical unit will be formed to visit all Territory centres at inter vals. Mr. Wilson’s place in Rabaul Will be taken by Dr. K. Pike, at present in Sohana.

In a recent issue we reported that a large party of big game fisher men from Hawaii would go to New Zealand in April for a game fishing contest with the Bay of Islands Swordfish and Mako Shark Club of Russell. The Hawaiian party now advise that they will not be able to go this season, but look forward to testing their

skill with the New Zealanders next season.

Mr. Harold Gatty of Fiji went to Auckland in January to complete work on a book on fundamental methods of navigation for hikers, mountaineers and desert wanderers —a companion piece to his famous Raft Book.

Tahiti

WHEN the votes were counted Papeete on January 18, folio ing the election of members the Assemblee Territoriale (forme: named Assemblee Representath it was found that all five elect members were Mayor Poroi’s de gates—and that not a single me: ber of the opposition group, head by Deputy Pouvaana a Oopa, h gained a seat.

According to our Tahiti corn pondent, Pouvaana a Oopa had c dared his intention of protesti to Paris, as he considers the elt tion was fraudulent.

The day following the elect! the situation was reported to tense, and the Governor assign troops to handle any disturbanc None occurred, however, and t fist-shaking had subsided by t following day.

It is expected that in the oul districts and islands the voting v be largely in favour of Pouvaa: a Oopa’s delegates, but the comp] tion of the election there will ta some time.

Members elected in Papeete we Alfred Ernest Terairei Poroi, Je Walter Tepuatauoriini Grand, Ma tial Teiki lorss, Albert Leboucb (Fute), and Frank Hitiatua Ric mond.

Ea-Air

Services Planned

T was reported in December PIM that Captains Bryan Monkton and F. I. L. Barnes, of Sydney, ere endeavouring to obtain sup irt in Honolulu for a projected r service between Honolulu and ahiti.

Some travel quarters in Hono ilu predict that it may be diffi ilt to obtain financial support tere for an airline, when the high >st of establishing facilities along ie route—at Palmyra, Christmas, • elsewhere —is taken into con deration.

However, there appears to be ore enthusiasm for a sea link hich is currently being planned j a company called Rubak Marine.

The prime movers in Rubak iarine are Messrs. Athol Rusden id Frederick R. Baker, both of ew Zealand. They purchased the ading schooner New Golden ind (now Artemise ) and left ickland in April, 1951, for Tahiti, here they sold the vessel and pro ieded to England, and purchased ie Pairmile passenger vessel iilante 11.

Philante II was brought to Tahiti id in recent months, made a run Honolulu to survey the possi lities of establishing a passenger rvice with Tahiti. Rubak Marine as registered as a company in onolulu in November with the ipport of certain travel agencies tere.

Mr. Baker is now reported in igland investigating the suit lility of a sizeable 25-passenger ssel, currently lying in a French >rt, which might be used with an iglish crew for the planned ser ce. Round trips would be made om Honolulu, with calls at ilmyra, Christmas, Fanning and mrhyn, the passengers living >oard at all ports, including ihiti.

Rubak Marine are also reported i having the option on a cargo issel in an English port. This as originally to be used to trans it 250 emigrants from American imoa to Honolulu.

It is known that the French overnment at Tahiti is interested purchasing Philante 11, presum )ly to replace the schooner imara, which may be involved in ie deal, according to coconut dio. If Philante II is not sold ie will probably be used for the ansport of the Samoans.

Mr. Roy Gray, recently air affic officer at Evans Bay, ellington. NZ, has been appointed Airport Superintendent at Sata lala/Faleolo, W. Samoa. He was tached to Flying Control, Fiji, eviously.

THOR HEYERDAHL, leader of the famous Kon Tiki expedi tion, was leading an expedi tion to the Galapagos Islands in January.

The party arrived at San Cristo bal Island on January 22 and con tinued on to Floreana Island the following day.

The expedition is “trying to find material to support the theory that the first inhabitants of the Gala pagos came from the American Continent instead of from Spain as some history books maintain.”

It is believed that the expedition will later go on to Easter Island.

C.I. Contingent For Coronation

APPLICANTS were being ex amined in Rarotonga, Cook Is., in January to form a small contingent which will represent the Cook Islands at the Coronation in London in June.

It is understood that Cook Island ex-servicemen resident in New Zea land will also be considered.

Mr. B. McVeagh, until recently foreman-mechanic at Aitutaki Air port, and currently on leave in New Zealand, has been appointed Aerodromes Technical Officer, Wellington.

Population Decline In

Dutch N. Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent

Hollandia, Jan. 7.

'N the past, the arrival of Euro . peans in some parts of the Pacific has been followed by a decline in ative population, not altogether ttributable to introduced diseases, his trend is still going on in some reas and to investigate the cause f this phenomenon, the South acific Commission has chosen as pilot investigation project an prea tuated in the south of Dutch New uinea where the Marind Anim jople live. The appointment of i expert was left to the Nether nds Foundation for Cultural An iropology, which has chosen Dr.

Kooijman. He arrived at Merauke January to set up his base camp.

The problem will be approached om the medical as well as from ie anthropological side. Dr. ijlmer, Head of the Department Health Welfare at Hollandia, ill direct the medical part of the )rk.

Dr. Kooijman will be assisted by ither J. Verschueren, well known r his anthropological work in the ea during recent years.

“Several theories about the causes the decrease of population aongst the Marind Anim have

been suggested,” Dr. Kooijman said.

“There is the theory formulated by the British anthropologist, Rivers, giving as a cause the so-called ‘psychical depression’. According to this theory the arrival of Euro peans in these areas greatly in fluenced the population, because fierce customs like headhunting, and weird festivals, mostly accompanied by excesses of all kinds, were pro hibited; these prohibitions created a kind of ‘culture tiredness’.”

On the other hand it is an estab lished fact that the so-called “venereal granuloma” has affected the Marind Anim, and later on was followed by other infectious dis eases like the flu-epidemics of 1918.

It will be of assistance to Dr.

Kooijman that the Missionaries of the Holy Heart at Merauke have kept parish registers of the almost entirely Christianised population in South New Guinea for nearly 50 years. Another helpful source will be the reports of the Swiss anthro pologist, Mr. Wirz, of his investiga tions amongst the Marinds in 1922 and 1927.

Major H. M. McDonald, who re turned to New Zealand in January after a year with the Fiji Bat talion in Malaya, drew attention to the fact that the NZ Patriotic Fund Board provided Christmas parcels only for the New Zealand members of the Battalion—all of whom were, of course, officers. In pointing out

the very healthy financial state of the Patriotic Board funds, he said that New Zealand might well pro vide comforts for the Fijian soldiers, thereby building up goodwill to wards New Zealand in Fiji.

Mr. Charles (Taro) Coulon, Assistant Manager of Etablisse ments Donald Papeete, paid a brief holiday visit to Auckland in Dec ember, travelling by TEAL.

Minister Visits

Prom Our Own Correspondent.

Norfolk Is., Jan. 16.

MR. PAUL HASLUCK, Minister for Australian Territories, with Mrs. Hasluck and their children, returned to Australia on

January 15 after two weeks on Norfolk Island.

Officially it was a holiday, but it consisted largely of investigations into Island problems, conferences with the Advisory Council and a round of social visits. Mr. and Mrs.

Hasluck also gave a reception at Government House to which all residents of Norfolk were invited.

The Minister took a genuini interest in Island affairs and is oi the opinion that a Commonweal*!] grant would be provided for the improvement of some of our road if the Island would attend to main] tenance afterwards.

IT was reported from Thursday Island in January that the Director of Native Affairs, who controls the Torres Strait Islanders pearling co-operative, had called a meeting of all pearling interests in the area to discuss the setting up of a training school for native divers. The meeting was to take place in mid-January followed ty another a month later.

One of the largest independent lugger operators at TI, indicated the poor showing that Torres Strait Islander divers were making as compared with pre-war Jap efforts; when he stated that in the seasod just past, his fleet averaged only 12 tons of MOP per lugger, as coml pared with an average of 23 tod by the Jap divers in pre-war days!

The Rev. Father David BeattiJ SM, has been appointed to the R.O.

Mission in Fiji and the Red Father Anthony Loft, SM, to thfl South Solomons—both from Well] ington, NZ.

Ck of RSL Interest In Moresby 29 Members at Annual Meeting

HEN the Port Moresby RSL Sub-Branch held its annual general meeting on January only 29 members of the 500 on membership list turned up. or was there any stampede mg the 29 to become office ■ers for the coming year, irst, the retiring President, Mr, McDonald, declined to stand re-election, and his move was iwed by one or two others itioned as good prospective lidential timber. Then Mr. 1 Edwards was elected unop ;d, giving him a third spell in office of President, r. Fred Lucas and Mr. Gunning e elected Vice-Presidents, but n the meeting was adjourned ' six of the 20 official positions been filled, tie retiring Secretary, Mr. iter Harrison, and the retiring isurer, Mr. Harry Powell, both (diom had done a grand job of t for the Sub-Branch over the dous 12 months, declined to id for another term in office, tie retiring President, Mr. >onald, said the year had been ily successful on the financial as the Sub-Branch started the • in a position of rather shaky ency, but finished up with £1,600 he bank. But he thought very e had been accomplished on usively RSL affairs. He had, ever, words of high praise for srs. Powell, Kidnie and Harri and the Women’s Auxiliary. :h of the success of the past • on the financial side was due :heir efforts. He said that he ight it was a sad commentary the management of the RSL ) that after being in existence seven years its assets were noth more than depreciated fumi , with some recently-acquired equipment, and a bank balance El6OO. He considered that one he factors which had detracted i a better and improved club, the fact that in the first in ce it had been given something lothing—the present RSL build- This had not been worked for, therefore was not appreciated, all-out effort was needed, he , and unless there was a pride wnership and the welding of all ibers into a team with the sole of safeguarding the property name of the Club, he feared , difficult days were ahead.

lulolo RSL Sub-Branch

hen the Bulolo RSL Sub ich held its annual meeting in

January, it was able to report a very fine achievement in having raised £B5O by various functions during the year. And the value of this achievement was doubly credit able as it was raised expressly for, and donated to various charitable organisations. This was done with a membership of 103, and the Sub- Branch numbers one Life Member among its group.

The meeting elected the follow ing office bearers for 1952; Presi

dent, Mr. A. E. Lee; Vice-Presi dents, Messrs. R. N. Wilson, W. E.

Armstrong, W. Winter; Secretary, Dr. C. E. M. Gunther; Assistant Secretary, Mr. R. B. Scholes; Treasurer, Mr. F. C. Roberts.

Monsieur Louis Girault, former popular Secretary General in Pa peete under Governor Anziani, is now Administrator-in-Chief of F.O.M. at Bougouni, Sudan.

FIFTEEN people who were looking forward to Christmas in Tahiti found themselves spend b on Akaiami islet, Aitutaki lagoon, n the TEAL Coral Route.

The Solent flight commenced at mckland on December 23 and went ccording to the book until after ake-off from Akaiami for Papeete n Christmas Eve. After some time i the air the weather closed in at 'apeete, so the flying-boat put bout and Mrs. Jones (relieving Irs. McVeagh) and her staff at kaiami welcomed them ashore gain for Christmas night.

Included in the passenger list ere Don Beachcomber, Honolulu jstaurateur; 78-year-old Miss I. dble, American lecturer on a mnd-the-world flight; Earl King, vimming instructor and spear in exponent from Hawaii; and merican artist Bennett Buck.

