P.I. Association Meets

At Dinner.

Farewell to H. A. Ross.

MANY old Islands friendships were renewed, and new ones made, when members and guests of the Pacific Islands’ Association met at dinner in Sydney on March 23, to say farewell to Mr. H. A. Ross.

Mr. Ross is one of the foundation members of the Association. Formerly a well-known member of the Civil Ser vice of Papua, Mr. Ross retired re cently on superannuation. Papua seems to possess some Peter Pan quality, the effect of which is seen in the absurdly youthful appearance of the gentlemen who “retire on superannuation” from its service—and, being still in the prime of life, engage in other occupa tions. There are several such in Syd ney. Mr. Ross engaged in broking work; and then conceived the idea of transferring his activities to London, where he may act as the buying rep resentative and general agent of Pacific firms. He has gone off to London with a bag full of commissions; and, if any firm or planter wishes to buy or sell in London, he is invited to write to Mr.

Ross, c/o. Australia House, The Strand, London.

The genesis of the Pacific Islands’

Association was a chat between Mr. F.

R. Cawley, a Papuan resident magis trate, and Mr. R. W. Robson, of Pacific Publications Ltd. Mr. Cawley intro duced to Mr. Robson, Mr. Jas. R.

Baldie; and Mr. Baldie, in his turn, brought in Mr. H. A. Ross and Mr. J.

P. Fitzgerald; and these three ex Papuans (Messrs. Baldie, Ross and Fitzgerald) took up the idea of the As sociation with great enthusiasm, and carried it along to its present healthy stage.

The Association, therefore, was glad to do honour to Mr. Ross, on the occa sion of his removal to London.

The dinner was attended by about thirty ladies and gentlemen. The chair man of the executive, Mr. W. Bruce Rainsford, was in the chair. Apologies for inability to attend were received from Lady Murray, the Minister for the Islands Territories (Major C. W. C.

Marr), Rev. M. A. Warren, Dr. Calor.

Dr. Simson, Mr. W. R. Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. Keelan.

The health of Mr. Ross was proposed by the Chairman, and supported in ad mirable little speeches by Messrs. J. P.

Fitzgerald and Jas. R. Baldie. In re sponding, Mr. Ross referred to the many lifetime friendships he had made in Papua and declared that, wherever he went, his Papuan associations would never be forgotten. He expressed con fidence in the future of the Pacific ter ritories, and said he was certain that the Pacific Islands’ Association would assist materially in making the voices of residents heard and assisting in the work of development in the years to come.

“Our Islands Friends” was proposed by Mr. R. W. Robson, who briefly outlined his conception of the work that the Pacific Islands’ Association may do for Islands residents and interests in the future. The work of the Association was necessarily being done by a com mittee of mainland residents, particu

larly in the early stages; but it was hoped to throw ever-increasing duties upon the Islands residents themselves.

Responses were made by Mr. J. G.

Fowler, of Papua, by Captain S. Green (Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd.), Mrs.

Elizabeth Mahony (formerly of Sudest Island, New Guinea), and by Mr. John Colclough (secretary of the Bulolo Dredging Company).

Captain Green gave some most inter esting reminiscences of early days in the Pacific Islands, and produced his famous black walking-stick, which had an important part in the ceremony of annexing Papua in 1884—at which Cap tain Green was present. He recalled a meeting with Mrs. Mahony, in Eastern Papua, very many years ago.

Mr. Colclough emphasised the great importance to the Islands and to Aus tralia of an event that had occurred only two days previously—the opening of the first dredge on the Morobe goldfield.

This meant that the production stage had at last been reached on the gold field; that gold in enormous quantities

would commence to flow out of that territory, and that a period of general development must soon ensue in New Guinea.

New Members.

The following have been elected members of the Pacific Islands’ Asso ciation:—Mrs. J. Fowler (Papua), Messrs. J. G. Boileau (Papua), F. R.

Cawley (Papua), H. G. Eekhoff (T.N.G.), H. E. Maude (Gilbert Is lands), I. T. Jenkins (Papua), A. H.

Bunting (Papua), L. Tracey (Papua).

A letter was received at the last meeting of the committee, asking if the Association would take action concern ing Chinese competition against Euro pean traders in the Pacific, and alleg ing that Chinese evaded the law in New Guinea, and secured trading stations, by getting Europeans to “dummy” for them.

It was decided to ask the writer for fuller particulars.