Sydney!

Mind Your Step In

Irresponsible Reporters and Pacific Residents

ONE of the results to-day of vastly in creased interest in Pacific affairs is the embarrassing attention paid to visitors from the Pacific Islands by newspaper reporters of the “puppydog” variety—half-educated and irresponsible young men who fasten upon the unwary Islands visitor all sorts of fantastic stories of life and conditions in the is lands.

An outstanding case of this kind was described recently in the “P.1.M.” A man, Keegan, who had been employed by Gold Mines of Papua, Ltd., in Eastern Papua, arrived in Sydney and was interviewed by the “Daily Telegraph”. Mr. Keegan was permitted to describe Samarai as “a fever-ridden hell” and to make insulting references to life and conditions in East ern Papua. The “P.1.M.” republished this, to show the silly things that Sydney news papers frequently publish about the Is lands; but the effect of publication was to bring several letters from Samarai to show that Mr. Keegan actually was a convicted thief, having used his position in the mining company to steal gold.

Then there followed a further develop ment. Mr. Keegan told the “Daily Tele graph” that the boatswain of the “Bulolo” had been fined £5 for cuffing an impu dent native labourer. The boatswain, Mr.

Robert Cunningham, a well-known and respected man, who has been 10 years in the employ of Burns, Philp and Co., put the matter in the hands of his solicitor, and the latter then claimed substantial damages from the newspaper on the ground that there was not the slightest foundation for the statement made.

We have another example of how Is lands residents can be embarrassed by irresponsible reporters. Mr, H. Johnson, of Port Moresby, was interviewed by the “Sydney Morning Herald” and, according to that newspaper, he said: “Four years ago Port Moresby was a dull, sluggish town; to-day it is throbbing with life, due solely to defence activity.” We may take it as certain that Mr. Johnson did not say anything so silly. The liveliness of Port Moresby is due mostly to the activities of the companies engaged in the oil search. The defence forces have gone there recently and merely intensified the activity. Yet the statement attributed to Mr. Johnson carried the flaring heading: “Fortifying Port Moresby—lntense Activ ity—Town Throbbing with Life”.

Another newspaper, in July, published photographs showing the home life of Mr. Garvey, “the Administrator of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands”. We can imagine the embarrassment of Mr, Gar vey. Actually, he is acting as Resident Commissioner in the Gilbert and Ellice Group during the absence on leave of the R.C., Mr. J. C. Barley.

Mr. Harry Downing, Assistant District Officer in the N.G. Administration, who recently has been stationed at Madang, arrived in Sydney by the “Macdhui” at the end of July.

Mr. and Mrs. Trenchard Smith, of Wau.

New Guinea, have gone to Calms, Queensland, to live. Mr. Smith has taken a position with Airlines of Australia.