Christmas morning found the air aft in the air again and heading istward—but soon to return with igine trouble. Mrs. Jones was not :pecting to provide Christmas nner; however, the people of itutaki found a pig and 12 fowls id Earl King, completely in his ement, dived a few times from ie float of the Solent to bring ick a generous supply of fresh ;h for the table.

Up and away again in the next dawn and on Boxing Day Tahiti seemed “in the bag”—until another and extraordinary message arrived from the French capital; heavy rains in the mountains had brought a flood of logs down the streams and into the lagoon landing area, mak ing landing unsafe for the flying boat. Again back to Akaiami!

This time Mrs. Jones was past surprise but an Australian pas senger was inspired to write a play, marking the occasion, and performed that night by two Americans, an Australian, a Frenchman and a New Zealander.

Next morning the big aircraft took off again—and got there!

Though not sorry to arrive at their destination most of the passengers voted the Akaiami sojourn an en

joyable adventure.

Base

It is believed that the flying boat base on the Brisbane River at Hamilton, will shortly be trans ferred to Redland Bay, some 27 miles from Brisbane.

The present Sydney-Noumea- Suva and Sydney-Noumea-New Hebrides services will call at Red land Bay when the base is ready for operations.

The Sandringham flying-boat service through Brisbane to Fort Moresby will also, it was reported, be diverted to the new base.

Hamilton Reach, the present Brisbane flying-boat base, is not suitable for modern flying boats. A couple of accidents to aircraft landing and taking-off have already occurred in recent years.

The Kokopo Club, New Britain, held its annual Ball on December 26.

Sub-Inspector P. A. Broman of police headquarters at Port Mores by, will attend a forensic science course at an English police-train ing centre in Nottingham shortly.

He will do the course during part of a recreation leave trip to Britain and Sweden, and is already on his way overseas. His wife is Swedish, and preceded him on the holiday trip. She arrived at her

homeland a short while ago and since then has presented the Sub- Inspector with a small daughter.

Prince Tuipelehake, younger son of Queen Salote of Tonga, with his wife, Princess Meleanite, paid an unofficial holiday visit to Sydney in January. The Prince and his wife were educated at Methodist colleges in Sydney.

DR. D. JAMESON, who arrived in Brisbane from N.G. recently said that thousands of New Guinea natives sre being inocu lated with BCG against tuberculosis.

He said that 300 New Guinea natives suffering from TB were now housed in a special sanatorium and that there were wards for TB patients in all native hospitals.

Three European doctors and trained native medical assistants were spearheading the campaign against the disease.

Dr. Jameson said that in the coastal areas the incidence of TB was very much higher than in Australia, but they had been able to keep the disease from spreading to the Highland natives.

All tribes on the Highlands had been inoculated against TB, and labourers from those tribes were X-rayed after they had worked on the coast. Much of the medical patrolling work was done on foot along bush trails, but mass X-rays even in the remote villages were remarkably successful.

Dr. Jameson said that he had been walking solidly for the three years he had been in the Terri tory, and that all he wanted to do while on leave was to sit down somewhere and relax.

Headquarters In Solomons

Honiara, Jan. 20.

THE “second wave” of the transfer of the Western Pacific High Commission staff reached Honiara from Suva on January 13, in the MV Kurimarau. Passengers for WPHC Headquarters were: Mr. P. N. Dalton, newly-appointed Attorney-General, with Mrs. Dalton and family Mrs. T. I. Reeve and Miss O.

Reeve, for the Secretariat staff.

Other passengers carried included Miss M. Atkinson, for Vanikoro; an assistant medical practitioner from Fiji, for the Central Hospital, Honiara; a carpenter for the Public Works Department; a ship wright for the Marine Department; and Mrs. H. Wilder.

The Kurimarau carried 22 tons of affice records: 22 tons of office furniture; 11 tons of furniture for ifficers’ quarters; 10 tons of sugar f or the Trade Scheme; and 150 tons )f general cargo. The latter in duded 26,000 super feet of timber, ;wo motor cars, one tractor with railer, two surf boats, 12 goats, and lome hardboard and sheets of isbestos cement.

The only untoward incident of the voyage from Suva was the loss of the Third Engineer, Mr. W.

Beddoes, who fell overboard. The ship was put on the reciprocal course, and a thorough search made as soon as his absence was dis covered, but no trace of him was found.

The Chief Secretary of the High Commission, Mr. R. J. Minnitt, with Mrs. Minnitt and two children, arrived at Honiara on January 12 by Qantas aircraft.

Other inward passengers by air for Honiara were Mrs. Roy Gorringe, Miss G. L. Ross (returning from leave in Australia) and Mr. Halze.

Communications Officer, who re

placed Mr. Geoff Cocker at Honiara Radio.

Two more officers arrived recently in Honiara front Britain for the BSI Police —Mr. W. J. Carstairs (Assistant Superintendent) and Sub-Inspector J. L. Holland.

Apparently plenty of young men in Australia want to be patrol officers. When applications were called recently to fill 30 vacancies for cadet patrol-officers, 200 appli cations piled un in Canberra. Ten years from now it will be interest ing to scan the District Services records and see the calibre of the young men chosen by the Selection Board.

Mr. Walter Skudder, of Nukualofa, [?]ng a, with a record 161½ lb fish which caught in December. Called Valu Really, the fish is believed to be a riety of tuna.

Photo by Hettig.

Vega Lies Idle

Mr. Cornelius Crane’s big steel chooner-yacht Vega still lies idle ,nd in the dismasted condition in /hich she arrived back in port on Jovember 25, 1951, after sailing rom Papeete on what was to be he inaugural voyage of a passenger ervice between that port and lonolulu.

It is understood that the vessel ras insured for “total loss” only— nd that the insurance assessors do ot so classify Vega in her present ondition. The attitude of her wner is, however, said to be that, s repairs cannot be effected in apeete, Vega is, to all intents and urposes, a total loss until such me as she is repaired.

Whether Compagnie Generale des oyages Polynesiens—the French wnpany formed to operate the lanned service—intends opening le service if Vega is ever repaired, sems now in doubt.

At the time of re-registry under le French flag, a Honolulu news ier reported that Vega had then ;en renamed Te Rame. Travellers om Tahiti report however that, this was the case the ship still ;ars on her hull her original name.

Osita Missing In F. Oceania

The 18-ton trading vessel Rosita is missing in French Oceania

iters in December-January.

Rosita, with owner Marcel Lacour and four others aboard, left Tike hau atoll, at the north-western end of the Tuomotu, on December 20.

Up to January 20 nothing further had been heard of the vessel, which was bound for Papeete, 140 miles south, with a cargo of copra.

When she was reported overdue the Governor sent the gunboat Lotus and the Government schooner Tamara out on search. All vessels were asked to keep a sharp look out for the missing craft.

New Golden Hind Renamed

The Tahiti schooner New Golden Hind, known all over the South Pacific when she was New Zealand owned, has been renamed sines acquired by her Tahiti owners. She is now named Artemise, and under the command of Captain Amanu.

Another Mission Boat For

NH Naval Architect P. W. Willetts, of Auckland, is currently working on plans for a new mission vessel for use by the Presbyterian Overseas Mission in the New Hebrides.

Required to carry light deck cargo and deck passengers, the vessel is beamy—lo’ 5” on an overall length of 31’, and with a draft of 3’. There is a forward cabin with bunks and for light cargo, and a small wheel house with specially strengthened

top, aft. The vessel will have wheel and tiller steering—the natives pre ferring the latter.

She will be powered by a 30 hp Ailsa Craig diesel and will carry a dipping-lug and jib to help her along.

The same mission has another new vessel in Auckland ready for delivery to replace the second of two launches l®st in the hurricane of a year gao. The first, Break of Day 11, was delivered some time

ago. The present 30 ft craft, named Dove, will leave Auckland about March.

Melanesia For Sals

Captain H. M. Frewen’s 54-foot, 26-ton trading vessel Melanesia is for sale. This was the vessel that Captain Frewen acquired from the mission several years ago, the deal involving an exchange of his motor sailer Viking Ahoy, which he had brought to Suva on contract to the

film company shooting Blue Lagoon in the Yasawas.

Captain Frewen has been operat ing the vessel in the Fiji inter island cargo and passenger trade.

Another Tahiti Schooner

Lost

According to brief advice from Papeete, the 138-ton trading schooner Ruahatu was wrecked on December 19 on Tubuai Island, Aus tral Group, and is considered a total

loss. Built in 1925, the vessel was owned by Ah Yun.

Myrtle Ashore In Solomons

The BSIP government 60-ft.

Myrtle went ashore in the M’boli Passage near Siota, Florida Island, in mid-November. The Melanesian Mission vessel Southern Cross was in the vicinity and succeeded in towing Myrtle clear without serious damage soon after the mishap.

Porionuu Makes First

Voyage

The tank-landing-ship Porionuu, which was acquired from Honolulu by the Public Works Department of French Oceania last year, made her first voyage out of Papeete in De cember-January. She had been on overhaul since arriving last Oc tober.

This first voyage was to bring a number of leper patients from Mangareva to Orafara village, Tahiti. It is understood that the ship, with her Tahitian captain, will be employed on this work from the outer islands for some time.

City Of New York Burnt

Out

Many will remember Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic Expedition flag-ship City of New York, which we believe made calls at Papeete during her 1928-29 and 1946-47 South Polar ex peditions.

The wooden three-masted schooner, built in 1885, caught fire on De cember 31, an oil stove overturning when she grounded outside Yar mouth, Nova Scotia. Damage was

onsiderable and the vessel may be l write-off. She has been running ►etween Canada and the West ndies recently.

Loma Case

In January, reserved judgment /as given in Auckland in the case f commission claimed on the sale f the Solomons trading vessel Loma PIM, Dec. p. 121). The judge found hat Andrew Donovan, ship-broker f Auckland, could rightfully claim he commission, having been ppointed agent by the then owner, "he vessel had been sold “behind laimant’s back,”

Southern Cross Scare

While welders were working board the mission ship Southern 'ross at her laying-up berth in mckland in mid-January, oil in be bilges suddenly began to smoke nd show every indication of burst ig into flames. The fire brigade r as hastily summoned and the out reak nipped in the bud with the id of “fog guns.” No damage re jlted. (Continued next page)

From Left To Right:

Mr. H. Williams took his trading vessel [?]n spire from the Cooks to Papeete for the [?]urricane season, and returned by air to Sydney on a short visits Inspire at Papeete.

The 34-ft. Ventura, Colin Archer-type [?]cht recently purchased by Mr. R. Ralph, Rabaul, through Captain W. L. [?]ennedy, Sydney shipbroker.

season by Mr. D. C. Brown, who pur chased and salvaged the stranded vessel.

Mr. D. C. Brown, of Rarotonga, may be adding a larger vessel to his little inter-island fleet soon, if present negotia tions are satisfactory. The vessel would come from Europe.

Mr. Des Ashton made a return run from Sydney to Auckland and back in his yacht Lahara in December-January.

Captain Grey’s former yacht Siren, well known in Suva, as she now sits on the beach at Rarotonga, ready to be re launched at the end of the hurricane

Photos shown opposite ;

'op to bottom; Horizon, one of the > Scripps Oceanographic Institute vey vessels which have been taking indings over a wide area of the Pacific recent months.

Vhite Heron, Mr. Reynolds’ luxurious tor cruiser, being lifted aboard Cale lien at Papeete and transferred to the st Indies. in Miedo, American ketch which ived in Papeete from Honolulu on :cmber 31.

