Papuan News

Conditions In Territory Local Firm’s Fight for Trade

From Our Own Correspondent.

PORT MORESBY, October 5 THE gloomy position of the Terri tory remains about the same, in spite of the sudden short rise in copra from £10/5/- to £12/15/, and the expectations over the Tauri gold field.

Plantations are still carrying on and are hopeful of yet more rises in both copra and rubber, owing to the exchange position, and on the whole there is little unemployment in the country.

The storekeepers, who see their for mer profits gradually being trans ferred to the coffers of Sydney’s firms, tell us mournfully that the country has gone to the dogs, and that there is no hope for the Territory, but on the other hand, Civil Servants, who have not had their salaries reduced, tell us brightly that there is no real depression and that Papua is standing up well to the bad times.

Certainly, conditions could be worse, but not very much. Up to the present time, £6/17/6, the local price for copra, left very little margin to some plantations, after paying for coastal freights, insurance and handling, to gether with bags and labour. Freight age for plantations in some cases reached to £3 and over.

To the middle man, it makes little difference whether copra is £25 a ton or £10, their charges are the same.

The market price affects the planter only.

The plantations have had a very thin time in Papua, wedged in be tween the middleman and the costs of labour and production, and it is extraordinary how they have man aged to keep going for so long.

Focal Firm’S Announcement.

A local firm, in reducing its prices of groceries to meet those of the

Southern firms, supplying goods to many householders in Port Moresby, states in its announcement that here is the one bright spot in the present gloomy outlook for the Territory, and they are to be congratulated upon their efforts in this direction. They state their prices are now such as to equal Southern retail prices, allowing for a bare 25 per cent, landing charge, and they feel sure that those who have been dealing from South direct will agree, in view of the 4 per cent, prim age duty, recently imposed, that it is an extraordinarily moderate figure.

They are also hopeful that with the steady co-operation of the Port Mor esby public they will be able to recapture the trade that has so per sistently evaded them these recent years. It is also most cheering to learn that their concern is chiefly with the Territory’s prosperity. They emphasise the advantage of spending our money locally and circulating the little cash we may boast of within the Territory instead of sending it south every month where, unfortun ately for them, it enriches share holders in Sydney, other than their own.

PLANE flights popular Mr. Ray Parer has assembled his Fokker for the P.A.T. Co and has had initial flights over the town and is preparing to leave for Salamaua. He has been detained in Port Moresby on business in connection with a former company, in which he had interested himself.

Capt. Moody, who recently flew over from Queensland, on the way to Rabaul, caused some excitement here and in Samarai by taking passengers in his seaplane for short flights over the town and surrounding country for a nominal fee. Both Europeans and natives availed themselves of the op portunity with avidity and for two or three days the little Puss Moth buzzed merrily over the town. Capt.

Moody flew with passengers to the Vailala River, in the west, to Vilirupu, in the east, taking only a few hours.

Voyages to the Vailala River have been known to take seven days, on small launches, and it is rather stag gering to old hands to learn of the distance being spanned in such a short time.

Sporting Activities

Cricket, golf and canoe-racing are still in full swing, and it is difficult to say which of the three sports is the more popular in Port Moresby.

Golf competitions are held every Saturday afternoon and there is keen rivalry for the Fitch and Guttrldge cups, which are in their third round.

Cricket has been very strenuous. Teams matches have been played every Saturday on the Oval, all through the season, and a much discussed match between two teams —G.

Smith’s v. W. Leydin’s, was thrashed out to the finish on September 12, resulting in a victory for the Smith team, by an innings and 34 runs.

Besides being ardent golfers, the women of Port Moresby have also an interest in cricket and have their own teams —Married v. Single.

On September 14 a sports meeting was held on the Recreation Grounds of Port Moresby, followed in the evening by a Dinner Dance, both arranged by the committee of the Lib rary Institute, to raise funds. The sports and dance were immensely entertaining and successful, due to the ability of Mr. Flower as an organiser.

The dance music, supplied by Mr. G. J.

Flynn, of the Amalgamated Wireless Ltd. (re cently arrived) from an electric amplifier, was a novel experience to the weary plodders of Port Moresby.