Sydney

Unwilling Stowaway

N.G. Native Overcarried to Sydney

IT was hot work loading the B.P. steamer Neptuna under the blazing Rabaul sun.

At least Mouk, one of the wharf “boys,” thought so.

Mouk was tired. He yawned, and crawled into a dark corner of the hold where the overseer could not see him.

When he awoke, he was in complete dark ness, and his bed was shaking. The Nep tuna —and Mouk —had sailed for Sydney.

A Chinese sailor reported a mysterious knocking in No. 1 hold, and the bosun, re moving the hatch-cover, found a frightened Sepik River “boy,” dressed in a lap-lap, trying to explain in confused pidgin-Eng lish that it was not his fault.

Captain Rothery decided that he should stay on the vessel, and return to Rabaul on the next voyage. The crew gave him trousers and a coat against the cold, which he felt severely on the trip south. He spent most of his time in the engine-room, working willingly in order to keep warm.

The regulations regarding New Guinea natives visiting Australia are very strin gent, and only a few have had the oppor tunity of seeing Sydney, either coming as personal servants or as crew on Adminis tration or trading vessels.

Morris, Hedstrom Ltd., traders and shipowners of Fiji, with branches throughout Central Pacific, have de clared a final half-yearly dividend of 2£ per cent,, (making 5 per cent, for the year) payable on June 30.