Ir. Geogre Hunt’s Fremantle-built si cutter Corsair, about to leave Sydney Auckland and the Islands.

i recent arrival in Auckland m Papeete told of an episode Giving the well-known Tahiti ooner Tagua some months ago. he trading schooner was lying the Tatakoto reef, Tuamotu, en a serious fire broke out on xd. The crew abandoned ship Captain Voirin and his chief ineer remained aboard and suc sfully fought the fire—the tain being seriously burned. He ► later awarded the Merite ritime —similar to the Lloyds ial award—by the Governor of nch Oceania. i the panic of abandoning ship Supercargo lost his valise con ling a large sum of money for ie purposes. This sum he med from the insurance com y and the claim was about to

be settled for the stated sum when a parcel and letter arrived in Papeete from the Rev. Father Victor, of Tatakoto, addressed to the appropriate authorities. It contained the valise which the priest had himself found lying on the reef with the money still inside.

Stortebecker 111, English doctor John Franklin-Evans’ 33-ft. yawl, would be offered for sale in Hono lulu, according to Aucklander Ronald Lamb, who recently arrived back in that port from French Oceania. (Next page)

Lamb joined the yacht before she sailed from Auckland August 30 (PIM, October, p. 115). No fixed ports of call were planned, the idea being to eventually reach Honolulu and possibly San Francisco. The first port of call was Rapa, where permission was obtained to remain 10 days to carry out minor repairs.

There they were treated most hospit ably by Roland d’Assignies, only European on that island, and by the Tahitian medical officer. They climbed around the jagged ridges

of Rapa’s spectacular peaks in their spare time and thoroughly enjoyed the break there after several weeks at sea. Then on to Ravavae, where an even more enjoyable three days were spent, the people showing them the greatest hospitality. Thence to Tahiti, Titiaroa, Fakarava and Takaroa. At Takaroa there was great MOP shell diving activity, and a most interesting time was had at this Tuamotu atoll.

Lamb left the y«,cht there, re turning to Papeete by trading

vessel Wahine Tahiti in time t catch a vessel back to New Zealam Stortebecker 111 was to continue 01 via other islands, to Honolulu, fror where, if the yacht could be sol( Dr. Franklin-Evans and Norwegia Frank Jensen would return t Europe by orthodox means. * * * Kimbala, English 40-ft. ketcl changed hands in January. She ha been sitting in a cradle at Aucklan since her owner Captain J. Me Kenzie Arnot went north som months ago to take over the com mand of MH’s MV Altair. at Suv £ It is understood that after a con siderable overhaul her new Auck land owner may cruise to the Islands next season.

Sin Miedo, a stout ketch of 40-od' feet, arrived in Papeete from Hono lulu on December 31. Her America: owner, Paul L. Mitchell, is accom panied by his wife and child am a crew member, Emile Felios.

From Tahiti the owner plans ti head for the Cook Islands. * * * Last October (p. 115), we men tioned Wanderer 111, successor t Wanderer 11, which noted Englisi yachtsman and yachting writer Eri Hiscock had built after disposing o Wanderer 11. For some time pas the latter yacht has been lyinj in Papeete. We now learn tha Wanderer 111, with Eric Hiscock am his wife, Susan, left Barbados am was expected at Panama at thl beginning of January. Mr. Franl

yre, of Melbourne, in correspond nce with Hiscock, tells us that Vanderer 111 will sail direct for 'ahiti, thence Cook Islands, Tonga, amoa and Sydney in the course of round-the-world voyage.

Writing in “Yachting Monthly,” [iscock indicates that he is not ompletely satisfied with some of le features of the new craft. The [g may later be changed from sloop ) cutter.

Built to the designs of Laurent riles, the yacht is 30’ 3” x 26’ 4” x ’ 5” x 5’ and has a built-in dark )om for photography. The craft, y one of England’s most dis nguished designers and in the ands of a foremost English y adits lan, is bound to create consider ble interest along the route.

While Wanderer II rests her wings >r a while in Papeete, awaiting the id of the Cook Islands hurricane >ason before pressing westward, le of her joint owners, Bill Howell, as been off on a side-jaunt to bnolulu in Messrs. Rusden and aker’s Fairmile Philante 11. While rank McNulty was left holding the >rt it was reported that during eavy weather in Christmas week i Papeete, Wanderer II took loard a good deal of water and iffered damage to ship-stores. In ‘moving these ashore to clean out le ship, McNulty unthinkingly mtravened Customs regulations id was reported to be in trouble itil the matter was straightened it. * * * Philante 11, (November, p. 123) as reported as still likely to be xmired from her present owners, essrs. Rusden and Baker, of New >aland, by the Government of :ench Oceania. Negotiations be g delayed pending the election of new Assembly, the Fairmile made survey run to Honolulu and re rn in connection with a planned issenger service which her owners tend to establish with a larger issel this year. Northbound, while Christmas Island, skipner Rusden ceived a request from Fanning to tnvey a sick woman and her three lildren to Honolulu. Returning in ecember, the launch landed a ;banese named Nicholas on Pal yra Island as companion for Mr. illard-Leo, owner and only other esent resident of the war-time r-base. Several days were also tent at Penrhyn, N. Cooks, before riving back at Papeete, December In addition to skipper Rusden id Bill Howell, the company cou nted of American Reg. Chambers, ate, Herb Case of Honolulu, Peter arokmorton, Emile Sorensen, Gus ve and Hiro Levy—the latter three Tahiti—and Mrs. Leonie Hay, a ew Zealand recently resident in awaii. Mrs. Hayes continued on to ickland by air, declaring the un thodox method of travel a great [venture. If the sale of Philante is further delayed it was reported

as likely that she would make a number of runs from Pagopago to Honolulu under contract to deliver several hundred emigrants from American Samoa. =l= * * White Heron, luxurious motor cruiser belonging to Richard J.

Reynolds, American tobacco mag nate, after several months in French Oceania waters, departed from Papeete for the Caribbean on De cember 28 —on the deck of the MM liner Caledonien —in care of skipper Peter Barber and crewman Jack Cash. Mr. I. E. Walker, of Papeete, built a special cradle for the craft.

Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds flew back to the States. It is understood that they have a new yacht building in

England which will appear in the Pacific in due course.

There’s further news of Captain George Dibbern and Te Rapunga.

The skipper wrote interestingly from his island farm —Woody Island —near Hobart, in December to say that coconut radio reports of his impending return to the sea are correct.

“From January on my island here will be leased and I am free to sail.

I first intend to finish a book and then—it will not be before May— start for Auckland and the Islands.

That is, God and . . . war (?) per mitting. Crew will be Eileen Morris and our daughter, Michele Lalani, aged SJ, and perhaps one or two

more friends as they finally com along Am just getting the old boa into shape again. Details will fol low later.” . Dibbern, originally from Germans 15 well known in the eastern Pacifi with his yacht. Several years ag< he won a half share (£5,000) in i Tattersalls sweep. * * * Lahara, Des. Ashton’s 33-footer made a return run from Sydney where Mr. Ashton is a student ai the Mosman School of Pacific Ad ministration, to Auckland in De cember-January. Bad weather wai encountered in the eastbound pas sage, the yacht arriving in Auck land on Christmas day. Mr. Ashtor spent some time with relatives ir Whangarei, his original home town He was accompanied by Messrs. K Shepherd, of Sydney, and C. Hooper of Whakatane, NZ. Mr. Shepherc flew back and his place was taker by another Whakatane man, Allan Thompson, for the returr passage, which commenced January 15. Mr. Ashton said that it is pos sible that he may dispose of the year-old sloop before returning to NG in a year’s time on completion of his course in Sydney. Though registered with the Port Moresby Aquatic Club the yacht has not yet seen that port. She was built in Tasmania. * * He Scaldis, another one of those ex cellent steel Dutch yachts, should be seen in the eastern Pacific this winter. The 15-ton, 33-foot sloop cleared Yarmouth, England, on the run south towards Panama last October. Owned by Dutchman Cor van der Torre, 25, his 20-year old wife, Greta, 3-months-old son, Corry, Brother William, and an un named 31-year-old engineer and his wife, the yacht seemed well for the cruise to the antipodes where they evidently plan to settle.- Scaldis carries 350 gallons of fresh! water for washing purposes in the double bottom, as well as 120 gallons of fresh water and 120 gallons of fuel oil in other tanks.

She has a semi-diesel auxilliary.

An English yacht, Maid of Alphin, left Torquay, also in October, on a two-year world cruise. Built at a cost of £12,000, the yacht is owned by a retired Gold Coast man, Mr.

W. A. Ellis. With him as navigator is an American, Janus L. Cox complete with a collection of 400 charts. This yacht should appear in the eastern Pacific soon.

Latest news of Tropic Seas, Caldwell’s yacht at present in Papeete, is that he plans to arrive in Auckland about November of this year. The yacht will soon leave to visit other Groups en route. It is interesting to note that the owner of Calypso, also currently at Papeete, sold Caldwell his previous yacht Pagan, in which he made the voyage described in his book, Desperate Voyage, Fiji yachtsmen will remember

ally Walton, keen RNZAF yacht g man of several years ago. Off i a summer cruise to Norfolk land in his little 22-foot Susan he rived at the island 11 days out Whangaroa on January 7. Some ncern was being felt at Norfolk le to the rather slow passage. isan lost her mast-head in a uall. On arrival at Kingston she as lifted out of the water by ane and sat on dry land until her parture. She arrived back in ickland on January 26. * * ♦ A yacht that seems to have nished from all ken is the 86-foot tch Argosy, which left New York »t May 29 to follow in the wake Charles Darwin and HMS Beagle.

A.rgosy is on some kind of an ex dition. She is under the com tnd of American Capt. E. Davies t the expedition party is under 3 control of Captain G. B. sborne, a Scot. 1 rgosy was to pass through nama, then call at Galapagos, ster, Pitcairn and the Cooks. She s scheduled to be in New Zea id waters by last December but ce her departure from New York reports have been seen of her ivements. * * * 7arua, owned and skippered by 11 known William A. Robinson )eep Water and Shoal”) arrived ;k in Papeete from Panama last jtember, according to news just

eiyed.

rhis American yachtsman, now niciled in Tahiti, left there in luary, 1952, on a trip to the ites. The return run from aama was made via the Gala gos and Mangareva.

'riends at Mangareva, incident r, were pleased to partake of 3h potatoes grown at Galapagos n the equator but cooled by the mbolt current. * * * nspire, Brixham trawler, which ; been trading in the Cook aids for some months, but which ping in Papeete during the hurri es season, is being offered for ; there at a reported 1.4 million ;ific francs (£ Stg. 7,800). It is ught unlikely however, that Syd owner Mr. Williams will obtain price with copra currently de ling in value. The yacht was verted to a trading vessel in iney a year ago at a cost of 00. nglishman Tom Hepworth’s hur Rogers, at present in the te port, is also reported for sale 2 million Jrancs (see earlier -es). ionsieur and Madame Van den ek d’Obrennan of Papeete sailed a visit to France in January in new Messageries Maritimes r Caledonien. Monsieur Van Broek d’Obrennan is the enthu tic chief of Tahiti’s Syndicat itiative.

11THEN Mr. and Mrs. A. Riechel ▼ f mann of Eua Island, just south of Tongatabu, left Auckland in January to return home after a motoring holiday in New Zealand, Mr. Riechelmann re ported that he had just received word from Eua that there had been an important gold find on one of his three properties there.

