New Guinea Notes

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Apl. 27.

A LETTER of appreciation was re ceived recently from Mr. A. H.

O’Connor, manager of the Australian National Travel Association, at San Francisco, by the Administrator, who had despatched to Mr. O’Connor a number of curios and photographs of New Guinea for display purposes in California. Mr.

O’Connor stated that the collection caused quite a sensation, when he made a display of them at one of the prominent hotels in Pasadena. Quite a number of American tourists evinced a desire to see the country from which the primitive articles came.

Trade Tobacco The A.B.C. Tobacco Company, which is supplying local-made native trade tobacco, reports a keen demand for the stick tobacco which it is putting out at the present time. It is selling here in Rabaul for 3/9 per lb.

A Seaplane Service The new seaplane, manufactured at Mascot, Sydney, arrived safely by the last Macdhui. It already has been put into commission and has completed a charter from Rabaul to Madang and on to the Sepik River district. Pilot Gaten by is in charge of the machine, and states that he is quite satisfied with the way in which it works.

A unique addition to this seaplane is the attachment of two rudders to the floats. There was some doubt when it was being constructed as to the advisa bility of this addition, as it was thought that possibly the rudders might affect the flying, although being of assistance in the water; later, after the trials, it was found

that the float rudders considerably assist the steering of the ’plane while flying.

Mr. R. K. Moore was the originator of the suggestion.

Typhoid Several cases of typhoid fever have been reported from Salamaua and other adjacent parts of the Morobe district. The cases are not increasing and the Depart ment of Health has taken every pre caution to keep the epidemic under con trol. Dr. Brennan left by the last Mac dhui to make an inspection of the distinct.

It is not expected that the outbreak will be serious.

Automobile Club The newly-formed Automobile Club of New Guinea offered a prize for the best design for a car badge. At a recent Council meeting of the Club a number of entries were judged, and the design ac cepted was that of Mr. W. L. McGowan, of the Public Works Department, Rabaul.

The design has been forwarded to Sydney where a die will be made and badges cast, both for radiator and clip-on purposes.

Copra Export For the month of March 8,107 tons of copra were exported from the Territory, not including the shipment made by the m.v. Malaita. The greatest proportion of this was shipped to France, while Hol land secured over a thousand tons. Aus tralia obtained only 537 tons.

Anzac Day in Rabaul An Anzac Day service was held in Rabaul at the Regent Theatre when the Revs. Thompson and Lewis conducted the proceedings, which were organised by the R.S. and S.I.L.A. Both General Griffiths (the Administrator) and Colonel Wanliss (Chief Judge) were in attendance; both are Anzacs.

After the service, a pilgrimage was made to the cemetery, where wreaths were placed upon the graves of the sol diers who fell during the capture and occupation of this Territory. General Griffiths placed a wreath upon the grave of Captain Pockley, who probably was the first member of the Australian forces to fall in the Great War.

Freemasonry

The Rabaul Masonic Lodge held its an nual installation and investiture of offi cers on Anzac Day, and afterwards a banquet was held in the Rabaul Hotel.

Wor. Bro. Gascoigne was installing Mas ter, and Wor. Bro. Tom Ellis Director of Ceremonies. Bro. Gordon Thomas was installed Master of the Lodge, with Bro.

V. A. Pratt, Senior Warden, and Bro.

Fritz Haslam, Junior Warden. Brother L. Tribolet was appointed secretary, and Bro. H. L. Clark elected as Treasurer.

Keravat Plantation The government demonstration planta tion at Keravat is now quite self-support ing; it grows its own rice and native foods. The growing of rice in the Terri tory is an industry that is gradually ex tending.

The Regent Theatre management has added to its improvements lately by the installation of a loud-speaker in the centre of the ceiling in the hall. Recently fans were installed which added greatly to the comfort of the audiences.

Visitors have stated that the Regent Theatre in Rabaul is the best picture theatre in the South Seas.

Rabaul now has fire-fighting apparatus.

A rotary pump, engine and hose arrived by the last Macdhui and was tested re cently, when it proved quite satisfactory.

It is an approved pattern from the Mel bourne Fire Brigade.

A team of women hockey players from the Suva Ladies’ Hockey Club, Fiji, will visit Australia early next year. The team will compete in the Centenary hockey car nival at Melbourne.