T.I. Transfers.
p. 24 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent.
MR. MARRINANE, Sub-collector of Customs at Thursday Island for the past six years, is being trans ferred to Brisbane at the end of April.
Both he and Mrs. Marrinane, who is a native of the Island and a member of one of the first families to settle here, will be missed. Mr. Bliss is expected to be the relieving officer.
Mr. Plowman, of the radio station, will also be departing shortly, leaving another gap to be filled. These con stant changes are the rule on Thurs day Island, and we hardly have time to recover from the loss of one official be fore we find his successor is on the move. It lends an air of instability to the community which is not without its effect. If officials were given longer terms of service here, provision for oc casional holidays would be necessary.
No man, still more no woman, should be expected to remain on duty in a small island for longer than a year Without at least a fortnight’s break.
Such is essential, and if it were recog nised at headquarters we should find better health and greater contentment among our “Birds of Passage.” Several quite big concerns here keep their staffs hard at it for as long as three years at a time, whereas a little organ isation and interchange of duty would permit of frequent week-ends and one longer holiday each year.