He said that there had been small gold finds on Eua in the past, but according to his advice the present find looked like being “the real thing”.

Burns Philp Trust Co. Ltd. showed a profit of £7,214 for the year ending December 31, 1952.

First Export Oil

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Jan. 25.

Coconut products, ltd., oil mill, with one expeller work ing three shifts seven days a week for some time now, expects to make its first shipment of 1,000 tons of coconut oil to the United Kingdom during February.

Two hundred tons of coconut meal were shipped by Corahank in November, and another 335 tons will go forward on the Springbank at present loading copra for UK.

The Copra Mill staff includes six European engineers and approxi mately 125 native labourers.

The following article, outlining the possibilities of coffee-growing in Pavua-New Guinea, is based on material supplied to the newspapers on January 13 by the Australian Department of Territories. It will be noted that, while some practical data are given, there is a certain lack of guarantee in respect of (a) availability of land and ( b ) markets.

COFFEE has been grown on a small scale in Papua and New Guinea for many years. In 1938-39 exports of coffee amounted to 150 tons, valued at £7,754. Pro duction during the war was sus pended. Many coffee plantations

were damaged during the Japanese occupation. In 1950/51, 33 tons of coffee valued at £8,359, were ex ported. This figure had increased to 35 tons, valued at £10,511, in 1951/52.

Census of March, 1951, showed coffee planting (in acres) as follows: Not Bearing Bearing Robusta 53 64 Arabica 148 166 201* 230 f ♦Mostly in New Guinea—l4o in Morobe District and 50 in Bou gainville. 1169 in New Guinea (100 in

Morobe District and 66 in Centra Highlands). 61 in Papua.

Coffee is adaptable to a widi range of soil types, and choic coffee land can be found on th coastal slopes, foothills and high land valleys of Papua and Ne\ Guinea.

The two major varieties usei commercially are Arabica (a high land type) and Robusta (suited t the lowlands). Robusta is th variety mostly consumed in Aus tralia and better quality Arabica i principally used for blending Robusta is heavier-yielding (7 cw per acre) and usually is lower priced than Arabica (about 4 cwl per acre).

Arabica grows well in the Cen tral Highlands and in the hig] valleys near Wau.

Department of Agriculture main tains a number of species of low level coffee at Keravat Lowland Agricultural Experiment Static] near Rabaul, and has several type of high quality cpffee under tria at the Aiyura Highlands Expert ment Station in the Eastern High lands.

A privately-owned coffee planta tion at Wau now produces Bin Mountain Jamaica coffee, one o the highest quality Arabica coffe< strains in the world. Heaviest high quality crops are produced betweei 4,000 and 6,000 feet altitudes an< crops around one ton per acre havi been harvested in the NG High lands. Plants on an area at Kori Farm, near Mt. Hagen, are showin[ very fine yields.

Private planters have proved tha coffee thrives in the Highland areas There now are 6 or 8 new coffe< plantations in the Highlands. Mos of the suitable coffee land in thes< areas is at present owned by th< natives.

Coffee rust (Hemeleia Vastatrix] has not been recorded in Papus or New Guinea: good qualitj Columbian type Arabica coffee cat be produced at levels as low an 300-500 feet without any dangej of this disease. The destructive Boeboek borer found in Java anc Malaya has not been recorded in the Territory.

Availability Of Land

Low level. —There are areas oj Crown Land suitable for coffeel growing in the Sangara area (u| to 1200 feet altitude) and at Wanfl gela-Sinapa (from about 100 to 2,300 feet). Other land at about 3,00® feet is suitable for coffee, but is difficult of access at present. Theri are several unused coffee plants! tions in Bougainville and New Britain, which could be re-plantef more cheaply than developing new areas.

High Level.—Large areas on thfi) Highlands are suitable for coffeef growing. Areas under grass on the) valley floors (4,000-5,000 feet) have proved very suitable.

Transport

One native labourer to approxi itely 11 acres is required. Cost employment (subject to some :iation) is about £lOO-£llO p.a. per xmrer (including rations, kit ues, recruiting and repatriation arges, etc.). Local casual labour, icn available, would cost con lerably less.

Availability of labour is largely ated to the area involved, but ficulties are fewer on the High ids where the population and >our potential are greater. Labour not so plentiful at low levels, ere a shortage may be encoun ed during the picking season. In »st areas, however, there would sufficient assistance available for aring, planting, pruning and .intenance. The lower cost of aring and establishment in the jhlands is offset to a large ex it by the high cost of air freight.

Access to the Highlands is by . There is a network of roads ving the internal sections of ; Highlands, but some bridges ye yet to be built. In the San •a area there is a road to the ist. Access could be constructed the Wanigela-Sinapa area.

Production Economics

>etailed estimates of coffee-grow : capitalisation costs per acre are

difficult because of the number of factors involved—varying avail ability of labour, type of forest cover, distance from major port, local terrain, use of catch crops and extent of mechanisation.

Estimates by Agriculture officials show that costs of development might vary from £5O to £2OO per acre, according to these factors.

They consider that the minimum size of a coffee plantation for economic production by an indi vidual settler would be 40 acres.

The Department suggests an area of 500 acres on the lowlands or 1000 acres on the highlands for a company estate maintaining its own factory.

Doctor Natives

Colossal Task in Papua-N.

Guinea

rO deal with the biggest single health problem in the Pacific —caring for the health of ,500,000 primitive natives—the ‘apua-New Guinea Department of lealth now is putting in a basic rganisation under which a new entral medical school (to be com peted in 1956) will yearly produce bout 25 qualified native medical ractitioners.

It is hoped that at the end of 20 ears the school will have trained DO selected natives, for work among beir own people.

The Territories’ two chief basic eeds are trained medical men and rained native school teachers, for r ork in the villages. But, before bey can get to work, institutions ave to be created to train the jachers and medical workers.

Most other Pacific Territories ;nd selected students for a four ears’ training course to the Cen tal Medical School, in Suva—one f the most successful institutions f the kind in the world. But, be luse they lacked primary educa on, the experiment of sending a arty of selected natives from apua and New Guinea to the Suva chool was a failure; and it since as been decided to meet the needs f the big Australian Territories by ;tablishing a training institution k Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, the Health Depart- Lent is giving simple training to a increasing number of native jspital assistants and dressers, and i native nurses, and thus medical d is steadily being extended over ic Territories. It is not highly ;illed aid, and many districts are ill untouched, but both the tempo id size of the medical organisation ■e increasing steadily.

Hospitals Wanted

Territory citizens wonder what is )ing to happen about new hos tals, particularly at Fort Mores r and Lae, where they are desper ;ely needed.

Remembering the fanfare during le Spender regime about Seven illion Pounds for a Territory

ide hospital-building programme,

iree Advisory Councils have re ved the subject.

Apparently the £7,000,000 scheme is a first casualty in the economic trenchment policy. But a Mores r Council member has suggested at, if money is not available in illions, then why not a few thou nds to get the job started.

Indians And Fiji Rural

Government

Suva, Jan. 10.

AN Indian meeting at Ba (one of the largest centres of Fiji Indian population) has asked the Government to defer the pro posed rural local government scheme on financial grounds until the people concerned (almost ex clusively Indians) ask for it through their representatives in the Legis lative Council.

This seems to support the con tentions that this is not the time to start rural local government ex periments and that there are ques

tions of greater urgency which should be tackled first.

Cynical hints that this Indian reluctance might be due to a dis like to becoming ratepayers have been met with statements that, whatever may be said to the con trary, Indians pay their full share of taxation through (a) customs duties and (b) CSR Company taxes.

Rabaul and Kokopo had another earth tremor on January 27. Its strength was 5-6, and it lasted 105 seconds. This was enough to cause a landslide on the Rabaul-Kokopo coast road, and in some houses heavy furniture was shifted.

French Oceania

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Jan. 24.

French Oceania experienced bad weather at Christmas time. Strong winds were experienced in the Leeward Islands and parts of the Tuamotu Group; and very heavy rain fell in Tahiti.

There was a hurricane scare in Papeete on December 22. The new MM liner Caledonien, homeward bound on her maiden voyage, was in port and due to sail on Decern ber 29. but did not get away

weather moderated ° n No damage was done in the port, but rivers were heavily In Hood.

Heavy logs, sweeping down the rivers from the mountains, fouled the harbour and made it unsafe for the TEAL aircraft to land on her scheduled flight (see else where).

The verandah roof of what was once the famous Tahiti Yacht Club (but which is now only the Yacht Club Restaurant) was torn off the building during a gale on January 19. Sheets of flying roofing iron struck the car of a local resi dent, Mr. Mackenzie.

Passengers arriving in Auckland from the Cook Islands recently included (top to bottom, left to right):— Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Leopard down from.

Rarotonga on two months’ leave. Mr.

Leopard is USS Co, manager there.

Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Brown, of Raro-| tonga. Mr, Brown is a well-known merchant and ship-owner in the Cook] Islands.

Mr. Temana Ngatama, Mauke school-] teacher, and a group of students to attend schools in New Zealand.

Eveloping The Citrus

/|R. ROSS WALKER, manager of fJL Fruit Distributors, Ltd., the importing organisation of land fruit into New Zealand, has icently inspected Cook Islands antations and has estimated a •oduction level of 163,000 cases of trus fruit from the Cooks by igO—if there are no hurricanes or ight damage.

New Zealanders and Cook Island owers are interested in knowing hat plans are being made for le safe transport of this fruit the New Zealand market and bether the cool store now being lilt in Rarotonga will be capable storing it in sufficient quantity.

It might also be asked what ans the Government has towards e collection of the fruit in the iter Cook Islands and transport this cool store, where the NZ ssel will presumably do all its ading at the one port—Rarotonga.

Mr. Ross Walker said in a press atement that the people in the >ok Is. can be certain that New aland can take all their oranges, id that when the increased antities become available he has en assured by the Union Steam dp Co. that shipping will be ailable.

He said that as the orange ason in the Cook Islands follows e banana season in Fiji “it might possible to switch ships from e banana trade to the orange ide”.

Experience has shown, however, at even calls of large vessels anot save the entire crop—that a few thousand cases over the pacity are usually left to rot, and at another vessel will not gd rth to load until a full cargo is Hired. rhe only solution is for small eels to remain within the Cook oup to run the small consign nts, as they ripen, to a central )1 store in Rarotonga, where the dt may be held in safety for an lefinite period. rhe loss of a few thousand cases ,y not mean much to the New iland Government, the importers, the shipping companies, but it ans a great deal to the Cook anders, psychologically and ancially. ?he Cook Islands Agricultural partment has worked hard to :ourage the people to again build the industry after many past dis iragements over NZ shipments, foung Cook Islanders are adily leaving the islands to find re lucative employment in New iland —the only thing that will ;p them in the Group is the r elopment of the fruit industry.

OVER 90 guests attended the wedding of Miss Margaret Riley, of Lautoka, to Mr. Bruce Nenke, of the Bank of NSW, at Lautoka, Fiji, on January 10.

Miss Riley, who was attended by Miss Ann Corbett, wore a wedding gown of velvet embossed organdie and a heirloom veil, over 100 years old, which was worn by her father’s mother at her wedding.

Mr. H. B. Riley is the well-known dentist of Lautoka and came to Fiji in 1904. Mrs. Riley is a member of one of Fiji’s oldest families.

Mr. and Mrs. Nenke, the parents of the bridegroom, made the long journey from West Australia, to be present at the ceremony.

