New Guinea Notes.

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, July 22.

BULLION exported for the month of May from the Morobe goldfields amounted to 16,909 oz. and was valued at £81,063.

Wholesale oil prices have been re duced 2d. per gallon in Rabaul, but retail prices remain unaltered at the bowsers, and these range from 2/3 to 2/6 per gallon. Import duty in this Territory amounts to 3d. per gallon as compared with in Australia.

Motorists and others are asking why petrol should be dearer here than in Australia.

Owing to the reported outbreak of a disease amongst coconuts in the British Solomon Islands, Director George Murray, of the Department of Agriculture, proceeded to Tulagi by the “Bremerhaven” to make investigations.

District Officer Melrose, of Kavieng, accompanied by Mrs. Melrose, has left for a holiday in Australia. A District Officer, J. H. Jones, is relieving Mr.

Melrose at Kavieng.

One of the men who is responsible for all the brightly-coloured fish in the aquarium at Taronga Park Zoo is M.

B. Nepean Whitehead, of Soraken, Bougainville, who is at present on holi day in Australia.

Mr. and Mrs. R. K. Moore, who for a number of years resided at Mioko, Duke of York Group, are spending a few months in New South Wales.

Master George Evans, the youngest son of Mr. H. Bielby Evans, of Buka Passage, recently qualified for a scholar ship at the Brisbane Grammar School.

He left by the last “Macdhui” to take up his studies in the Queensland city.

Rev. V. H. Sherwin, of the Melanesia Mission, and who is stationed at Sag Sag, New Britain, is spending a few weeks in Rabaul, during the absence of Rev. T. J. Gibson, who is visiting out stations at the present time. Padre Sherwin is a very popular man and was stationed, before his arrival in this

Territory, in the Kimberley district in Western Australia.

Mrs. Grace Lansley, of the Pacific Hotel, has been granted a decree nisi, returnable in three months, in her petition for a divorce against George Lansley, on the grounds of adultery and cruelty. The petitioner was given custody of the children.

District Officer Townsend and Mrs.

Townsend returned by the last “Mon toro” from an extended tour of Europe.

He has been stationed at Aitape.

Dr. and Mrs. Backhouse left by the “Tanda” for south.

Mr. A. T. Simmons, who for several years has been attached to the Rapindik Hospital, in the X-ray department, has severed his connection with the Ad ministration and is proceeding to the goldfields, where he will take up duties with one of the big mining companies.

Many sporting events are in the offing; A swimming carnival at Ra vuvu Baths on August 5: the Gazelle Peninsula Gymkhana at the Lakunai racecourse on August 12; and here let it be mentioned that the course has been greatly improved from a horti cultural point of view, as Secretary Les. Clark has put in some good work laying out garden plots and hedges.

Keen tennis competitions are being held at frequent intervals, as well as the baseball season just opening up with great promise that fans will have some thing out of the box to watch and barrack for.

Passengers on the s.s. “Bremerhaven” who made the round trip from Rabaul to the British Solomons and return, included Mr. G. W. Spensley, a repres entative of the copra-buying firm, Messrs. Colyer, Watson and Co., and also Mr. R. J. Worssam, of the Vacuum Oil Co. Both these gentlemen have their fingers on the pulse of things as they are in this Territory, and are quite awake to the possibilities for their respective firms.