Laurabada Takes Children

Home for Xmas

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Dec. 20.

THE Merkur, from Sydney via Brisbane and Townsville, arrived in Port Mores by on December 14 with over 60 school children on board to spend their Xmas holi days in the Territory. A large crowd of excited parents awaited them on the wharf, and shortly afterwards the township appeared to be overrun by a new and vigorous population.

The following day the accommodation of the Government vessel Laurahada was taxed to the limit when, with the Official Secretary (Hon. H. L. Murray) in charge she left Port Moresby for Samarai with 25 school children transhipped from the Merkur. On board also were Rev. and Mrs. P. J. Searle, Rev. and Mrs. O. G.

Parry and family, and Mr. and Mrs. M. J.

Healy.

The courtesy of the Government in carrying- such a large number of children and passengers to their homes for th© Xmas holidays was greatly appreciated by the residents of the Territory.

Owing to the shipping strike in Australia the circumstance was exceptional; no ves sels were available along the Papuan coast, and but for the assistance of the Government many parents would have been separated from their children during the Xmas festivities.

Mrs. A. B. Thomas, Methodist mis sionary in Fiji, reached Sydney by the Aorangi at the end of December. She is at present spending holidays at Hamil ton, Victoria.

Mr. J. L. Street, Registrar of Titles and Official Trustee in the Crown Law Office at Rabaul, New Guinea, returned after leave by the Tanda from Sydney on January 15.