Fiji is to have a new museum building, estimated to cost £15,000.

It is expected to be completed before the end of this year on a site near the boundary of the Suva Botanical Gardens and Govern ment House grounds. Mr. R. A.

Derrick, who is to be Curator of the Museum, is now on leave prior to retiring from the post of Super visor of Technical Services.

David Paasad, 35, ship’s greaser, of Fiji, was sentenced to six months gaol, pending deportation, in Syd ney in January on a charge of being a prohibited immigrant. He has a wife and child in Sydney.

Travellers

I Arrivals in Auck land during JanuarY 1 included (top tO .bottom): Mrs. W. S.

Jones, formerly of W. Samoa, talking with Mr. A. J. Ley den, of MH & Co., Apia.

Miss Ruby Yandall, from W. Samoa, with baby Brenda Railey. j Mr. P. Frost and Mr. Sani Sami from W. Samoa.

Northbound by Maui Pomare in January:— Mr. T. P. Makea, Secretary, Cook Is.

Industrial Workers Union, returning after a business visit to NZ. Sister G. A.

Hand, of Auckland, who went to join the Rarotonga hospital staff.

Johnny Tofo and Makatea Hukui, who returned to Niue ifter attending ScottS School, Wellington.

Societies

NEARLY 240 delegates from 97 registered and unregistered] co-operative societies attended a conference in Suva, Fiji, in; January. Proceedings were opened] by Mr. C. Harvey, who is Registrar] of Co-operative Societies as well as; Director of Agriculture.

He said that the movement had] aroused great interest in the Colony in the past five years, par-1 ticularly among Fijians who are; accustomed to working together asi communities. More recently, some Indian farmers had formed co-J operatives for the purpose of pur chasing machinery to work their I land.

Mr. Harvey emphasised that co-| operatives were not a cure-all or! a substitute for hard work. He said that the Fiji models varied ; greatly in efficiency and usefulness and that he would like to see more; producer-societies rather thanj societies which engaged in retail storekeeping and marketing of produce.

Valued correspondent Colin Man sell reports that Mr. Eugene Paul has installed air-conditioning in the cinema theatre in Apia. As the capital of the Samoan isles is notor iously a steamy place, the initiative of Apia’s commercial czar will be much appreciated—and, of course, it will be good for business.

NG Children

New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney received the following dona tions for their children’s Christmas arty and tree:—

Fijian Master Mariner

At a ceremony at Government House, Suva, in January, the first Marine Board Certificate for Master Mariner (Unlimited Tonnage), earned by a Fijian, was presented to Taito Cavei, shown here receiving it from the hands of the Governor. Photo by Stinsons.

cknowledgcd previously .

£ s. 38 5 d. 6 ■G.U. 5 5 0 G Club, Rabaul 0 G Co.. Rabaul 0 olyer Watson Pty., Ltd. 10 (It 0

[rs. Hay

0 !rs. Coombes . . 10 0 ts. Hopkins 10 0 trs. Dunbar-Reid 2 2 0 ts. Shore 10 0 ts. Normoyle 0 rs. Jones 11 0 rs. Keenan 0 W. Anderson 0 B. Sedgers 0 icific Publications 0 rs. Costello 0

rs. Symmington

10 0 rs. McDonald 0 rs. Helton 0

rs. Washington

10 0 rs. Laws 0 r. Robins o iSAILA, Lae ... 0 rs. Bellhouse 10 0 rs, Duncan o

rs. Harvey

10 0 inter Club (I r. Moncur 0

:. Marlay

10 0 •s. Middleton 3 0 o r. Laird 10 0 rs. Maclean 11 6 ‘s. Good 2 2 o •. Draffyn 0

■s. Wallace Brown ..

0

Total .. .

0

IARLY forecasts are that world i production of rice in 1952-53 season will be a record. In cased acreage and favourable ather are responsible.

Ct is estimated that about 170 llion tons will be harvested— iich is about five per cent, above 3-war average. [t is unlikely that there will be y fall in price—population in )ase in rice-eating countries has >re than kept pace with the :reased yield.

The Commander of the Fiji Mili tary Forces, Commander C. L.

Pleasants, left in February for

Malaya, to visit the First Batta lion of the Fiji Infantry Regiment.

Mr. J. B. Hicks, MBE, Senior Clerk and Customs Officer, left Honiara, BISP, by MV Muliama on.

January 29 for Australia, on pre retirement leave after 28 years’ ser vice with the British Solomon Is lands Protectorate Government. He went to the Solomons in July, 1925 as Third Clerk and Boarding Officer in the Customs Department at Tulagi.

Henry Aporo Williams

The death of a very well known Cook Islands resident, Mr. Henry Aporo Williams, occurred January 14 under tragic circumstances.

Mr. Williams, aged about 70, had 3een a patient at Makogai Leper hospital for a number of years and lad been successfully treated and vas to return home, when he had i stroke. He later had another troke in Suva, while waiting trans port and he knew that the end was lot far away. His only wish was hat he get back to Rarotonga.

His son, Terry Williams, now re ident in Auckland, flew to Suva n d saw his father safely aboard be TEAL aircraft as a stretcher ase.

Mr. Williams, however, died board the plane about U hours fter ft had taken off from W. amoa for Aitutaki.

A Civil Aviation Department cali ration aircraft happened to be at itutaki at the time and arrange ents were made for the body to ; flown to Rarotonga.

Henry Williams had been attached i the Public Works Department the Cook Islands for many years id was a member of one of the st known families in the Group.

Madame Brunschwig

Madame Brunschwig, mother of adame Petitbon and mother-in v of Monsieur Petitbon, Governor French Oceania, died in Papeete the Governor’s Palace on De nber 13 following a long Illness, le funeral took place at Paurani netery on the following day. rhe funeral, the first to 'take ice from the Governor’s Palace Papeete, was largely attended, my coming from distant parts of ! island.

Mr. R. Farquhar

Jr. Ronald Farquhar, elder son Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Farguhar, of /a, died at Auckland on member 9 after a brief illness, le was 32 and was born in Fiji served in the Middle East with 2l lu NZEF • After his discharge m the Army he joined the staff the Auckland City Council He survived by his wife and four ng children.

Mr. Laurie Henderson

he death occurred in Samarai, ua, in January, after a brief 3ss of Mr. Laurie Henderson, had been a resident of Eastern ua for about 40 years. He went s apua originally in the Admin ition service, and was an Assist- Resident Magistrate at Cape on. For the last 30 years he been a planter, pearler, trader hotelkeeper in Eastern Papua, was very widely known, and ersally esteemed. Mr. Hender

son was decorated for distinguished services in World War II as a guide pilot on the small ships. His son, Rex, served in the RAF, and is be lieved now to be resident in Canada.

Mrs. Flo Stewart, of Lae, is a sister in-law.

Mr. Vernon Leunig

The death occurred in Sydney, some time ago, of Mr. Vernon C.

Leunig, of Sangara Estates, Papua —aged 60. He was at one time man ager of Mr. Doug Wylie’s hotel at Sangara, He had been in poor health for several years.

Bishop Le Cadre

The death occurred recently in the Marquesas Islands of Bishop David Le Cadre, a native of Brittany, France, who had devoted over half a century to Mission work.

He was appointed Vicar Apostolic

of the Marquesas in 1920 and m that year made his only trip back to his homeland where he was con secrated at the cathedral at Vannes.

He was born in 1875, joined the Congregation of the Sacred Heart and was ordained in 1900, leaving for the Marquesas soon after.

Mrs. D. Campbell

Mrs. Duncan Campbell, a resident of the Samarai district, Papua, for 38 years, died in the Samarai Hospital on February 3, aged 80.

She is survived by her husband, who now lives in Australia, a daughter, Mrs. Simpson, likewise in Australia, and two other daughters living in the Territory—Mrs. F. L.

Burrows, of Sariba, near Samarai, and Miss Nancy Campbell, who is on the staff of Burns Philp (New Guinea), Ltd., at Port Moresby.

Until the war Mr. and Mrs.

Campbell lived at Kuiaro on the mainland opposite Samarai where Mr. Campbell, a shipwright, operated a slipway.

Mr. S. C. Falkenberg

Mr. S. C. Flakenberg, A Re

tired American citizen, who has been resident in Tahiti for several years, died in Auckland on January 20 following an opera tion.

He arrived in Auckland shortly before Christmas, his photo appear ing in our January issue. Mrs.

Falkenberg was summoned and arrived shortly before his death.

Tahiti, Feb. 9.

EDGAR LEETAG, an American artist who had won an over seas reputation as a painter on velvet, and who resided on Moorea, was killed at midnight on Saturday when the motor-cycle on which he was pillion-riding crashed into the parapet of a small bridge.

The driver of the cycle, another American named Case, was badly injured. (An article about Leetag appears in Editors’ Mailbag, this issue.)

Kenneth Bock, who was involved with J. D. Wilkinson in ex traordinary court proceedings in Samarai, Papua, some 18 months, ago, was arrested in Port Moresby in January, on a charge that he committed a fraud in Queensland in 1947, and was sent on extradition, to Rockhampton, for trial.

Bock, then an Administration employee, and Wilkinson, a trader, were charged at Samarai with the theft of Government stores. They were tried by two different judges.

On exactly the same set of cir cumstances, Wilkinson was found guilty, and sentenced to imprison ment, while Bock was adjudged not guilty. In view of the absurd situa tion, and the absence of suitable appeal machinery, Administrator J. K. Murray issued a pardon to Wilkinson, and he was released after serving only a short part of his sentence.

Workers

Signs of a Trade Boom

ALTHOUGH political troubles are acute, French Colony of N.

Caledonia is showing several signs of growing production and of ncreasing trade. It is handicapped y labour shortage, however.

Production of the three chief letals mined there—nickel, chrome nd manganese^—is increasing apidly. In a recent four months f 1952, NC exported 27,800 tons of brome ore, 5,000 tons of manganese re and 3,000 tons of nickle ore. ew mines are opening, mechanisa on is being introduced, and Japan as returned as a purchaser of lese metals.

The Government is taking active eps to increase the Colony’s food •oduction—especially rice—and to iprove the quality of the coffee, hich is one of the island’s staple ops.

The chief problem now is labour, either Javanese nor Tonkinese— ice the French employers’ stand —are now available, and the ;uation is serious. A plan to troduce Japanese labourers has it made progress, because of Aus iha’s unfavourable reaction ft is now suggested that NC take least 1,000 of the Italian workers 10 have been causing near-riots Australia because they cannot t jobs; and this matter was der discussion with the Aus ilian officials by Senator Henri fleur at the end of January, The ilians are more than willing to Australia cannot absorb them ile New Caledonia needs them jperately.

Again

trip HORIANA, Jan. 20.

HE new volcano which recently was reported rising out of the sea in the British Solomon ll i2 s ’ £ outh of Va ngunu Island the New Georgia Group), has v submerged again, arly in January, it was erupt contmuously, the flames being ble for 10 miles at sea. On uary 17, Captain N. W. Mac lald, master of the MV Kuri du, reported nothing showing ye water in the place where the ano had been. n eruption of water occurs y two minutes in Lat. 8 degrees *™tes 30 seconds South, Long. -57— 48 East—the approximate ler position of the volcano. •om the northwestern point e is an extensive submerged carrying approximately three oms which runs 140 degrees ugh direction for four miles.

A new religious community for Jp"lB’" 18 ’ known as the Sisters of the Rosary, has been established

at Wewak, by Bishop Arkfeld, Vicar Apostolic of Central New Guinea.

