The Pre-War History Of The Mortlocks

THE accompanying photograph represents a little bit of history of interest to "old-timers" in New Ireland and thereabouts. It is the old plantation bungalow on the Mortlock Islands, owned by Mr.

Highley, long before the war.

Mr. Highley was an Englishman, and he owned the whole 13 islets of the Mortlocks. When he died, he left this valuable property to his wife and daughter, who was born in the bungalow. The daughter married a German, Herr Kroening, and took his nationality. In the post-war

settlement, the Mortlocks were seized by the Expropriation Board of Australia and Mrs. Kroening, although British-born, lost everything.

“I found it hard at the time,” says Mrs.

Kroening, writing from Kieta, Bougainville, in the Northern Solomons, “but the years have softened all that.”

Mrs. Kroening also has kindly sent along an early photograph of Kieta which we shall publish when opportunity permits.