Eager To Join Up

Young Men of Pacific Territories

rpHE Government of Fiji, at the end of J. May, sought the permission of the Imperial authorities to recruit and equip 100 men for active service with the Imperial forces, overseas.

A message from Rarotonga says that the Islands Council again has asked the New Zealand Government to accept an offer of men for active service. Raro tonga already has given £l,OOO to Red Cross and patriotic funds. The people of Atiu island, alone, subscribed £56 to the National Patriotic Fund.

Men From Papua And N.G.

Many young men in New Guinea and Papua are eager to enlist in the A.I.F.

Some have paid their fares South, and taken their chance of medical rejection at the recruiting depots in Brisbane and Sydney. Many are asking for medical examination facilities in the Territories.

Some think they should be assisted by the Commonwealth in transport from New Guinea to Australia.

The Editor of the “P.1.M.” brought these matters under the notice of the Minister for Territories, and urged that the least the Commonwealth Govern ment could do was to provide, in the principal centres of Papua and New Guinea, some form of free medical ex amination, so that when these volunteers submit themselves for enrolment in Aus tralia. they at least will be free from the risk of medical rejection.

It also has been pointed out to the Federal authorities that the young men in Papua and New Guinea are a type who make first-class soldiers, and it should be worth the while of the Com monwealth Government to provide free passages, either by arranging for the en rolment of a further quota in the Islands, or by refunding at least some part of the passage money of volunteers, when they are accepted.

Among the men of Papua who have en listed for service with the A.I.F. are the following Port Moresby commercial men: Messrs. R. Dunlop, A. Cotman, W. Simp son, W. Gossner, J. Monks, C. Ison, W.

McLean, R. R. Short. H. G. Morton.

From the Samarai end of the Territory the following have joined up: Messrs. R.

F. Bunting, G. Brett, Miller, Mason, Ryan and Thompson.

The Returned Soldiers and Sailors in Port Moresby entertained the Papuan Contingent of the 2nd A.I.F. at a fare well dinner on May 31. Each member of the contingent has been presented with a token of Port Moresby’s regard.