, . , , A WEDDING of unusual interest took place in Kavieng, NG, recently when Miss Patricia Lyle Graham, a pilot with Gibbes Sepik Airways, Ltd., was married to Mr. Colin H. Toole, Wewak branch manager for the Company.

The bride who wore a gown of

silver embossed taffeta faille, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs W. R.

Graham of Kavieng. The ceremony was per f o rmed by the Rev. B. chenoweth of the Methodist Mission; Mrs. J. H. L. McGuigan 0 f Wewak was matron of honour an d Mr. Dudley Young-Whitforde best man. a reception for 60 guests was held at the home of the bride’s parents.

New Hebrides

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Santo, Jan. 20.

A COPRA shed containing approx imately 300 tons of copra caught fire at 1.30 a.m. on the morning of January 16. Two days later, it was still burning, in spite of inter mittent heavy rain. The shed and produce were owned by CFNH, and are covered by insurance. It is reported that there is reason to suspect that the fire was maliciously started. Petrol fumes linger.

A Chinese crew member off MV Changchow, which was in Santo loading copra, was shot in the leg by M. Le Brun. The Chinese was stooping to pick up a coconut, obviously to quench his thirst; but, unfortunately, he was on land (semi-public) held by Societe Des Plantations De L'Aisse, from a 90% French Government company called Societe Francaise Nouyelles Heb rides, which holds no title deeds. (That gives an idea of the legality of land ownership, and subsequent leases or concessions under Condo minium Conditions). The fact re mains that the shooting was con sidered illegal.

There is said to be too much irre sponsible “gun play” in the New Hebrides. Two years ago on this same property, a fatality was averted only by poor marksman ship.

Shooting with intent usually be gets five years or so in other countries. In this Group, the crime usually is squared with a mild ad-| monition.

The recent affray on M. Chaverot’s plantation, at Big Bay, Santo, is to be investigated at a Court sitting' in Port Vila. Most of Big Bay’s residents have been requested to appear to give evidence. Three natives were killed on M. Chaverot’a property.

Early in January, M. Chaverot was en route to Noumea, on the Qantas plane, but when the aircraft called| at Vila, he was detained there. Oni the following week’s plane, MJ Chaverot’s foreman, who was also booked for Noumea, was also de-j tained.

SANTO. January 30. I News has come from Vila that M. Chaverot received a fine and three months’ hard labour which is suspended upon his entering a good-behaviour bond for five yeara His foreman, who was also ini volved in the affray on M.

Chaverot’s property, when thref natives were killed, received similai

treatment. I

An inquiry is proceeding into the disappearance of a Tonkinese whosl blood-stained jeep was founi abandoned. A reward of £lOO ha| been offered for information, and a finger-print expert from Noumea has paid Santo a visit.

at Work

From Our Own Correspondent WAU, Dec. 24. li/fATTERS of local interest were ltT discussed at the December meeting of the Wau-Bulolo Advisory Council, and the nine nembers present again urged itrongly that the proposed Secondary School at Wau be istablished without further delay.

Considerable dissatisfaction was ixpressed at the continued un availability of the district’s X-Ray ilant. It was decided to send a etter to the Government Secretary n Port Moresby on this subject. ?he meeting decided that it was lot satisfied with the explanation egarding the plant supplied by the Mstrict Commissioner, Lae.

The meeting has asked the )istrict Commissioner to provide acilities for mail, reaching Lae on be Sunday Skymaster from Aus ralia, to be sent through to Wau n the same day. They will also sk for a barge service across the Earkham at Labu, on Sundays.

WAU, January 24.

By the time of the January meet ig of Wau TAG, over a month iter, some satisfaction had been lined with regard to the provision : a Sunday barge over the Mark am River at Labu (at a cost of 1 for two services), but little pro cess had been made with regard i other matters.

There was still a deep official lence over the District X-ray ant, through-delivery of mail

arriving at Lae on Sunday, and a TAG recommendation concerning the Wau Common.

The Council expressed dissatis faction at the delay in building a

new hospital, presumably through lack of funds, and the temporary closing of the Wau airstrip without notification from the Civil Aviation Dept.

photograph taken after the wedding Miss Mary Theresa Ah Wong (one of Papuan girls who received her nurs certificate some months ago) to Mr [?]n Martin at Koki Catholic Mission, [?]t Moresby, on January 31.

Photo by Papuan Prints.

Fiji Guides

In Nz

Girl Guide Rangers from all points in and bordering the Pacific converged on Marton, NZ, in December - January, when 300 teen-age girls got together in the first meeting of its kind.

The Pacific was represented by girls from Fiji, the Cook Islands, and one from Hawaii.

This is the party from Fiji (left to right): F. Meresiana, Rita Ah Ben, E.

Kuarpatti, O. Peter sen, A. Williams (Captain), W. Cockle, H. Sahu Kahn, L.

Smith, M. Salayan. (A. Gibson was ill when the photo was taken).

Inset is Yuriko Kohara, representing Hawaii.

[?]Arkham River

Under Way

ATCHETS used on the subject . of the Markham Bridge—a memorable battle of words, n for the Territory—appear now be buried, and a bridge construc i gang is being assembled by the tractors (Hornibrook Construc ts Limited, of Port Moresby). * contract price is £174,945; and, the time the cost of access roads I other ancillaries is added, the tl may be £250,000. ; is hoped thus to open up big istrial, agricultural and pastoral mtialities tapped by the Wau olo-Lae highway. Among these of course, the Commonwealth r Guinea Timbers Limited ply d factory, now under construe at Bulolo. tie Markham bridge is finally g built at Markham Point, and be 1,700 feet long, with 17 spans lailey bridging and Kwila piles, contract calls for completion in list, 1954.

Imperial Hotel, Thursday Island, it had been unroofed by the [?]Cane-force gale in December. (Photo [?]rs. Easterling, TI.),

Radio Innovation for Cook Islands

IN the Cook Islands, and Raro tonga especially, the weekly “Islands Newsletter” broadcast from Radio New Zealand is listened to with considerable interest, the session frequently being conducted by the Rev. Mr. Challis, formerly of the LMS Church in Rarotonga and now of the Pacific Islanders Congregational Church in Auckland.

Cook Islanders resident in NZ some times feature on the programme.

Short-wave reception of the

station is not always good in the Cooks, and a number of people have receivers with no short-wave band.

So for the special Christmas broad cast, when many Cook Islanders in Auckland spoke to their homeland, Rarotonga Radio made arrange ments to receive the short-wave signal and to rebroadcast it on the broadcast band through the air navigational radio homing beacon station on 590 kc/s. inis beacon is, or was, used by aircraft bound for Rarotonga. But as there is now no service to Raro tonga and as in any case there are rarely night flights in the area it seems an excellent idea to make use of the beacon in this way.

New Cutch Industry

A . ~, f DDRESSING shareholders of Islands Trading Co. in Lon don, Mr. Roger Dolbey last year gave some details of what this Company has done and is planning to do in Papua.

The Company manufactures and sells cutch (a tanning material) from mangrove bark. It gets cutch from Brunei and Selalang, in Borneo, where it also has rubber Interests.

Mangrove bark supplies have been exhausted in Brunei, and so the Brunei plant is being transferred to the south coast of Papua, to an

associated company “who are now engaged in establishing a factory and plant in what is expected will be a very productive country.

“The world market for cutch is no t a simple one. Competition in the form of quebracho and wattle i s ver y strong. We chiefly rely upon the value of our extract in its pre servation of fishing nets, where it i s outstanding.”

Police Inspector and Mrs. Fred Towner of Rabaul, New Guinea, recently left the Territory on six months’ leave in the UK and Europe. While they are away their daughter, Elizabeth, will remain at school in Brisbane.

On Niue

11THEN the Rev. C. C. Craig, ff foreign secretary of the London Missionary Society, arrived in Auckland in mid- January from a tour of Islands missions under his control, he said that the Niue islanders were dis turbed at the presence on the island of the Mormon missionaries.

The people, he said, contended that when they came under the British Crown they were promised that there would be one religion only on the island. They have con sequently protested to the New Zealand Government.

The Minister had denied receipt of any such petition, but it was recently stated that the reason that the petition had not been placed be for the Minister was because it was not framed according to Parlia mentary Standing Orders. It had consequently been returned to its sponsors for reframing. When this is done the Minister will present the petition to Parliament, prob ably somewhere about April.

President Sidney J. Ottley, head of the Mormon Church in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue, defended the activities of his Mission on Niue in a letter to am Auckland newspaper on January 15. He acknowledged the “disturb ance” of Mr. Craig, the Rev. Mr.

Check (of Niue) “and their cohorts” but claimed that a visit to the island and conversation with the officials of the NZ Government, conversant with the facts, would be ample conviction that it is not the feeling of the much-belied and] oppressed Niuan people.

“If education, sympathy, love and direction to clean and wholesome lives is disturbance, then we have; disturbed some of them in the last! few months,” wrote Mr. Ottley. (There was, later, considerable NZj newspaper correspondence on the* same subject.)

A GARDEN plant peculiar to Hawaii has unexpectedly made! its appearance in Honiara!

Known as the Prickly Poppy!' (Argemone Alba, var. Glauca) it. grows in dry rocky soil in Hawaii* from the sea coast up to 1,000 feetl; elevation. Its Hawaiian name is Puakala and a narcotic made frond, the juice of its stem is used locallyr for toothache, neuralgia and ulcers!

No ships, aircraft or visitors froid Hawaii have called at Honiara since ;■ the departure of the last American I troops from Gualadcanal four years i ago. Straw packing, or a migratory! bird, have been suggested as vehicles for its sudden introduction..

This is the famous, old, red-flowering cacia tree which, for many years, shaded [?]e Suva Post Office, but which was re [?]eved by the Town Board in 1947 on [?]e ground (strongly contested) that it [?]as “obstructing traffic”.

Two years later, the Board proceeded remove from the Triangle Gardens (not [?]r from this spot) a clump of tall coco it palms, which were planted before Suva As capital, and which gave the centre the town a distinctive appearance, [?]e public reacted so angrily that the [?]ard left some half-dozen palms stand [?]g. It claimed that the trees were old [?]d dangerous.

But the trees came scatheless through [?]e hurricane of January, 1952, although [?]ildings all round were wrecked.

Despite this, on January 5, workmen Suva’s new Town Council removed the [?]st of the palms. There has been an [?]gry outcry from Suva residents, who [?]int out that the centre of the town, [?]ere visitors naturally expect to see [?]me tropical distinction, is now bare, [?]ab and virtually tree-less.

The Council’s only reply has been that [?]s is "part of the Council’s clean-up in [?]e town area”.

IHE brewing of beer in the Islands is becoming an im portant industry. This month, ’• Jules Ollivaud, of Noumea, is ening a new brewery in New ledonia. He promises a good )duct, which he will distribute in istic bags carrying 12 and 14 Lions —a technique new in this rt of the world. leturning recently from Port •resby, Director Yeomans re :ted that he is happy with the >t three months’ operations of i South Pacific Brewery, which s opened in October. New Guinea )ple are praising the quality of ' beer, but complaining of its h price. This appears to be due high taxation and other costs 1 the very high cost of Con ors, especially bottles. These übles, said Mr. Yeomans, would ironed out presently.

Jr. B. McEwen, Western Samoa ucation Dept., has left the Ter •ry on a visit to the UK.

