Port Moresby Hotel

Decision Reversed

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, June 27.

STEAMSHIPS Trading Co. has been informed that the Commonwealth Government, after reconsideration, is issuing the necessary permit for the erection of a new hotel in Port Moresbv on what is known as the “school site”, at the corner of Musgrave and Douglas Streets.

This decision follows a minor “war” between Steamships Trading Co. and the owners of the existing hotel, who had planned to build a second hotel. Repre sentations to the Federal Government resulted in STC being refused permission to erect their hotel, after having success fully tendered for the site. Thereunon. many Port Moresby residents and local bodies petitioned the Government to reconsider its attitude, as extra hotel accommodation is essential.

It is understood that work on the new hotel will commence as soon as the site is made available, and that the present school will be transferred to the original school Quarters now occupied bv the Native Affairs Department. An addition will be made shortly to the Government Secretary’s Department to accommodate the Native Affairs’ office.

News has been received recently of a number of ex-Fiji young men serving in England with the Royal Air Force—w.

Buckley (at one time on the Suva staff of Morris. Hedstrom Ltd.), D. Caldwell (son of District Commissioner R. N.

Caldwell). T. Patterson (son of Mr George Patterson, of Levuka). Also training in Canada for the RAF is Rob.

Alban, son of Rev. V. Alban, formerly a Methodist missionary at various Fiji stations.

Pastor L. G. Maxwell has arrived in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to take over control of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission from Pastor A. G. Jacobson, who has returned to NZ.

Miss M. Battersby, who was a well known Methodist missionary in New Guinea, retired recently owing to ill health.

Mr. and Mrs. Nick Penglase, who were in Australia recently on furlough, are now at Manus, New Guinea, where he is relieving ADO K. C. McMullen, as officer in charge of the district.