Only One Judge In

New Guinea

Judge David Wanliss, of New Guinea, has been granted 18 months’ leave, prior to retirement; which means (according to the Judiciary Ordinance of the Territory) that during that period Judge F. B. Phillips will temporarily ex ercise all the powers and authority of the chief judge.

There is expectation in some quarters that before a successor to Judge Wanliss is appointed, the whole of the judiciary system of New Guinea will be overhauled.

It has been apparent for some consider able time that the present method of administering justice does not meet the requirements of the territory.

If the present Federal Government is returned to office on October 23, the mat ter probably will have the early attention of the Minister in Charge of Territories.

If it is not returned, it is probable that the new Labour Government will make an examination of the judicial system as part of a general review of the whole system of administration in New Guinea.

It seems unlikely that Judge Phillips will be left to carry on the whole of the court work of New Guinea unaided for a period of 18 months —am almost impos sible task. One possibility is that he might be given the temporary assistance of an acting judge, in the person of Mr.

Gerald Hogan, head of the Crown Law Department. Mr. Hogan at present is on furlough, and is somewhere abroad.

This interesting old photograph was found in Tahiti recently by Mr. W. W. Bolton, M.A. It was taken in Papeete in 1869, and it commemor ates the visit of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edin burgh, who spent a brief holiday in Tahiti on his was home from Australia. There were current, over 60 years ago, many stories of romantic attachments formed in Tahiti by the handsome young son of Queen Victoria.

Those in the group, reading from left to right, are: Moetia Salmon (Mrs. Atwater); H.R.H, the Duke of Edinburgh; Tua Vahine (Mrs; Dunnett) ; Hon. Eliot Yorke (aide-de-camp) ; Titaua Salmon (Mrs. Brander). The two Misses Salmon were connected with the royal houses of Tahiti and Rarotonga, and were famous for their beauty and vivacity.