At the Apia Turf Club meeting on January 3, Mr. O. Nelson's Tuise beat the favourite Beau Martin.

Mr. G. K. Roth, who has been Assistant Colonial Secretary, has taken over the duties of Deputy .Secretary for Fijian Affairs. Mr. J.

W. Sykes has replaced Mr. Roth.

Sister Pat Durdin, a medical mis sionary who was awarded the OBE after the Mt. Lamington disaster in Papua, was on leave in Adelaide, SA, in January.

Miss Yvette Williams, NZ. Olym pic broad-jump champion, will attend the Fijian national athletic championships in Suva at Easter.

Mrs. N. H. Fox croft, president of the New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney, places a wreath on the Martin Place Ceno taph, on January 23, which was the nth anniversary of the Fail of Rabaul.

Only about 20 persons attended the ceremony in Sydney this year the smallest number ever.

Mr, Alan Pagett, secretary of the NG Ex-Servicemen’s Club, said: “The public seems to have com pletely forgotten the men who fought and died In Rabaul to protect them.’’

Block by courtesy of Sydney Sun.

AS reported briefly last month; UK Bank Line steamship Kelvinbank went aground on a reef off Ocean Island on January 6 and subsequently was abandoned as a total loss.

The vessel had let go the moor-j ings at midnight at completion of the day’s loading—she had 2,000 tons of phosphate aboard —and was steaming in from seaward to re-| sume moorings at daybreak when the stranding occurred.

Efforts were made to lighten the vessel by dumping phosphate but a heavy swell defeated all efforts to clear her, Kelviribank being forced on top of the remains of the old| Ooma wreck there 25 years ago] The vessel was close inshore and there was no danger to her crew during the nine days of strenuous! salvage operations, organised byj Captain J. W, Herd, salvage experti from Sydney and Captain E. HJ Bullman, marine superintendent of the Bank Line, who were flown! from Suva by a RNZAF Catalina. I The Titanhank of the same com pany stood by, and subsequently brought most of the crew to Auck land. The Master, Captain R. E.

Shorthouse and five officers remainj ing at Ocean Island for a marina inquiry which was conducted thera on January 29.

On January 30, Mrs. Herd lefl| Melbourne in the phosphate ship!

Trienza to go to her husband, Capti J. W. Herd, who had collapsed that day on Ocean Island.

Recent Moresby Weddings

Mr. and Mrs. R.

Penney (bride for merly Miss V. [?]Schaffer), who were married at St. John’s on December 20, 1952.

Mr. Ashley (best man), Mr. and Mrs.

Neil (bride, formerly Miss Rita Powell) and Miss Yvonne McFadyean (brides [?]naid). The wedding: ook place on [?]annary 7, at St.

John’s

Mr. and Mrs. W. arner (bride for [?]erly Miss Muriel [?]cGowan, of Port [?]oresby), who were [?]arried at St. [?]hn’s, Port Moresby, [?] December 16.

Photos by Papuan Prints.

Chinese

Letter to the Editor IN a recent PIM, I noticed an article written by someone whose name was not revealed, but under the term “Loyalist”. This concerned some younger Chinese, who (Mr. Loyalist said) remained seated during the National Anthem in the Rabaul theatre.

“These offending Chinese youths are showing themselves to be true Communists.” This statement is obviously sheer nonsense. Those who remained seated during the Anthem were definitely showing a lack of courtesy and respect, but any normal, educated person could see that such behaviour does not necessarily indicate Communism.

I have seen Australians seated dur ing the anthem here in Australia.

Do you consider them true Com munists too, Mr. Loyalist?

I am safe (and rather proud) to say that Communism does not exist and will have very little chance of existing among the peace-loving Rabaul Chinese. Thus this “loyal gentleman” should cease accusing offenders of all kinds as Com munists.

I think that Mr. Loyalist has in tentionally and impudently insulted the leaders of the Kuo Min Tang and that he should apologise (that: is, if he is a gentleman).

I am, etc.,

L. F. Chan.

Sydney, February 1.

Natives

Papua -new guinea’s four native delegates to the Moral Re-Armament Conference in Colombo were in Sydney in early February, on their way back to Port Moresby. They are Mr. Merar!

Dickson, MLC, and Mrs. Dickson* Miss Alice Wedega, and Mr. Penuali Anakapu.

Mr. Dickson spoke urgently in favour of more education for the natives. Mrs. Dickson praised the! general idea of moral re-armamentJ Mr. Anakapu said to Sydney Sun i “I went to Asia with a hatred of white men in my heart. I ofterl felt inferior to the white people ini Papua; but at the Assemblies I found the answer to racial resent-l ments.” = Five Lutheran missionaries frorrii America reached Sydney in Janulj ary on their way to a Lutheramt Mission station in the New Guinea!

Highlands. They are the Rev. and Mrs. George Hinlisky (who brought their two babies with them). Mr.' and Mrs. E. Spruth and Miss Wanda!

Fricke.

)ESPITE bad weather there was a good attendance of members and friends at the January eeting of the Pacific Islands iciety, Sydney, when Mr. Brian laseling gave an account of his cent adventurous journey by otor-cycle and side-car from Cey ti through India and the Middle ist to Europe. The address gave ose present an opportunity of mparing the living and general nditions and customs of the latic people with those of the Dre fortunate Pacific Islanders.

There is an encouraging number new members in the Society d a revival of interest on the part members of longer standing.

At the next gathering oh Feb ary 26, Mr. F. J. Salisbury will the guest-speaker.

Ele will describe, in conjunction th films taken by him, his recent it to Papua-New Guinea, includ r, the sheep country.

Church for Apia

fhe Rev. C. W. Whonsbon-Aston >orted the culmination of eight irs of work at Apia, W. Samoa, s Christmas, when the first ser e was held in the new, and first ■manent, Anglican church in W. noa, built at a cost of £7,000. n he Rev. Whonsbon-Aston, who ! served his church for 22 years Fiji, New Guinea and Samoa, ns to spend three months in v Zealand and seven months in stralia before returning to the inds. During the first two nths of his vacation, the Bishop Polynesia and Mrs. Kempthorne 1 move into the Apia Chaplaincy I take over Mr. Whonsbon on’s parish work.

In the New Year Honours, Ratu Nacani Mocelutu, of Kandava, and Brother Alphonsus, MBE, were each awarded the OBE. Ratu Nocani Mocelutu is one of the foremost Chiefs of Kandava. Brother Alphonsus who is 88, has spent 64 years in Fiji and has an honoured place among the pioneers of educa tion in the Colony,

Letter to the Editor AN article about old Fiji land marks from your Fiji corres pondent in December PlM— plus other articles from the same source in 1947 or 1948, when the deed was done —gives the im pression that the Cession obelisk was wantonly rooted out from the present site of the Anglican Cathedral by the church folk. Few bodies of people warrant the stigma of vandalism less than the Anglican community of Fiji—the decision to move the obelisk was, I believe, that of the Fiji government who first consulted the Council of Chiefs at to their feelings. At that time, I seem to remember, your correspondent suggested that the Council of Chiefs agreed only to oblige—which seems to be a libel on them if they set any store at all by the old monument.

As far as I know, the original site of the obelisk had no historical significance for the Fijians other than that it was the site of the old government buildings. My infor mation is that one reason why it was not re-erected in its original form elsewhere, when the land was cleared for the erection of the Anglican Cathedral, was that the old monument was then in the final stages of falling to bits.

Your correspondent’s assertion that the ‘ needless demolition has caused bitterness” seems to me to be ridiculous. The average Fijian probably does not care two hoots.

I am, etc.,

Ex-Fijian.

Sydney, January 15.

Cost Of Papuan

Is Ten Millions

By mid-January, the test bore by APC interests at Omati, in Western Papua, was down 12,162 feet—which is well over 21 miles.

The oil-seekers now are trans ferring the burden of their tests from deep-bore sinking to an air borne magnetic survey. A party of Canadian geo-physicists arrived in Moresby in January, and are about to use the latest scientiific methods in surveying Western Papua from the air.

Up to the end of December, thei two companies concerned (Austra lian Petroleum Co. and Island Ex plorations Co.) had spent no less; than £9,500,000 on their search for oil in Papua. They propose to spend another £1,200,000 in 1953.

New Britain Women’s Club Office Bearers

THE Annual General Meeting of the New Britain Women’s Club, Rabaul, NG, was held on January 23.

Office bearers for the forth coming year are: President, Mrs.

R. Arrowsmith; Vice-presidents, Mesdames Long and Munro; Secretary, Mrs. P. Broinowiski,] Treasurer, Mrs. W. O’Reilly; Com mittee, Mesdames Fishwick, Lee, Broadhurst, Brelaz and Miss nartz.

It is hoped to add at least four more bedrooms shortly for the con venience of women from the out- : stations visiting Rabaul, or detained here due to transport hold-ups.

Administration

From Our Own Correspondent

Moresby, Jan. 26.

rHE time is drawing near when at least the major towns of Fapua-New Guinea should ave local government, said the icting Administrator (Mr. D. M.

Jleland) in a public address ecently. Very good work was being one by the Town and District Ad isory Councils, but the time was pproaching when the responsi- Uity of local government in the irger centres should be vested in le citizens themselves, and not in le Administration.

Reviewing the growth of public •rvice organisations over the cen iries, he contrasted the various irms of Administration in Britain, uropean countries and United tates. He said it was essential that le Territory Public Service should icome a Territorial and career irvice, and it was the intention of le Minister for Territories, Mr. asluck, to create, develop and eter a service which would be •e-eminent for its loyalty, im irtiality and efficiency- EDITORIAL NOTE. —It was the me Minister (Mr. Hasluck) who cently appointed a military officer the Administratorship of Norfolk land, although the position (a ill-paid sinecure) should have ne, as a matter of right and stice, to any one of a dozen well ained and capable men of the ipua-New Guinea public service.

recent unconventional snapshot by in Mansell) of Miss Moyra MacDonald, Apia, who made quite a success of her [?]t in the recent filming of “Return Paradise” in Western Samoa. She reported to be booked for Hollywood, follow a screen career.

TWO interesting weddings took place at Rarotonga recently.

On December 22, Mr. Les Hack, of the radio station staff, was married to Miss Mata Josephine Williams, the ceremony being per formed by Judge McCarthy. About 150 guests were afterwards enter tained at an umukai by Mrs. Nui Manu, grandmother of the bride.

The second wedding was between Mr. Teinakore Tatio Nicholas and Miss Cecelia Anautoa. Guests were

entertained at an umukai at the Tekapuaanga Meeting House, Takuvaine, after the wedding. This ceremony was performed at the LMS Church, Avarua, on January 3.

Miss Gladys M. Gebbie, organis ing secretary for the Dominion Council of the Girls’ Life Brigade, will make another visit to Samoa shortly to train officers and non commissioned officers. She visited Samoa last year and organised three companies there.

As Tradesmen

Fron? Our Own Correspondent

Moresby, Jan. 26.

A N apprenticeship system for \ Papua-N. Guinea natives is being worked out by a special toard, with a view to producing rained native tradesmen and rtisians. The Board members re:— Mr. L. F. Butler —at present Act i g Chairman, replacing the Hrector of Education, Mr. W. C. \roves, who is on recreation leave.

Mr. J. Hohnen—Manager of New ruinea Goldfields, Wau.

Mr. A. Beavis, of Kwato Mission.

Mr. V. H. Scully—temporarily re lacing Mr. C. Gee, Divisional PO ngineer now on leave.

Mr. A. H. Buckland—Acting xecutive Officer.

