A New Cocktail In Daru

THE little township of Daru. at the Western end of Papua, had a new excitement some weeks ago.

A crowd of boys could be seen, one day. gathered near the village. Several of them seemed persistently to fall and roll on the ground. It was an interest ing exhibition of how the lordly whites would look, if some of their parties were held in the daylight. Every one was amused.

Several days later, rumours flew about, and natives could be seen going to and coming from the Government office.

Eventually, enough evidence was gathered and there came Der Tag. Fines varying from £2 to £2O were imposed on about twenty natives. Several became guests of His Majesty.

And the reason was that someone had invented the “Erseover” cocktail. The in gredients were coconut milk, sipora and methylated spirits. Some people say that the Upper Ten included boot polish also, in theirs.

Anyway, as one of the tipplers remark ed. it was strong. “Oh, Taubada,” he said, “He strong too much! One drink and boy fall down Erseover”,

01l company men, having been recruit ed from all over the world, mentioned quite a few different drinks. The “Ply- Tox” (boot polish and “metho.”) and the “Condy’s” (bluestone of “pinkie”); but “Erseover” was a new one to them.

The chief result, that we can notice, is that several of the leading lay preach ers at the local mission are not now lay-preachers.

Thus is civilisation brought to the heathen —even in Daru, with its mud,

mosquitoes and monotony-

“Daika”.

Mr. Bill Seale, of Kavieng, New Guinea, married Miss Heather Holmes, daughter of Mr. G. C. (“Jos”) Holmes, at the Meth odist Mission church at Kavieng on June 20. The couple arrived in Sydney by the “Bulolo” early in July on their honey moon.