The lists of trades proposed is ide, and other trades can be ided as required. Natives will be pprenticed for five years (four jars for sub-trades). This latter assification caters for natives who *e illiterate or otherwise handi ipped. Apprentices will furnish guarantee of £25. In cases of ardship the Administrator may ssist. They may be trained in oth private enterprise and Gov rnment workshops. A statutory ady will fix the wages of skilled ative tradesmen.

at Mangaia

i CCORDING to advice from \ Mangaia, Lower Cooks, in early December, the native astor of the LMS Church there lused a sensation by announcing om the pulpit that parents who srmitted their daughters to join remain in the Girl Guide move ment would be expelled from the lurch.

The pastor is reported to have eclared that the girls must be ilisted in the Girls’ Life Brigade they wished to join any such ovement. The Life Brigade is mfined to members of the Con •egational Church, of which the MS is a branch.

The Girl Guide movement was tablished in the Cook Islands >out 20 years ago.

A number of parents rose and ft the church immediately after ie announcement was made by the istor.

It is understood that the dispute ill not be finally settled until the (turn of the Rev. Mr. Murphy, ?ad of the LMS Church in Raro nga, at present on leave in Eng nd.

Mrs. K. T. Thorpe of Santo, New tebndes, arrived in Sydney in anuary to visit her parents

When Mr. Gabriel H. Lepage, choolteacher at Mangareva, Gam ier Islands, for the past year, came d Auckland by Wairuna from •apeete in January, he had some iteresting details of the present earling operations at that once amous lagoon.

The big Mangareva lagoon is ivided into three areas—only one f which may be “worked” for MOP aell during any one season. The jason lasts for four months of the jar. Last season—from November, >5l, to February, 1952 —the Rikitea rea was worked and produced aout 40 tons of shell. This season from January through April and is expected that about 25 tons ill be produced. Next season the iarei sector will be worked. No ving suits are used and the rerage depth is about 10 fathoms, tough one sector is deeper. The •esent Mangareva divers are not )ted for their skill in deep areas, any of the Tuamotu divers being ipable of working at much greater jpths, MOP shell has been bringing 45 ancs per kilo on the beach cently, but the price was expected go to 50 francs (about 2/6d Stg.) January.

A large “black” drop-shaped pearl ihed by one diver and weighing carats, was successfully skinned a blemish—losing only 2 carats jight in the process—and was sold r 90,000 francs (£Stg.soo) in ipeete recently.

Moresby’S First Tag

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Feb. 3.

If the Acting Administrator, Mr. eland, accepts the recommenda ms submitted by the Port Mores- Town Advisory Council, the new »uncil, to be appointed shortly, 11 have 16 members—two members r each of three wards and the lance made up of five general jmbers, and five from the Public rvice. The Acting Administrator d asked for the Council’s advice these matters.

When the details of the new uncil are decided, Mr. Cleland [1 then terminate the present ap- Lntments, and appoint new mem rs. This will end three years’ ser e for the present body, the first wn Advisory Council to be set up the Territory. Some of the orig il members have left Moresby, puties have appeared for others, d a trusty few of the original nd are still carrying on. They ve done a very good job indeed— ich better than some of their tics hoped. One night a month perhaps not a great deal out of J’s spare time, but Council mem

bership, in some cases, has involved a lot of work between meetings. The Council has provided a means of public expression totally lacking be fore this body was created and if the general public has not utilized this opportunity as often as might have been expected, that is the fault of the citizens and not the Council.

A book about 21 years of mission work in Papua, written by Father Andre Dupeyrat, formerly of the Yule Island Mission, has become a best-seller in France, and is to be produced soon in English. The energetic Father made many friends in Sydney and Melbourne a few years ago, when he was there raising funds for his Mission.

TWO Works and Housing Depart ment men who returned to Brisbane in February said that the good old days in New Guinea, when they got £lB to £2O per week, plus overtime, and were fed at an official mess at 16/- per week, were now gone. They said that as over time had been cut out, they re ceived only £lB or £2O per week, while the Government had raised the charge for board and lodging to £3. Consequently, where they used to save £2O per pay, they could now save only £l2.

Sixteen students from New Cale donia recently spent two weeks in Australia as a reward for scholastic* ability.

, . .. <Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency)

R'odd A

'-vrKA (NOTE: Following are 1952 MOF prices.

MOF contract rates for 1953 not yet officially announced.) Papua-NG.—Copra Marketing Board price: Main ports, Hot-air, £69/5/- per ton- FMS, £69/5/-; Smoked, £6B/5/-.

Sydney crushers pay; Plantation Hot-air, £9l; FMS, £9O/15/-; Smoked, £9O/2/6.

Australia has a 9 years’ UK contract (based on £Stg.s9/15/-, 1952). , T „ , ow . T, lQr , . Fiji.—At Suva and Leyuka, 1952. Plan tation Grade (60 points and )

£F6S/0/6 per ton; FMS (45-57y 2 points), £F64/15/-; Lower Grade £F6I/10/- min.

New Hebrides. —Recent quotation at 81 Metrop. francs kilo, c.i.f. Marseilles, (approx. £AIO4/10/-, long ton).

Tahiti. —Recent price for Papeete copra: Dry, 7.80 Pac. frs. kilo (£ASS/4/- long ton); Super dry, 8.20 Pac. frs. kilo (£ASB/11/- long ton).

COCOA. —Islands prices are usually based on rate for Accra cocoa (W.

Africa), quotation (from Colyer Watson Ltd., Sydney) for which on Feb. 4 was £ 5tg.247/10/- (£ A309/7/6) c.i.f. ton, Cont. ports.

N.G. — £ A3OO approx, per ton, in store, Sydney.

New Hebrides.—Recent sales in Sydney brought £ A 24- £ A 250 per ton, in store.

Samoa.—Sydney agents in February quoted Samoan cocoa at £ Stg.2so (£ A312/10/-) f.o.b. per ton, first grade. (Samoan currency equals Stg.).

COFFEE.—lslands prices ruling in Sydney in February.

Papua-N.G. —Arabica holding firm at the abnormally high price of 7/6 approx, lb. iapprox. £760 per ton), owing to import restrictions affecting trade from else where. However, when market eventually is stabilised, P-N.G. coffee should level off at around 5/- lb. (approx. £5OO per ton).

New Caledonia. —Crop mainly exported to France. Marseilles price recently was equivalent to approximately £A64O per ton, ex wharf.

RUBBER.—Australian Rubber Pool quo tation for February shipment.—Papua- NG: 23-5/16d Stg. per lb., c.i.f. Sydney (approx. 29-7/32d Aust.) —Papuan rubber is allowed in primage-free (10 per cent, from elsewhere). Singapore rate (used by Australian firms as basis for buying Papuan rubber), Feb. 9: No. 1 grade RSS (sellers) spot 77V8C. lb., c.i.f. (approx. 31d Aust. lb.).

VANILLA BEANS.—Sydney quotation (by Victor Karp. Tulk & Co.): White Label. 23/9; Yellow, 23/9; Green, 22/- per lb., c.i.f., Sydney.

Rice.—Rice shipped from Sydney to Islands was fixed last year (for the 1952- 1953 season), at £75 per ton, f.0.b.. White, Unpolished, and Brown. (On plantation Papua-NG approx. £100.) New season’s (1953-1954) price expected early May.

Desiccated Coconut. Sydney

agents quote Ceylon, 1/6% lb. spot, de

livered to store, Sydney. New Guinea: 2/5y 2 lb. spot, delivered in store, Sydney.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices hxed between Torres Strait producers and Otto Gerdau Co. (USA) for 1952 were: AA/A/B grades 85 cents lb. (£ABSO approx, per long ton); C, 80c. - lb. (£A800); D, 55c. lb (£ASSO); E, 40c. lb. (£A400); EE 30c lb. (£A3oo)—all c.i.f., New York. Cook Is.—American market firm at 35 cents u.S. per lb., f.o.b. Rarotonga. Producers currently receiving 1/8 lb. Aust (approx £lB7 Aust. long ton) TROCHUS SHELL.—There has been little interest in shell in Sydney lately.

Recent quotations are; 8.5.1., £AI3S per ton; New Hebrides, £AIOO approx, per ton; N.G., £AISO per ton GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney agents recently quoted: Ist grade, £AI9S per ton; 2nd grade, £AI4O per ton for 8.5.1. shell.

I OkmOM DDirec

L.Vjrhuv/In Rkiwcj

London, Dec. 24.

Copra, c.i.f., Continental ports, ton.— New Hebrides . .. 84,500 Metrop. francs’ (£AIO9 per long ton, approx.), Tahiti 89,000 Metrop. francs! (£AII3/10/- approx.) PM Straits, Dec.-Jan .. .. £ Stg. B7/15/3 (£AIO9/13/9 approx.) Ceylon, F.M.S Nominal] Philippines, bulk, Jan.-Feb USs24®! (£AIO6/6/- approx.) Coconut Oil, c.i.f., ton.— PM Straits, 3 J / 2 % drums .. .. £Stg.l2l (£AISI/5/- approx.) Ceylon, bulk, resellers £Stg.ll3 (£AI4I/5/- approx.)) Philippines, afloat Nominal] Cocoa, per 50 kilos, c.i.f., Nth. Con 4 tinental ports.—Accra, February-March, £Stg. 12/17/6 (£A26O approx, per long ton).

Fiji

Aug., 1939, Jan. 5 Feb. 2 Emperor . b9/ll s8/6 s8/- Loloma . . s25/6 b28/b28/-

Papua-New

Guinea

Bulolo G.D. . bl24/b68/b67/- Mandated All. b3/8 b9d b3d N.G.G. Ltd. , bl/10 b2/bl/9 Oil Search . .

S3/11 b2/5 b2/6 Oriomo Oil . . b5/sl/6 b3d Papuan Apin. b4/ll b7d b7d Placer Dev. . b68/6 b340/b395/- Sandy Creek . . bl/5 b5d b6d

FlJl.—Through BANK OF NSW, ANZ BANK and BANK OF NZ. Australia on Fiji] basis £lOO Fiji: Buying, £Alll/2/6; Selling] £ All 3. Fiji-London, basis £lOO Londona B. £llO/12/6; S. £ll2. NZ-Fiji, basis £lOO NZ: B. £lll/11/9; S. £llO/4/3.

Samoa.— Through Bank Of Nz.

Australia on Samoa, basis £lOO Samoa!

B. £ A123/12/6; S. £AI24/10/9. Samoa-] London, basis £lOO London: B. £lOO/7/6; S. £lOl/10/-. Samoa-NZ, basis £lOO NZ: B. £100; S. £lOO/10/-.

Samoa-Fiji, basis £lOO Samoa: B. £lll3 S. £llO.

Papua-Ng.—Commonwealth Bank

(branches Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul, Madang) and BANK OF NSW (Pori Moresby, Lae, Rabaul) quote exchange rate Australia-Papua-NG: 10/- per £loo^

Bsl—Commonwealth Bank (Brand

at Honiara) quotes exchange rate Aus tralia-BSI: 10/- per £lOO.

FR. PACIFIC COLONIES.—Pacific francs, most valuable of the three franc groups in French Union, are used in New Gale-; donia. New Hebrides, and Pr, Oceania.

FRENCH BANK (Comptoir National D’Escompte de Paris) in Sydney quotes (nominally): 140 Pac. fr. to £Aust.; 175 Pac. fr. to £stg.; 64 Pac. fr. to US $.